Monday, December 07, 2009

Running under the Tea Party brand may be better in congressional races than being a Republican.

In a three-way Generic Ballot test, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds Democrats attracting 36% of the vote. The Tea Party candidate picks up 23%, and Republicans finish third at 18%. Another 22% are undecided.

Among voters not affiliated with either major party, the Tea Party comes out on top. Thirty-three percent (33%) prefer the Tea Party candidate, and 30% are undecided. Twenty-five percent (25%) would vote for a Democrat, and just 12% prefer the GOP.

Among Republican voters, 39% say they’d vote for the GOP candidate, but 33% favor the Tea Party option.

For this survey, the respondents were asked to assume that the Tea Party movement organized as a new political party. In practical terms, it is unlikely that a true third-party option would perform as well as the polling data indicates. The rules of the election process—written by Republicans and Democrats--provide substantial advantages for the two established major parties. The more conventional route in the United States is for a potential third-party force to overtake one of the existing parties.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The standard Generic Congressional Ballot shows Republicans holding a modest lead over Democrats. It appears that the policies of the Obama administration and the Democratic Congress are currently enough to unite both those who prefer Republicans and those who prefer the Tea Party route.

Data from the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows that just 55% of conservatives nationwide consider themselves Republicans. Recent polling shows that 73% of Republican voters believe their leaders in Washington are out of touch with the party base.

Republican voters are paying a lot more attention to the Tea Party movement than anyone else. Forty-three percent (43%) of GOP voters are following news about the movement Very Closely. Another 30% are following it Somewhat Closely. Just 12% of Democrats are following stories about the Tea Party movement Very Closely.

Seventy percent (70%) of Republican voters have a favorable opinion of the Tea Party movement while only seven percent (7%) offer an unfavorable view. Interestingly, 49% of Democrats have no opinion one way or the other.

Among unaffiliated voters, 43% have a favorable opinion of the Tea Party efforts while 20% say the opposite.

Forty-one percent (41%) of all voters nationwide say Republicans and Democrats are so much alike that a new party is needed to represent the American people. Republicans are evenly divided on this question, while Democrats overwhelmingly disagree. However, among those not affiliated with either major party, 60% agree that a new party is needed, and only 25% disagree. Men are far more likely than women to believe a new party is needed.

As for the voting preference, the Tea Party bests the GOP among both men and women and in all age groups except those over 65.

The Tea Party candidates are the first choice among political conservatives. Among moderates, the Tea Party candidates are more popular than Republicans. However, nearly half of all moderate voters prefer a Democrat.

Among the Political Class, not a single respondent picked the Tea Party candidate.

However, among those with populist or Mainstream views, 31% prefer the Tea Party, and 26% are undecided. Twenty-three percent (23%) pick a Republican candidate, and 19% are for the Democrat (See more on the Political Class-Mainstream divide).

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_
politics/december_2009/tea_party_tops_gop_on_three_way_generic_
ballot

I'm telling you.
The Republican Party is falling apart at the seams.

Who are the tea party candidates?

A Third Party!
They are registering candidates in Fla and a few other States.

The Conservative Party is growing strong in the NE too.
I'm telling you, the Republican Party is falling apart!

I get what you are saying, however, being a real party with a real platform and real candidates is something that they don't have. Being a nuisance to the republicans is fine with me, but being a viable 3rd party is something totally different.

I think they need Ron Paul

Ron Paul has never been able to get more than 2% of the vote in any election.
No matter what party he has ran in!

There's a reason for that you know.

Ya know...if ANY third party actually managed to find middle ground on the major issues that face this country, things might actually get a whole lot better.

Tea Bag Party...Libertarian Party....

The way I see it...just about ANYTHING would be better than the one-extreme-or-the-other crap we have going on in this country right now.

The Reps want to let things stay the same as they were under Bush. Not a very good idea since things pretty much went to hell in a handbasket under his watch.

The Dems want more and more government, bigger and bigger government. Not any better an idea than the status quo.

To hell with what is good for the " party " and start doing what's right for the people. Not just SOME of the people. AL of them.

This " ours is the only RIGHT way to do things " crap coming from BOTH parties is ruining this country.

Uncivil War: Conservatives to challenge a dozen GOP candidates

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29057.html

I am all for this. I have always said I would rather lose with a true conservative than win with an Arlen Specter republican.

Meh. A " true " conservative wouldn't be a whole lot better.

Still an example of one extreme to another.

Me too.
As long as they don't bring their sponsers and corruption with them.

Ok. So this would have to be one of the more confusing posts I have seen in a while.

You are the same guy who has been touting how " historically necessary " all of the " stimulus " money has been....but yet, you claim that you would like to see a true conservative in office???

You do realize, do you not, that a " true conservative " would have never passed the stimulus package???

You are never going to have a government totally comprised of moderates. It isn't going to happen. I would never want our government comprised of people like me. Nor do I want a government full of left wingers. Checks and balances are an important tool to keep the tools from running whats left of this country into the ground..

Unfortunately, the checks and balances system is all out of whack at this point.

Thing is, with a government of moderates, but still sticking with their party's basic premises..a lot more could get done that would benefit the country.

I agree. Unfortunately, the extremes are the ones with the money, power, and influence.

Which leaves this country exactly nowhere.

LOL
I've told you I'm unaffiliated.
Until Bush's second term I've always voted for a Republican Presidential candidate.
Probably because I'm a Veteran and let's face it, Dem aren't big on defense.
First and foremost though I'm an American. human, and fairly intelligent.
It's obvious to me that many Americans are being lost as the gap between the haves and have nots gets larger.
I'm not greedy and don't mind paying a little more to close that gap.
It's also obvious that the Republican Party is corrupt and controlled by corporate interests. They are not concerned with the People's well being or our opinions.
To them their interests trump America's!
Their interests trump the peoples well being.

One name....Jesse Helms must have been your hero then?

The sooner we eliminate or weaken the Republican Party, the sooner we can get started on the Democrats.

Priorities are relevant.
When faced with two evils attack the strongest, most evil one first.
Attack them ferociously enough and you just might scare the other one into acting right.