President Pierce had tried to unite the different groups in the party by giving each a representative in his cabinet.

VOA: special.2009.05.14

Third-term Representative Michele Bachmann is a Republican from Minnesota and a favorite of the Tea Party movement.

VOA: special.2011.01.10

Representative Lee says the Democratic Party's plans to stimulate employment are too expensive and will hurt the economy in the long term.

VOA: standard.2010.05.15

"Coca-Cola has always been viewed in Lisburn as one of our leading employers, having taken a very active role in the community, " said the Alliance Party representative.

BBC: Coca-Cola bottling plant

Nan Hayworth, a Tea Party representative from upstate New York who lost to a Democrat in November, told me about a Southern Republican who once tried to win her support for a colleague on some internal conference position.

NEWYORKER: The House of Pain

But he also said there was a "duty on the party of representative groups" - like charities - not to use "strong language" which could exacerbate concerns.

BBC: Minister denies fuelling tabloid attacks on 'workshy'