Mich Tea Party fight headed for court

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The fight over whether a group calling itself The Tea Party can run candidates on Michigan's November ballot appears headed for court.

A state election board deadlocked 2-2 Monday on a motion that would have allowed the party to appear on the ballot. That means as of now the party isn't certified for the ballot.

An attorney for The Tea Party says he plans to file with the Michigan Court of Appeals this week to try to get on the ballot.

Opponents say the group is a fraud trying to steal the Tea Party name in an attempt to draw votes away from conservative candidates that tea party activists really support. Republican Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson says she suspects fraud in the nominating of at least one Tea Party candidate.