Only 2 percent of the public says it participates actively in the Tea Party movement, according to a poll released Wednesday.

An ABC News/Washington Post survey also showed that support for the movement was statistically split, with 27-24 favoring it and 44 percent saying they are neutral.

ADVERTISEMENT

But when registered voters were asked if they would be more or less likely to support a candidate associated with Tea Party activists, 24 percent say they would be inclined to oppose him or her while only 15 percent say they would lean toward supporting the candidate.



Also, 43 percent of the general public say the more they hear about the movement, the less they like it compared to 34 percent who say they like it more as they have become more familiar with it.

The poll raised questions about the broader appeal of the Tea Party, according to ABC's polling analysts, but the survey contained numbers that showed its strong appeal among the conservative base.



It's backers are overwhelmingly opposed to the Obama administration and have a strong anti-Washington sentiment.





