The Hill News

The Tea Party will disappear as the economy improves, the Senate Majority Leader said Friday.

In an interview with MSNBC Friday set to air this Sunday Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), who narrowly defeated Tea Partier Sharon Angle to win reelection in November, said that the Tea Party movement will die out as the economy improves.

"The Tea Party was born because of the economy," Reid said. "The economy is probably the worst it's ever been except for maybe the Great Depression. The Tea Party will disappear as soon as the economy gets better. And the economy's getting better all the time."

Reid's comments come as various potential Republican presidential hopefuls test the waters for a presidential run, many of whom hope to propel themselves on the support of the Tea Party. Possible presidential candidates among self identifying Tea Party Republicans include former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann.