Does the Tea Party Need to Speak?

Washington (CNN) – Tea party leaders are turning to Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, to deliver their message following President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, a speech that will compete with the official Republican response.

Paul will make his remarks soon after Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, wraps up the GOP response Tuesday night, a Paul spokeswoman confirms to CNN.

Wait a second.

I thought Marco Rubio was a Tea Party candidate in 2010. Why, then does one faction of  the Tea Party need to have Rand Paul rebut Obama’s State of the Union speech?

Don’t get me wrong. I like Rand Paul. I like a lot of his common sense solutions to our debt problems. I might even vote for him.

But is this the right move for the Republican party? At a time when we are portrayed as totally divided it seems we are missing a prime opportunity to show a united front.

My daughter says maybe I’m not far enough to the right.

I don’t think so.