Poll: Tea Party's favorable numbers take a hit
Washington (CNN) - The tea party is more unpopular than ever, according to a new national poll that also suggests that even many Republicans now view the grass-roots conservative movement in a negative light.
A Pew Research Center survey released Wednesday also indicates that Sen. Ted Cruz, one of the ringleaders of the conservative push to tie dismantling the national health care law to the funding of the federal government, has seen his popularity jump among tea party Republicans and drop among non-tea party GOPers.
According to the poll, which was conducted October 9 through Sunday, 49% of Americans said they have a negative view of the tea party, a slight rise of four percentage points from June. Three in 10 questioned said they see the tea party in a positive light, down seven points from June.
The tea party movement was born in early 2009 to protest the Wall Street bailouts initiated under President George W. Bush a few months earlier. It also opposed the stimulus and other economic and health care policies of President Barack Obama, who succeeded Bush in the White House.
The poll indicates the drop in favorable views of the tea party is not coming just from Democrats and independents.
"The Tea Party’s favorability rating has fallen across most groups since June, but the decline has been particularly dramatic among moderate and liberal Republicans. In the current survey, just 27% of moderate and liberal Republicans have a favorable impression of the Tea Party, down from 46% in June," a release from the Pew Research Center said.
Cruz has become much more visible during the shutdown and the showdown leading up the shutdown. And the poll indicates Cruz's popularity among tea party Republicans has soared, from 47% in July to 74% now. But among those who say they are non-tea party Republicans, the freshman senator from Texas and possible 2016 GOP White House contender's unfavorable rating jumped from 16% to 31%.
The Pew Research Center poll was conducted October 9 to 13, with 1,504 adults nationwide - including 655 Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP - questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.
–CNN's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
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ok so $15 BILLION dollars later the GOP induced crisis is finally at an end. How is this fiscally responsible you hypocrites? This had nothing to do with what the American people want. We voted for president Obama...TWICE. We don't want the GOP's rancid policies. Take the hint and quit obstructing. Get to work with the president creating jobs and actually doing things that will help our economy.
Time that the moderate Republicans (and blue democrats) break out and form their own (a 3rd) party – call it the Reagan Party or something ; -] The remaining republican party will be made of right wing fringe, semi-automatic gun owners, and Fox TV News watching fools. Need the third party to bridge gap between other two parties, and I honestly think these moderate Republicans/Dems are missing the proverbial boat to stand up and not only get re-elected, but also win the upcoming elections.
After giving it lots of thought and watching this process, I have to hand it to the tea party eventhough they get blamed and hated for every stance. At least Cruz, whom I talk against constantly, stood up for his constituants, that's more than McCain and his cronies who will give blanket amnesty to illegals just for votes. The old dog Republicans are nothing to be be proud of, they are weak cowards and sell outs.
I agree with the Tea Party that spending is out of control and that Obama Care is having many problems and needs a time-out. Only time will tell if they are right or wrong. As for the Republican Party I agree they don't know what they stand for and the Democrats have their head in the sand.
About time! These clowns have been causing trouble long enough. LOL They messed up by causing the stock market to go crazy. It's one thing to mess with poor people, it's another thing to mess with the 1% who need the stock market to keep on perking along.
Ted Cruz will be the next Republican nominee for president and that is fantastically incredible news. He will win the nomination since he's popular with the hate America crowd – they love what America once was but hate what it is today – and then he will lose huge in the general election. And the best part is that the GOP ran moderates in the last two elections so they'll argue that Cruz is a 'real' Republican and therefore that he can win. I'm no huge fan of Hillary but at least the White House will stay in Democratic hands for another 4 years.
American politics is in a very precarious position, it seems to me that the public have lost faith in their politicians. What will happen when elections start , will the public turn up to vote because if they don't then these radicals will be elected and may have a stronger hand in the next government and maybe even a tea party president and that would be a disaster. People may think the Tea Party is finished but don't underestimate the power of fear that these people try to instill in the American people, G Bush did it and he got reelected.
They should take a hit. Ted Cruz Mike Lee and their crazies have no business even having access to sharp objects. The inmates have been running wild.
I'll bet the ACA enrollment rates are better in states that are not red. Those backward states are too stupid to realize that this is a good thing. On the up side, the GOP realizes that once Americans get used to ACA, it will be like Social Security and Medicare – unstoppable. And believe me they tried.
Well,
Now honestly what else would you expect from the Know Nothing Nanny Stater's. They now think they are on Easy Street. Better think again. This is like getting a High on dope. It only lasts a short while and then you need another Fix.
Someone on here that supports the Nanny State thinks we should crack open a History Book. So what part of History are you citing? The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire? The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, that was supposed to last a thousand years but lasted precisely 12 years? Or are you talking about the Soviet Union where Socalisim was last tried, a glaring Failure? Maybe you are citing Liberalisim that has now brought us to where we are today? Stay Tuned. More to come.
I have heard several pundits say 2014 looks good for the Republicans. They say Americans will forget all about this shutdown and this run-up to default. They say Democrats in the Senate are more vulnerable than Republicans. After what we have just been through, that sounds crazy to me – but these political pundits are said to be the experts. If that is so, the president's organization will know it, and know where the Republicans are vulnerable. In 2014, a major factor may be that many businesses are through with Tea Party Republicans. They say they intend to mount and finance moderate opposition to Tea Party candidates. This uncertainty is terribly frustrating. Bottom line I would not count the Democrats out, but I will not take 2014 for granted – apparently we Dems are in for a fight. 2016 could be a whole other ballgame. The Republicans will not have the racial factor working for them then, and that is big.
How is what has happened different from terrorism?? A few people who didn't get their way shut down the government and hurt the American people. Oh yeah the difference? They didn't use guns or bullets!!
I don't understand how even 1% of Americans could view the Tea Party or Ted Cruz in a favorable way! Must be a lot of absolute idiots out there
No one BUT the Tea Party, is standing up for what's needed in America. They are still, the only hope for saving this country which has fallen into the hands of a dictator.
Slanted Poll for slanted article. 655 Republicans and Independents out of 1504 people polled. Therefore, that leaves 849 Democrats with some Greens, Reds and Socialists mixed in. Of course, these groups LOVE the tea party (Yeh! Right!). I am surprised the negative view % is not higher.
I'm not stupid enough to believe that in this political conflict, only republicans are at fault. Seriously? Simplified thinking is the same thing as not thinking.
@ Rick McDaniel – No one BUT the Tea Party, is standing up for what's needed in America. They are still, the only hope for saving this country which has fallen into the hands of a dictator
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President Obama is standing up for what's needed in America. Americans desperately need decent healthcare. Barack Obama, whose own mother had to battle the insurance company while fighting cancer, has been a champion for the American people. Thank you, President Obama, for coming to office and helping the ordinary citizen.
They have favor? Apparently the one's favoring them are somewhat subhuman, or insane to the point of institutionalization.
"Three in 10 questioned said they see the tea party in a positive light, down seven points from June."
And so we're back down to the 30% dead-enders who thought Bush was great in September 2008.
we will be voting tea baggers out, they have had their 15 minutes of infamy, they are done
The majority of armed Americans still support the Tea Party...
@Maggie we will be voting tea baggers out, they have had their 15 minutes of infamy, they are done
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That would be awesome. The tea baggers have cost this nation enough already and need to be relegated to the junk heap of history. It's one thing to be "(t)axed (e)nough (a)lready. It's an entirely different thing to think you people are somehow in charge, no matter what, and actually being in charge to the detriment of the rest of America. Get you own country to ruin already and leave America alone!
President Obama is standing up for what's needed in America. Americans desperately need decent healthcare. Barack Obama, whose own mother had to battle the insurance company while fighting cancer, has been a champion for the American people. Thank you, President Obama, for coming to office and helping the ordinary citizen.
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Everything i saw or read is that Obama Care is falling flat on its face, exchanges are screwed up, software is messed up, costs for plans are higher then current plans people have. Let it run its course, once Obama Care has an Epic Failure, people will see just how messed up it is. Obama's legacy will be crap.
The Tea Party is dangerous because they lead with fear as their political philosophy and depend emotions to make policy.
Evidence and thought take a backseat to what is "principled", unfortunately the principles are selfishness and manipulation win over everyday of the week.
Scott: In your dreams the ACA is falling flat. Please spare us the GOP talking points. ACA is the law of the land. People like you are not worried that it won't work. You are terrified that it will and it will be a feather in the President's cap. Hey, Social Security and Medicare work, so will ACA. I'll be you and people like you will secretly like love it.