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“People are definitely not rallying to Romney,” said Chris Littleton, co-founder of the Ohio Liberty Council, a coalition of about 80 Tea Party groups in Ohio, a swing state considered a must-win for any Republican presidential candidate.

“I cannot recall a single conversation I’ve had with anyone who is conservative and liberty-minded where that person supports Romney,” he said.

Some are shifting allegiance to Herman Cain, who has gained in recent polls and appeals to Tea Party activists with a plan to drastically overhaul the tax code, but Cain has yet to prove he can assemble the strong campaign team or attract the level of donations he would need to secure the nomination.

Romney’s campaign said his platform of reduced taxes, lower spending and limited government would appeal to Republicans, the Tea Party and even some Democrats, and that he would continue to reach out to all voters.

In the end, Tea Party voters are expected to put aside ideological differences with Romney if he does become the nominee, because their primary goal in next year’s presidential race is denying Obama a second term.

“The Tea Party to some extent, though not completely, was born in reaction to the Obama movement. Certainly their number one priority is going to be to beat Barack Obama in the fall. There’s no question about that,” said Doug Heye, a political consultant and former Republican National Committee spokesman.

Sal Russo, chief strategist and co-founder of the Tea Party Express, said he viewed all the Republican candidates as fiscally conservative enough for the Tea Party. Besides, he added, in the end the movement’s supporters want a candidate who can win.

“It certainly doesn’t do us any good to run and lose,” he said.

© Thomson Reuters 2011