Eight Texas GOP members, including three from North Texas, have joined the House Tea Party Caucus, which made its Capitol Hill debut Wednesday.

Reps. Joe Barton , R-Arlington; Michael Burgess, R-Lewisville ; and Pete Sessions , R-Dallas, are among the 35 Republican House members in the group, spearheaded by Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota.

"Democrats have tried to marginalize and dismiss the voices of concerned citizens, and I have joined the Tea Party Caucus to continue listening and dialoguing with hard-working Americans who are worried about our country," Sessions, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a prepared statement.

Texas has more members in the caucus than any other state. Rounding out the Texas contingent are Reps. John Carter , R-Round Rock; John Culberson, R-Houston; Louie Gohmert , R-Tyler; Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock; and Lamar Smith , R-San Antonio.

Both Sessions and Carter are part of the House Republican leadership.

Sessions has at times had a contentious relationship with tea party activists, who have fielded their own candidates to challenge Republicans backed by the GOP congressional committee.

Barton, who has attended tea party events in his district, considers the movement as a parallel to his own politics.

"Their core values align very closely – smaller government, lower taxes, more personal freedom," Barton spokesman Sean Brown said.

The caucus held its first meeting Wednesday morning. Two dozen House members attended, including Burgess and Barton, as well as tea party activists.

There are dozens of caucuses in Congress, which serve as a way for lawmakers to meet over common interests.

In registering the caucus last week, Bachmann described it as an "informal group of members dedicated to promote Americans' call for fiscal responsibility, adherence to the Constitution and limited government."


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