Poll: Americans skeptical of tea party movement

The Washington Post and ABC News are out with a new poll on the tea party movement that goes deeper than other such surveys in determining what Americans think. Overall, there's a lot of skepticism about the movement, but a reluctance to believe the worst media narratives.

Take the section on what subjects "think support for the Tea Party

movement is based on." Only 28 percent of voters say it's "racial prejudice against Obama." The biggest majority, 61 percent, say it's "distrust of government in general." That's not surprising, as 69 percent of all voters -- the highest number since 1996 -- pronounce themselves dissatisfied with how the federal government works.

At the same time, only 8 percent of people polled claimed to be "active participant[s] in the Tea Party movement." And a slight majority, 54 percent, say they're not interested in news about the movement. I've put more results below the jump.

21. Changing topics: overall would you say you support the political

movement known as the Tea Party, you oppose the Tea Party, or that you

neither support not oppose it? (IF SUPPORT/OPPOSE) Do you feel that way

strongly or somewhat? (IF NEITHER) Would you say you lean towards

supporting or opposing the Tea Party movement?

--------- Support --------- ---------- Oppose

--------- No

NET Strgly Smwht Lean Neither NET Lean Smwht

Strgly opin.

4/25/10 27 17 7 3 44 24 3 7 13

5



21a. (IF STRONGLY/SOMEWHAT SUPPORT TEA PARTY MOVEMENT) Do you consider

yourself to be an active participant in the Tea Party movement, or a

supporter but not an active participant?

Active Not active No opin.

4/25/10 8 90 2



Combined results from questions 21 and 21a:

--------------- Support ---------------

Active

No

NET prtcpnt Spprtr Lean No opin. Neither Oppose

opinion

4/25/10 27 2 22 3 1 44 24

5



22. How interested are you in learning more about the Tea Party movement –

very interested, somewhat interested, not so interested or not interested

at all?

----- Interested ---- ----- Not interested ---- No

NET Very Somewhat NET Not so Not at all opinion

4/25/10 46 13 33 54 19 35 *



23. Which political party, the (Democrats), the (Republicans), or the (Tea

Party) do you think [ITEM]?

4/25/10 - Summary Table

Tea All None

No

Dems Reps Party (vol.) (vol.)

opinion

a. best represents your own

personal values 48 24 14 1 9

3

b. is most concerned with the

needs of people like you 49 23 17 1 7

4

c. best understands the

economic problems people

in this country are having 48 22 17 2 8

4

Trend:

a. best represents your own personal values

All None No

Democrats Republicans Tea Party (vol.) (vol.)

opinion

4/25/10 48 24 14 1 9 3

11/15/09 49 39 NA 2 9 2

11/4/06 RV 48 44 1 6 2

10/8/06 53 37 2 7 1

11/2/05 50 40 1 7 1

4/24/05 47 38 2 10 2

3/14/99 47 39 3 8 3

b. is most concerned with the needs of people like you

All None No

Democrats Republicans Tea Party (vol.) (vol.)

opinion

4/25/10 49 23 17 1 7 4

11/15/09 51 36 NA 2 9 3

10/8/06 58 30 2 9 1

8/6/06 56 30 1 12 2

11/2/05 56 33 1 9 1

c. No trend.



24. Which of these comes closest to your own view: (The more I hear about

the Tea Party movement, the more I like it) or (The more I hear about the

Tea Party movement, the less I like it).

Haven’t

More I Less I Neither heard No

like it like it (vol.) (vol.) opinion

4/25/10 34 43 8 11 4



25. Say a candidate for Congress associates him or herself with the Tea

Party. Would that make you more likely to (support) that candidate for

Congress, more likely to (oppose) that candidate, or wouldn’t it make much

difference in your vote? (IF SUPPORT/OPPOSE) Would you be much more likely

to support/oppose that candidate, or somewhat more?

------ Support ------ ------- Oppose ------ Wouldn’t make

No

NET Much Somewhat NET Somewhat Much much

difference opinion

4/25/10 14 7 7 23 7 16 59

4

4/25/10 RV 15 9 6 24 7 17 58

3



26. To what extent, if at all, do you think support for the Tea Party

movement is based on (ITEM) - a great deal, a good amount, just some or not

at all?

4/25/10 - Summary Table

- Grt deal/Good amt- - Some/Not at all -

Great Good Just Not

No

NET deal amount NET some at all

opinion

a. Concern about the economy 56 40 16 36 22 14

7

b. Dissatisfaction with

the Republican Party 38 21 18 54 37 17

8

c. Opposition to Obama and

the Democratic Party's

policies 58 39 19 35 24 11

7

d. Racial prejudice

against Obama 28 19 9 64 21 43

9

e. Distrust of government

overall 61 40 21 32 23 9

7