A new Gallup poll has found the number of Republicans who call themselves supporters of the tea party has dropped 20 points in the last four years The Huffington Post reported.
The survey, released Thursday found 41 percent of registered Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say they support the tea party. That is a drop from when the tea party was at its peak in November 2010 when 61 percent of registered Republicans called themselves tea party supporters and allowed Republicans to take a majority in the House of Representatives.
Now 48 percent of Republicans either express no opinion or say they neither support or oppose the tea party, a 14 point increase since 2010. Not surprisingly, only 6 percent of Democrats or Democrat-leaning voters support the tea party.
Support among the general population has dropped 10 points since 2010, from 32 percent to 22 percent. Gallup attributes the drop in support for the tea party to a drop in registered Republicans.
The tea party’s supporters are demographically similar to conservative Republicans. The cuts “across demographic categories” says the poll, “including race and ethnicity, income, age, education, or region of the country. Republican tea party supporters are somewhat more likely to be weekly church attenders and slightly more likely to be men.”
Gallup’s poll was from April 24-30 among 1,513 adults. Among the sample were 1,336 registered voters.
Tea party activists cast themselves as politically independent, however only one in four independents consider themselves supporters of the tea party.
Some conservative commentators like Charles Krauthammer and George Will have said tea party candidates have cost Republicans a chance to win a majorty in the senate.
In 2010 Harry Reid was vulnerable in Nevada. Republicans picked former teacher and tea party favorite Sharron Angle as his opponent. When talking about “taking our government back,” Angle said “we may have to use our second amendment remedies.” Reid won reelection.
Also in 2010 Connecticut Republicans thought they could pick up a senate seat. They backed tea party candidate Christine O’Donnell, who ten years before said on “Politically Incorrect” with Bill Maher that she was a witch but “never joined a coven.” She ran a political ad with opening words saying “I am not a witch. I am nothing you’ve heard.” She lost in a landslide to Democrat Chris Coons.
In the 2012, Indiana Republicans picked tea party backed Richard Mourdock. During a debate about abortion, Mourdack said “Even why life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that is something that God intended to happen.” He lost to Democrat Joe Donnelly.
In the 2012 Missouri senatorial race, Republicans picked tea partier Todd Akin who said “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to shut that whole thing down.” He lost to incumbent Claire McCaskill.
The New York Times reported Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky, two tea party backed Senators who won election as having much influence in the Republican party.
The times wrote about challengers to establishment Republicans quoting Club for Growth president Chad Chocola, “They’ve influenced the rest of them,” he said. “The rest of them are scared of getting beat.”
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