# Gallup: Tea Party support dwindles to near-record low

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-tea-party-support-dwindles-to-near-record-low/669728>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [September 26, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-tea-party-support-dwindles-to-near-record-low/669728 "2013-09-26T15:41:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-tea-party-support-dwindles-to-near-record-low/669728/1 "2013-09-26T15:41:57Z")

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Story [here](http://www.gallup.com/poll/164648/tea-party-support-dwindles-near-record-low.aspx).

> [@](#):
>
> PRINCETON, NJ – As Washington braces for another budget showdown, this time with the threat of defunding the new healthcare law in the mix, the key political force pushing for conservative policies sees diminished popular support. Fewer Americans now describe themselves as supporters of the Tea Party movement than did at the height of the movement in 2010, or even at the start of 2012. Today’s 22% support nearly matches the record low found two years ago.
> 
> \<snip\>
> 
> Opponents of the Tea Party now outnumber supporters 27% to 22%, which is similar to their edge in 2012. However this differs from most of Gallup’s earlier measurements, in 2010 and 2011, when supporters and opponents were either equally matched, or Tea Party backers had the slight edge.

Of even greater interest:

> [@](#):
>
> **Tea Party Supporters Ambivalent About GOP, and Vice Versa**
> 
> The poll suggests that the partnership between the Tea Party and the Republican Party may be waning. Although some of the Tea Party’s most visible representatives in politics today are associated with the Republican Party, and while rank-and-file Republicans are more likely to call themselves supporters than opponents of the Tea Party movement – a far greater number identify as neither.

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-tea-party-support-dwindles-to-near-record-low/669728/2 "2013-09-26T15:55:09Z")

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It’s a non-election year - this is pretty predictable. I’m actually surprised at the 22% number - seems high.

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-tea-party-support-dwindles-to-near-record-low/669728/3 "2013-09-26T16:07:45Z")

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> [@Munch](#):
>
> It’s a non-election year . . .

Tell that to Ted Cruz!

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-tea-party-support-dwindles-to-near-record-low/669728/4 "2013-09-26T21:56:05Z")

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According to that poll support has always bee in the 20-30% range the last 3 years.

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-tea-party-support-dwindles-to-near-record-low/669728/5 "2013-09-27T01:06:51Z")

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> [@Wesley\_Clark](#):
>
> According to that poll support has always bee in the 20-30% range the last 3 years.

But the interesting part is that the TP and significant numbers of Pubs seem to be cooling toward each other.

Wonder if they’ll go the third-party route?
