Tea Party Republicans

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A newly-published Gallup poll reveals "significant overlap" between supporters of the Tea Party and those who self-identify as conservative Republicans. The poll, conducted March 26-28, May 24-25 and June 11-13, 2010, shows 62 percent of Tea Party supporters self-identify as conservative Republicans, and 17 percent identify as moderate/liberal Republicans. Six percent consider themselves "pure independent" and five percent identify as conservative Democrats. The poll suggests that the Tea Party movement is more of "a rebranding of core Republicanism" than a new or unique American political entity. It did show that Tea Party supporters are more enthusiastic about voting than the general American population, but that they are no more enthusiastic about voting than members of Republicans' traditional conservative base. Around 80 percent of Tea Party supporters said they would vote for the Republican candidate in their district. There are other similarities, too. Members of both groups overwhelmingly harbor unfavorable views of President Obama and the Democratic Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. The results lead Gallup to conclude that despite the heavy news coverage the Tea Party has received this year, and its portrayal in the media as a new and potent political force, the potential impact of the Tea Party on Republicans' chances of winning elections in November -- even if voters turn out in record numbers -- may be slightly less than anticipated.

Comments

Libertarians

I was surprised that more of them didn't identify themselves as Libertarians. Though I'm not sure they are social liberals as much as Libertarians. Perhaps the Tea Party people are just republicans who don't like spending their republican leaders have been doing. It's one thing to claim to be a fiscal conservative, but many republican officials don't actually practice what they preach.

Tea Party Poll

The results of the poll aren't in any way surprising. It seems that if I read the article correctly, the vast majority of the respondents essentially said they were fiscally conservative. Some of the other social idealogical differences lie in the other self descriptors Republicans, Democrats or Independents. No surprises there.