Herman Cain will give tea party State of the Union response

Herman Cain will deliver the tea party rebuttal to the president’s State of the Union address next week.

Cain, who dropped out of the GOP primary in December, will have a chance to “square off with the failed politics of the Obama administration,” Tea Party Express said in a statement announcing the Tuesday speech.

This will be the second tea party response hosted by the California-based political action committee. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) delivered remarks last year carried live on CNN. It was not yet clear whether the networks planned to air Cain’s remarks. The speech will stream on the group’s site, www.teapartyexpress.org.

The official GOP response to the president’s speech will be delivered by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Tea Party Express strategist Sal Russo suggested his group’s plans were not meant as a rebuke of that choice.

“We are enthusiastic that a successful conservative governor like Mitch Daniels of Indiana will be giving the Republican response. I know that both Gov. Daniels and Mr. Cain will contribute important ideas for the future of our country,” Russo said.

“Whether it is a flat tax, a fair tax or a combination of the two, reforming the tax code must be a priority. Americans want straight talk and honest solutions, and Herman Cain will deliver a pro-growth message strongly and clearly.”