ATLANTA, Ga – Tea Party Patriots CEO and Co-Founder Jenny Beth Martin released the following statement today after the passing of Phyllis Schlafly.

“Everyone at Tea Party Patriots is saddened by the passing of Phyllis Schlafly, a leader and icon we consider to be a charter member of the Tea Party movement. Decades before the Tea Party rose up in 2009, Phyllis was demanding that our federal government return to its Constitutional roots. Over the course of her long and storied career, Phyllis recognized the importance of the grassroots activists and it was her visionary instinct to inspire and mobilize those defenders of freedom. It is difficult to put into words what Phyllis meant to the Tea Party and to conservatives generally – words like ‘pioneer,’ ‘visionary’ and ‘icon’ fall short of what she meant to our movement, because she was all of those things and so much more. She was a role model for me personally and her ‘happy warrior’ persona showed others how to wear liberal political attacks as a badge of honor and how to defend our cause with class and dignity. Phyllis will be sorely missed, but never forgotten. Rest in peace.”

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