MARK TAPSCOTT: They Aren’t Laughing At The Tea Party Now.

UPDATE: More:

Although a few Tea Party stars such as Christine O’Donnell and Sharron Angle lost, the movement itself proved broadly appealing: Exit polls showed that four in 10 voters considered themselves supporters of the Tea Party, and, according to NBC, 113 of the 129 candidates for the House of Representatives who associated themselves with it won.

The Tea Party is a fringe movement no more. But will it be a lasting one?

Given that Tea Partiers seem to have found their participation fun, I think so. People usually keep doing what they find to be fun.