CNN Poll: GOP & tea party unfavorables at all-time highs
Washington (CNN) - A new national poll provides more evidence of the political hit the Republican Party, the tea party movement, and House Speaker John Boehner took over the government shutdown.
According to a CNN/ORC International survey released Tuesday, 64% of Americans say they have an unfavorable view of the GOP, an all-time high dating back to 1992 when CNN first asked the question. Only three in 10 say they hold a favorable view of the party.
Fifty-six percent say they have an unfavorable view of the tea party movement, another record high in CNN polling. Only 28% say they see the 4-year-old grassroots conservative movement in a positive light.
The Democratic Party's 43%-51% favorable/unfavorable ratings are basically unchanged from late last month, just before the start of the shutdown.
No. 2 House Democrat says easy for Republicans to lose control of the House
The poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, following the end of the 16-day government shutdown, which was sparked by a push by conservative Republican lawmakers in Congress to attach provisions dismantling or defunding the national health care law to must-pass bills to fund the government.
The Democratic-controlled Senate, with the backing of the White House, refused to consider any bills that weakened the Affordable Care Act, which is President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement. The standoff resulted in the first government shutdown in 17 years.
Speaker Boehner's image takes hit
Boehner told House Republicans at the end of the shutdown that "we fought the good fight. We just didn't win."
A defeated GOP wants to unite, move on, fight another day
But the poll suggests he's not winning the hearts and minds of a majority of Americans. Boehner's unfavorable rating now stands at 55%, up from 48% in late September.
"This is the first time the Speaker has been disliked by a majority of Americans," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Boehner's counterpart on the Senate side, Majority Leader Harry Reid, actually saw his unfavorable rating drop a bit in the aftermath of the shutdown."
Boehner's favorable rating dropped nine percentage points among Republicans and eight points among conservatives.
Cruz's favorable ratings tumble
The poll indicates Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, who along with Reid negotiated the deal to end the shutdown, with a 23% favorable rating and a 42% unfavorable rating. McConnell's favorable rating is down four points from before the shutdown, with his unfavorable numbers up three points.
McConnell, who is up for re-election next year and is facing a conservative primary challenge, has a 41%-22% favorable/unfavorable rating among Republicans, but his numbers drop to 34%-36% among conservatives.
McConnell plunged 11 points among Republicans and ten points among conservatives since late last month.
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who was one of the ringmasters of the push to couple the dismantling Obamacare to funding the government, saw his favorable rating fall seven-points, to 23%, with his unfavorable rating jumping six-points to 42%. Cruz 's favorable rating dropped 12 points among Republicans and ten points among conservatives.
Cruz: Senate Republicans are 'single-most damaging thing' for the GOP in 2014
What about Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton kept an extremely low profile during the shutdown crisis. Her ratings stand at 59%-37% in the new poll, basically unchanged from May, when CNN last asked Americans opinions on the former secretary of state and possible 2016 Democratic presidential hopeful.
More than nine in 10 Democrats see Clinton in a favorable light, as do Independents by a 53%-42% margin, but more than seven in 10 Republicans have an unfavorable view of the former first lady and Senator from New York.
The poll was conducted for CNN by ORC International October 18-20, with 841 adults nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
The Republicans brought this upon themselves. They have allowed the Tea Party extremists to call the shots. The GOP has assured a Democratic sweep in 2014 and 2016. Thank you Tea Party jihadists!!!
Let's see all the young people buy health insurance at a loss to them. REALLY.
Why would even a liberal trust a CNN poll? I tend to lean slightly conservative on financial issues and even I realize the fallacy of accepting Fox News poll numbers. But, hey, one side is clearly the moral superior and has no record of leaning one over the other, right?
Change scares people but it's actually good to change. The GOP will fight this to the bitter end.
Some of these post are pathetic. You people who expect the government to support and guide you through life really make me sick. Stop blaming the republicans and the rich for your misfortune!! Look in the mirror and see who needs to take responsibility for your life! If you cant find a job? MOVE! don't want to? tough!! a job is not going to be given to you! Quit expecting help from others!! It wasn't the government or the US taxpayer that told you to have kids or quit school or use drugs. Quit thinking us republicans will agree with you on everything. It'll never happen. Peace!
A "poll" , is not a scientific measure of truth . It is a political propaganda tool . You can get any poll to say anything you want , just over sample those who support your views . You get the desired outcome you pay for . Buy a poll , make it say anything you want .
The Tea Party folks only care about their own greedy little butts. The rest of their countrymen can drop dead. As far as they are concerned, it's every person for themselves, especially when it comes to sharing the wealth of this great nation.
I'm surprised the Republican party's ratings are so good. Not bad for a party that tried to destroy Our Country; Our President; and, The People! But they will still go on saying how wonderful they are, if only in the mirror. And no, I'm not pro-Obama; or particularly a liberal. I'm just your average American that expects my Government to act in my and my fellow American's best interest. I expect compromise and cooperation. I don't expect a minor part of the extreme right wing (or left wing) having the ability to shut this Government down. This has got to stop and it's time for the Republican party to back track to its original philosophy. Follow a conservative path, but if that doesn't work compromise and do what's really best for the Country! Wake up people, otherwise we'll have a revolution on its way.
I hardly called the numbers overwhelming. It is surprising that despite all the negative and bias news coverage a huge amount people still don't like Obama.
T(errorists) E(nfeebling) A(America) Party.
Keep in mind that while a majority of those who hate the GOP hate them for causing the shutdown, the rest hate them for ending the shutdown empty handed.
of course its a CNN poll, duh. Its very obvious that the haters on here don't have any idea who and what the Tea Party people are. And with that here come come s the hateful and derogatory comments.
Although I think that Hilary would take the country in a direction that I prefer, ENOUGH already! Career politicians should be a thing of the past, let alone career politicians wives. You know she's already got her mind set on what color the new WHite House drapes should be. Shuffle the deck please, better yet, new cards!
This tells you how ignorant our voter base is. We have a Democratic president that increases our national debt by almost 10 TRILLION dollars , forces Obamacare on the public when the majority of citizens are against And now they blame republicans for trying to stop them ? How stupid can the public be ...You should have to pass an intelligence test to have the right to vote.
It was all a part of Liberal controversy! THE GOD AND THE TEA PARTY FOLKS NEVER WANTED THE GOVERNMENT TO SHUT DOWN!! Liberals never negotiated!
Because many Republicans drink too much tea, we now have the party of
Gee ... Oh Pee !!
The polls mean nothing. Voters have nanosecond memory.
They really don't care. Just remember that when you go to vote.
Since when did Democrats care for TP politicians? Don't worry come 2014 plenty of voter anger will be waiting for all parties.
The Tea Party has hurt their own cause. Everything President Obama has done has been right down the middle. He has renewed the Patriot Act, authorized the NSA to collect data in ways no President has ever authorized before. To this day, Guantanamo is still open and we still have troops in Afghanistan. Taxes are still at historical lows and everyone gets to keep their guns.
So what is the Tea Party fighting for? Are they actually fighting to kill American's by denying them the ability to buy affordable insurance on the PRIVATE market? Seriously??? Is that what the Tea Party wants? To help kill people who cannot find affordable healthcare? How is the Tea Party any better than the Taliban?
if you have a favorable view of the GOP you are absolutely delusional. This group has been the most incompetent and damaging force in american politics in our countries entire history. These people have absolutely nothing in common with traditional conservative ideology and have decided to lock, stock, and barrel follow an absolutely reckless strategy that has thrown the american people under the bus time and time again. they are INCOMPETENT and deserve and have to be run out of washington WITH GREAT EARNEST !
Another one of CNN's famous skewed polls, trying to steer the "herd-think".
I love it, the crazy GOP is digging their own grave. I hope they continue to fight amongst one another....it's hysterical! I just hope next time they don't cost our country 24 billion...good grief!
Hey CPN (Cable Propaganda Network), you've been harping for weeks about the Republicans' ratings, even with mulitple stories per day, but hey WHAT IS THE DEMOCRATS' FAVORABILITY RATING?
Also, you DO know, all of you out there, that the historically low rating for "CONGRESS" mean the House AND THE SENATE? So, don't let these White House media wing here fool you! And, right now, it's the Democrats that are not only for the "status quo" but for even more irresponsible spending of our children's futures!
By changing the "Tea Party" to "T-Party" it makes it easier to identify them with "treason."