WASHINGTON - Tea Party groups in Dallas, Austin and Houston are rallying today at the offices of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to protest her breaking ranks with a GOP filibuster aimed at stalling the Democrats’ health care bill.

"We want to let her know that we are not happy," said Dallas Tea Party leader Phillip Dennis. "If we can’t trust her to fulfill her promises as a senator, how can we trust her as governor?"

Last week, Republican Senate leaders organized a filibuster of a defense spending bill, though that was not the real target. Hutchison said she supported the tactic, but once Democrats gathered the 60 votes needed, she joined Democrats – and two other Republicans – to force a vote on the defense bill. This move cleared the way for work to resume on health care.

A Hutchison aide said she voted as she did to show support for the troops and noted that the filibuster would have been broken with or without her vote.

Her move has drawn strong attacks from rival Gov. Rick Perry, whose campaign has pointed to her repeated vows to fight the Democrats’ health care bill.

Now the Tea Party groups are venting, too.

Hutchison spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said the senator supports the Tea Party groups and isn’t concerned that the rallies would reflect badly on her.

"She agrees with the Tea Parties that this is a horrendous bill," Baker said. "She understands the frustration and she is doing everything she can to fight the bill."

The Tea Party movement – a national, loose affiliation of conservatives who gained notice over the summer for well-attended rallies and attacks on moderate Republicans – is led in part by Dick Armey, a former Dallas-area congressman who served as House Majority leader in the 1990s.

Armey has endorsed Hutchison’s bid for governor and there is no indication he is behind the rallies in Texas.

He told reporters in a conference call Monday morning that "grassroots activists in America are intending to remember very clearly who made what votes," and to punish offending politicians in next year’s elections – though he was referring to Democrats such as Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska who provided critical votes as the Senate bill moves toward finalization.

"We obviously are frustrated and disappointed," Armey said.

Hutchison has been outspoken in her opposition to the health care bill itself, as have most Republicans.

The party's national chairman, Michael Steele, on the same call with Armey, called the Democrats' "dead of night" votes on health care a sign of "cowardice" from a party that "dare not look the American people on the eye on this issue… This is a wholesale hijacking of our healthcare system."

Texas Democrats offered a partial defense of Hutchison on Monday, arguing that the filibuster of an unrelated, must-pass defense bill was irresponsible and calling Perry "cowardly" for supporting the tactic.

"Rick Perry owes American military men and women an apology for treating them as collateral to his gutless political campaign," said state Democratic Chairman Boyd Richie. "Perry's statement in support of blocking the defense spending bill is Republican primary rhetoric at its worst."

Dennis said the noon rally at the senator's office on North Central Expressway in Dallas, which drew more than 125 people , is meant to underscore expectations that she takes every step possible to block the health care bill.

In Austin, a rally will begin at 5:30 p.m. and Greg Holloway, a leader of the local Tea Party group, said he hopes it will make Hutchison aware that people are watching every vote surrounding the health care debate.

"We demand that Sen. Hutchison votes in line with our conservative principles," he said. "We do not want this health care bill passed."

The Houston rally will be at 5 p.m.