"Tea Party" favorite Sharron Angle meets today with Republican leaders and fundraisers here in Washington, a week after successfully taking on the party's establishment for the right to take on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in November.

Reports in the Associated Press and Las Vegas Review-Journal say Angle will appear at today's Senate Republican caucus lunch and sit down with various GOP leaders, including Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, chairman of National Republican Senatorial Committee. Reid, the Senate's top Democrat, is one of the GOP's top targets.

"She'll be making the rounds of all the people she needs to see to get her general election campaign off to a good start," Angle spokesman Larry Hart told the AP about the nominee's multistop trip to Washington.

Angle, backed by anti-tax "Tea Party" activists, won the Republican Senate primary over former state party leader Sue Lowden, businessman Danny Tarkanian and others. The non-partisan Cook Political Report rates the Nevada Senate race a toss up.

For Angle, a former state legislator, the meetings in the nation's capital are important because she needs the national Republican establishment for help with fundraising and staffing, said University of Nevada-Las Vegas political science professor David Damore. Reid held a significant money advantage as of May 19, according to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, and Damore said Angle's staff during the primary was "basically her husband and one volunteer."

In her home state, Angle has reputation for being a "thorn in the side" of Republicans, Damore said, and some Nevada leaders would prefer having Reid in office compared to a conservative newcomer. A number of Republicans have thrown their support behind Reid, including Reno Mayor Bob Cashell.

This lack of support from Nevada GOP leaders, according to Damore, means Angle is "going to find a more receptive audience in Washington than she is here."

Reid, by the way, is going to get some campaign help soon. President Obama will travel to Nevada for a second time this year to boost the Democratic leader and pad his campaign coffers.

(Reported by Naomi Jagoda)