Certainly I feel like I'm the tip of the arrow at times because certainly the national media wants to talk about the fact that I'm a black Republican and some people think of that as zany that a black person would be a conservative but to me what is zany is any person black, white, red, brown or yellow not being a conservative.

And the Tea Party represents many of us who believe that we are taxed enough already. We believe in free markets.

There are good people and bad people in all organizations fundamentally however, when you look at the basis of the Tea Party it has nothing to do with race. It has to do with an economic recovery. It has to do with limiting the role of our government in our lives. It has to do with free markets.

I have campaigned all over the state of South Carolina. It is the friendliest state in the country. And truly here people judge you by the content of your character not the color of your skin.

The future of the Republican Party and the future of America is based on a values system and the issues that drive those values are on our side.

I think about my grandfather who's 89 years old, and the last thing he needs is more money out of his pocket.

I was warmly embraced by the Tea Party. They openly seek more minorities.