Tea party rallies to keep GOP cutting spending

By LAURIE KELLMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Tea partiers are rallying to push Republican House leaders to resist the drive toward compromise in the budget fight.

And if House Speaker John Boehner agrees to a deal with President Barack Obama, the tea party warns there will be a price to pay.

Mark Meckler of the Tea Party Patriots says if Boehner strikes a budget deal that doesn't cut spending enough, "he is going to face a primary challenge."

The House passed a tea party-friendly budget that would cut hundreds of programs and eliminate others, including a costly defense project. But it is unlikely to pass the Democrat-controlled Senate.

The intensifying talks are as much a test of credibility and clout for the tea party as they are a measure of Boehner's ability to lead.