Tea Party Steams Up
A new WSJ/NBC poll focuses on the elusive tea party movement. The numbers indicate that the tea party is a major source of enthusiasm among Republicans. Here is a snapshot of the findings:
1. 71% of Republicans support the tea party, have a favorable image of it, and want its candidates to do well on November 2.
2. Tea partiers constitute one third of those most likely to vote in November--meaning, they are not a trifle, but a major part of what will drive the election results in a few weeks. On a related note, thanks to the enthusiasm the tea partiers have drummed up, two thirds of Republican voters are "intensely interested" in the midterm elections (while only one half of Democrats are).
3. The GOP can boast a three point edge against Democrats. Of the likely voters polled, 46% to 43% would prefer the GOP to control Congress. But: "That is down from a nine-point Republican lead a month ago." What's changed in the past month? One bullet point, off the top of my head, is Christine O'Donnell's victory in Delaware. That may have energized the Republicans in this poll, but cooled the Independents. What else changed last month to sway these numbers?
4. The final figure I'll cite has to do with the important independent voters. One third of them have an affinity for the tea party, but 59% of them do not support the tea party, which could ultimately hurt Republican candidates in the general election. I wonder if independent voters are as "intensely" interested in this election as Republicans are. That would be a good figure to know in analyzing how the results will shake out in November.
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: Tea Party Steams Up
I would like to find out more regarding that 59% who do not support the Tea Parties.
My bet will be that if you asked them Item by Item most will support the goals and values of the Tea Party (The real ones not the ones CBS, ABC, and NBC tell everyone they are) but know only what they've seen on TV regarding what the Tea Party stands for.
Re: Tea Party Steams Up
Jaydee_007: I would like to find out more regarding that 59% who do not support the Tea Parties.
My bet will be that if you asked them Item by Item most will support the goals and values of the Tea Party (The real ones not the ones CBS, ABC, and NBC tell everyone they are) but know only what they've seen on TV regarding what the Tea Party stands for. · Sep 29 at 7:01am
I think you're right, especially when it comes to fiscal issues. I think that Independents and Tea Partiers see eye to eye fiscally. What may turn the Independents off is what they perceive to be the tea party's stance on social issues.
That's one reason why the Pledge to America is such an interesting document. I think that it all at once is appealing to the tea partiers (with its talk of reducing the debt and deficit, repealing ObamaCare), but it's also appealing to Independents--why else would the Pledge more or less leave social issues out of the picture?
Edited on Sep 29, 2010 at 7:11am