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With Washington already broken, the last thing we need is a left-wing version of the Tea Party.

But I think the - what the tea party movement demonstrates, and I think the, the, the enthusiasm that we're seeing from independents and Republicans, is that if Washington isn't going to change itself, then we're going to change Washington. And I think that's what we're seeing.

I know something. America is not broken, Washington, D.C. is broken.

The tea party movement and its passion arose in response to trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see and out of a sense that Washington is in need of dire fiscal reform.

I think there is a real misunderstanding about what the Tea Party movement is. The Tea Party movement is a sentiment in America that government is broken - both parties are to blame - and if we don't do something soon, this exceptional country will be lost, and it will become just like everybody else.

The voters in District 8 shared our vision that Washington is broken, and we're going to go up there and fix it.

People are very upset with Washington. They're upset with Democrats. They're upset with Republicans. They're upset with the establishment.

What we need to do is to come together as a people and solve the problems facing our country. And unfortunately, Washington is just not doing enough of that these days.

My advice to the tea party freshmen: Slow the galloping horses to a trot. Big government was built over decades; it can't be dismantled in a year, especially when Democrats control the White House.

Washington has, with some justification, gained a reputation for being hopelessly mired in partisan gridlock.