Libertarians mostly disagree with the tea party on social issues. Poll: Most libertarians not tea partiers

A majority of libertarians do not, in fact, identify with the tea party, according to a poll released Tuesday.

Sixty-one percent of those identified as libertarian do not consider themselves as part of the tea party, the poll by nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute shows.


The poll also shows that only 7 percent of Americans are “consistent libertarian,” with an additional 15 percent leaning libertarian. Only half of those are affiliated with one of the majority political parties. Favoring the GOP, 45 percent said they were Republicans and only 5 percent said they were Democrat.

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Additionally, libertarians constitute smaller portions of the Republican Party and the tea party at 12 percent and 26 percent respectively. Other conservative groups such as those who identify as part of the religious right or as white evangelical Protestant make up larger numbers of both the GOP and tea party.

Which is why libertarians and the tea party might see such a divide, the poll suggests. Despite aligning on economic issues and opposition to government involvement, libertarians are mostly on the other side of social issues such as abortion legislation and legalizing marijuana. While not as strongly opposed as the tea party, a majority of libertarians do oppose same-sex marriage, however.

The poll surveyed 2,317 adults and was conducted Sept. 21-Oct. 3 with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

This article tagged under: Polls

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