Dean Murray, Tea Party Activist, Joins New York State Legislature

Dean Murray has become the first Tea Party member to hold office.

The Long Island businessman, who won a lengthy recount in a special election, was sworn into his New York State Senate seat on Monday.

Murray was one of the original organizers of last year's Tax Day Tea Party protest.

Despite identifying himself as a Tea Party member, Murray chose to run on the Republican ticket. Speaking to Greta Van Susteren, the newly elected state senator said:

I am very happy to be in the Republican Party. I'll tell you why, because it seems like while the Democratic Party is working so hard to tear down what the Tea Party movement is about and discredit them, it seems the Republican Party is embracing the Tea Party movement.

In his speech at his swearing-in ceremony, Murray thanked several audience members who were part of the Conservative Society for Action and the Suffolk County 9/12 Project.

Murray beat Democrat Lauren Thoden by about 160 votes to take control of a the 3rd Assembly District, a district that had been represented by a Democrat for the past 13 years.

WATCH:

Comments

[City of Evil]

09:57 AM on 02/24/2010

New York? Really?? When I saw the headline, my first thought was Oklahoma.

[zombywulf]

12:04 AM on 02/24/2010

He should have combed his teeth before they took his picture.

[higherstrategy]

10:05 PM on 02/23/2010

so fast and easy?

watch him 'ruin the IMAGE' of the Tea Party

[thatgirlinnewyork]

07:39 PM on 02/23/2010

way to go, suffolk county! this teabagger was clearly elected by the racist/nativists out there.

[bowen152]

06:10 PM on 02/23/2010

The entire Tea Party movement is based on the idea of limited Government and fiscal responsibility. I don't understand disagreeing with that stance, but I welcome the debate if only a counter argument would arise. But instead of any substantive argument opposing the stated objectives of limited government and fiscal responsibility, I've only seen name calling and the imagined sinister, hidden motivation of racism. The cry of "racism" just highlights the lack of any actual counter argument from those that think government is the answer to every problem. Those yelling racism have to yell it, because they know yelling "We want big government and fiscal insanity" sounds stupid. If they can't fabricate a racist motive, what counter do they have? And if the left has a substantive counter, please, let's hear it! That debate might actually lead to something productive.
"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -Mahatma Gandhi

[anthonytaurus]

07:09 PM on 02/23/2010

Ok.. let's have some fun..

Leading up the Great Depression of the early 20th century, you could define the US government as being very limited. However, the tough times of the Great Depression era increased the role of the US government through regulations in the financial industry. However, during the Reagan Administration, the government began rolling back many of these financial regulations.

As it pertains to the financial industry, how would you compare the role of government leading up to the Great Depression versus the role up government leading up to the current economic distress this nation is experiencing today.

"...then they fight..." Let's see who wins!!

[bowen152]

10:23 AM on 02/24/2010

You're combining two different issues, I'm speaking of government spending and you respond with government regulation. I'm all for smart regulation of the financial industry. What I (and the Tea Party movement) are against is the size and expense of government, which has grown exponentially (under both parties). The 8 years of Bush were horrible, the size and expense of government grew substantially under his watch, only be out spent by the current administration. 8 years of bad shouldn't be used as a justification of a year of worse (we'll see what happens for the next 3). Obama was elected because people wanted change, they wanted something different from the Bush years, but what they've gotten is the same but worse.

[thatgirlinnewyork]

07:41 PM on 02/23/2010

no--they "yell racism" because teabagger meetings have featured all manner of signage depicting the president as hitler, hanging effigies of the president, and cries of "he's (the president) ruining my country!". government's role and spending tripled during the eight years of the bush administration. where were the teabaggers then?

[bowen152]

10:43 AM on 02/24/2010

Obviously you've never been to a Tea Party. I've been to many and have never seen the types of signage you're describing. I have seen the images in the news, and I'm not arguing that these extreme signs don't exist. I'm just saying that is a fringe minority of the entire group. The same was true of anti Bush rallies in Washington and all around the country, Hitler references and effigies. There is always a fringe element to any movement, and the media always highlights the fringe because it's more titillating and makes for a more exciting story. Opposition to any movement always highlights the fringe because it's easier to argue against crazy, but it's also not productive. The Tea Party movement was born under the Bush administration after TARP was passed, it then gained momentum and national attention because of the anger after the stimulus package was passed under Obama. The entire movement is about government spending, if you only see racism you're not really looking.

[coveark]

06:05 PM on 02/23/2010

OOOOHHHH this is disgusting....................

[judesedit]

05:50 PM on 02/23/2010

Spelling correction - OBVIOUS

[judesedit]

05:46 PM on 02/23/2010

Pretty obious he is a skinhead. Probably has swastikas tatooed all over his body. Wake up majority of America. And fast.

[judesedit]

05:29 PM on 02/23/2010

We can thank the 161 democrats that were too lazy to vote. As long as the dems stay disinterested and lazy, this will continue to happen.

[jerryatthebeach]

05:10 PM on 02/23/2010

Congrajulations!! It's amazing what can be done in a years time...

[Palemoon]

04:56 PM on 02/23/2010

Democrats better wake up fast and start doing what we elected them to do. Otherwise, the do-nothing Dems will be in the same boat with the do-nothing Republicans. That's going to conspire to hand everything right back to the GOP.

And before someone lacking a light bulb to formulate a thought process.... I've said that I'll never vote for a Republican again... so don't think even think about calling me a tea bagger, republican or even a libertarian.

What it is about is that I may also choose not to vote for a Democrat either. And that will hurt the Democrats more than it will hurt the Republicans. So if you folks want my vote instead of a third party person getting my vote, plus I don't HAVE to vote for a person on every spot of the ballot.... then you best start getting busy and enacting all of these reforms that President Obama promised us.

[ICanHasDemocracy]

04:47 PM on 02/23/2010

160 votes isn't much considering pop density of LI.

[OracleOfBandiagara]

04:00 PM on 02/23/2010

That district will regret it's decision.

[9liberal]

04:32 PM on 02/23/2010

If they are a bunch of big money execs...I'm sure they will be very happy with a republican

[Dave Alicea]

05:28 PM on 02/23/2010

No, this is generally the center middle class area of Long Island, not the super-rich beach home area. People vote Republican because they really do believe in Reaganomics and there is are widely held anti-immigrant feelings.

[thepoliticalcat]

03:36 PM on 02/23/2010

As if we needed any *more* proof that the so-called "Tea Party" is nothing but a clever strategy on the part of the Republican Party to co-opt growing dissatisfaction with two-party politics. With these guys around, the Republicans can look like "centrists," all the while trying to pull the nation further to the right and against the interests of most of its citizens.

[SansArc]

03:35 PM on 02/23/2010

Why not run as an independent? Run as a republican? Oh yeah, I forgot. Tea Party folks you have been had.