I’m getting pretty sick of this “Tea Parties cost the GOP” meme.

The latest version:

Did the tea party cost Republicans the Senate?

Tea party backed Senate candidates in several states significantly underperformed more establishment Republican candidates running on the same ballot last Tuesday, data that provides further evidence that the tea party movement may have cost the GOP seats.

Answer me this: where would the GOP be right now if it weren’t for the raw grassroots energy the Tea Parties brought to the table this year? Better off? Or worse?

Now ask again whether the Tea Parties “cost” the GOP anything.