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On display at raucous Republican debate Monday night was the tea party itself

The Republican debate, which was co-sponsored by the Tea Party Express and seemed at times like a sporting event, got out the tea party message: It's a force to be reckoned with.

Monday night鈥檚 GOP candidate debate, co-sponsored by the Tea Party Express, may have been political in its focus but it was 鈥淪ports Night鈥� at heart 鈥� pure primetime storytelling.

Producers took a page from the playbook of its time-slot competition, 鈥�Monday Night Football鈥� 颅鈥� from the raucous crowd warm-up act to the pop-singer-wobbly rendition of the national anthem and the booming shout-outs of each player鈥檚, er, participant鈥檚, moniker (the Libertarian! The Businessman! etc).

The subtext of this political soap: A tale about the tea party itself.

鈥淲hat other splinter party has ever had its own debate on prime-time television?鈥� says Richard Laermer, author of 鈥�2011: Trendspotting.鈥� While he knocks the candidates for seeming unprepared for the rough-and-tumble of the questions, he says, 鈥渢he tea party is telling its story鈥� 鈥� that it is a force to be reckoned with 鈥� 鈥渓oud and clear.鈥�

鈥淭丑补迟 CNN would partner with them鈥� sent a broad message of legitimacy, adds Clyde Frazier, professor of political science at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C., saying, 鈥渃learly, it also sends a message of influence.鈥�

Monday night underlined what most political observers have understood ever since the midterm elections in 2010, says Alan Abramowitz, professor of political science at Emory University in Atlanta.

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The tea party is 鈥渁 reflection of the long-term growth of polarization on both ends of the political spectrum, especially in the increased conservatism of the activist base in the Republican Party, and will be a factor in whoever is nominated,鈥� he says, noting that in the most recent Gallup poll, more than half of all Republican voters say they support tea party values.

James Hedtke, author of 鈥淟ame Duck Presidents: Myth or Reality,鈥� concurs, saying the tea partyers鈥� passion and tendency to vote will make them a particular force to be reckoned with during the party鈥檚 search for a candidate.

鈥淭he passionate forces tend to turn out in the primaries and caucuses,鈥� says Dr. Hedtke, chair of the history and political science department at Cabrini College in Pennsylvania, noting that in most states, voter turnout hovers at around ten percent in this early process. 鈥淭丑补迟 makes this group particularly influential in choosing the candidate,鈥� he notes, while at the same time presenting a challenge for the larger Republican Party.

鈥淭he danger for the Republican Party,鈥� says Mr. Frazier, 鈥渋s that to the extent that the tea party is in control, it could drive the party over a cliff,鈥� nominating a candidate that cannot win in a general election.

However some political analysts say the tea party鈥檚 influence will wane.

鈥淭he tea party supporters will no doubt have some influence on the first few primary contests but they will not be a power throughout the country,鈥� emails Jerry Kremer, a former Democratic congressman from New York and chairman of Empire Government Strategies, a political consulting group. 鈥淭he more exposure the tea party gets, the more they turn off mainstream and independent voters in both parties.... The tea party supporters won't count in the end.鈥�

The audience responses Monday night and in the previous debate suggest that the eventual nominee is going to have a hard time keeping his or her party coalition together and win over more moderate voters, Seth Masket, political science professor at the Univeristy of Denver, says via email.

He adds, "people who cheer at claims that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme or that the Fed chairman is guilty of treason or that the uninsured should be left to die will simply not be content with a nominee who tacks to the center to try to win swing states.鈥�

It was the audience, not the candidates, who made it clear who was in charge, Mr. Laermer adds, with the rowdy boos and applause creating a soundtrack of tea party values for the night.

The rowdy tone of the debate was a taste of things to come, says Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak, president of Potomac Strategy Group, who has worked with tea party groups.

鈥淭his is a group that speaks up for itself,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is who they are, they are disruptive.鈥�