Attitudes toward the Tea Party over Time

An American Enterprise Institute Compilation (October 2013)

Karlyn Bowman and Andrew Rugg How strong is the Tea Party today? One way to begin to answer the question is to examine how views of the Tea Party have changed since 2010 when the pollsters began to track opinions about it. AEIs public opinion team does just that in this compilation, reviewing trends from 10 major pollsters on Tea Party activism, support, and favorability. Many of the questions in this report show a slight drop in support since 2010, when they were first asked. Quinnipiac University and Economist/Yougov asks one of the most specific questions about involvement whether you are part of the Tea Party movement. In September 2013, 12 percent of registered voters told Quinnipiac they were part of the Tea Party movement. When Quinnipiac first asked the question in March 2010, 12 percent also gave that response. In Pews October poll, 32 percent disagree with it, up from 25 percent in July. Gallup, AP/GfK-Roper, CBS News and the New York Times, and NBC and the Wall Street Journal ask people whether they are supporters. An October 2013 CBS/New York Times question and a September 2013 Gallup survey produced similar responses (21 percent said they were supporters in the former, 22 percent in the latter.) The ABC/Washington poll asks a different question about whether people support or oppose the Tea Party. Their latest May 2013 poll shows that 40 percent support and 43 percent oppose it, slightly down from the 44 percent who supported it and 43 percent who opposed in August 2012. Fox and CNN/Opinion Research Corporation ask people whether they have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the Tea Party. In a September 2013 CNN/ORC poll, 31 percent had a favorable opinion of the Tea Party, up barely from 28 percent in March. The Pew Research Center asks if people agree or disagree with the Tea Party. In their October 2013 poll, 19 percent agreed and 32 disagreed. Most said they had no opinion either way.

General Attitudes towards the Tea Party PSRA/Pew Agree/Disagree 24% 14% 25 18 24 18 22 18 29 26 29 25 27 22 22 26 24 22 Gallup Supporter/Not 28% 26% 29 28 31 30 30 27 26 27 32 30 30 25 NBC/WSJ Economist/Yougov ABC/WP Pos/Neg Part/Not part Fav/Unfav 28% 21% 25% 75% 35% 40% 29 28 41 39 27 73 31 30 34 31 25 75 36 50 22 78 30 34 20 80 30 36 23 77 38 45 32 40 24 76 30 38 33 37 29 38 20 80 35 52

Jan. 2010 Feb. 2010 Mar. 2010 Apr. 2010 May 2010 Jun. 2010 Jul. 2010 Aug. 2010 Sep. 2010 Oct. 2010 Nov. 2010 Dec. 2010 Jan. 2011

Feb. 2011 Mar. 2011 Apr. 2011 May 2011 Jun. 2011 Jul. 2011 Aug. 2011 Sep. 2011 Oct. 2011 Nov. 2011 Dec. 2011 Jan. 2012 Feb. 2012 Mar. 2012 Apr. 2012 May 2012 Jun. 2012 Jul. 2012 Aug. 2012 Sept. 2012 Oct. 2012 Nov. 2012 Dec. 2012 Jan. 2013 Apr. 2013 May 2013 Jun. 2013 Jul. 2013 Sep. 2013 Oct. 2013

Continued Continued PSRA/Pew Gallup Agree/Disagree Supporter/Not 22% 22% 19 25 22 29 30% 28% 18 23 20 26 20 24 23 25 20 27 25 28 21 26 19 27 25 22 20 27 21 21 19 27 20 24 18 25 26 29 19 29 20 26 16 25 21 25 16 27 15 24 24 29 18 26 19 25 19 29(RV) 18 29 22 29 18 25 22 27 19 32 AP/GfK Agree/Disagree 33% 26% 35 26 35 27 35 30 34 31 35 31 AP/GfK Supporter/Not 31% 60% 27 68 27 65 28 69 28 68 30 67

Continued Continued Continued NBC/WSJ Economist/Yougov ABC/WP Pos/Neg Part/Not Fav/Unfav 20% 80% 36% 48% 29% 44% 18 82 Support/Oppose 19 81 42 48 28 41 17 83 46 45 16 84 46 47 28 43 16 84 48 45 19 81 48 45 28 41 17 83 42 47 27 44 17 83 43 44 27 43 19 81 41 50 28 43 12 69 41 50 13 73 43 45 14 70 44 43 27 38 12 72 41 45 11 73 14 71 28 37 15 70 13 71 44 42 18 70 32 46 14 71 12 80 23 37 26 38 40 43 25 42 21 47 13 74 CBS/NYT Quinnipiac Supporter/Not Part of it/Not 18% 39% 13% 80% 18 62 15 79 20 59 27 56 12 81 29 54 19 63 12 80 24 63 CNN/ORC Fav/Unfav 33% 26% 38 36 33 31 36 40 37 37

Jan. 2010 Feb. 2010 Mar. 2010 Apr. 2010 May 2010 Jun. 2010 Jul. 2010 Aug. 2010 Sep. 2010 Oct. 2010

Nov. 2010 Dec. 2010 Jan. 2011 Feb. 2011 Mar. 2011 Apr. 2011 May 2011 Jun. 2011 Jul. 2011 Aug. 2011 Sept. 2011 Oct. 2011 Nov. 2011 Dec. 2011 Jan. 2012 Feb. 2012 Mar. 2012 Apr. 2012 May 2012 Jun. 2012 Jul. 2012 Aug. 2012 Nov. 2012 Jan. 2013 Feb. 2013 Mar. 2013 April 2013 May 2013 Jun. 2013 Sept. 2013 Oct. 2013

Continued Continued AP/GfK AP/GfK Agree/Disagree Supporter/Not 35% 30% 30% 66% 31 61 30 65 30 63 33 61 37 47 28 46 25 70 28 68 30 64 25 71 22 67 23 65 27 63 22 64 23 62 17 78 CBS/NYT Favorable/Not 18% 12% 26 20 21 18 23 21 Fox Favorable/Un 35% 22% 36 34 -

Continued CBS/NYT Supporter/Not 31% 58% 22 68 20 63 23 64 24 66 25 63 26 64 22 68 18 73 20 65 24 66 23 70 20 68 22 66 26 64 26 65 22 68 20 64 22 65 24 63 25 66 21 67

Continued Quinnipiac Part of it/Not 13% 83% 12 85 16 80 12 85 14 81 12 83 -

Continued CNN/ORC Fav/Unfav 38% 42% 37 43 32 47 35 47 35 47 37 47 31 51 28 53 33 49 34 43 32 46 RV 32 50 28 48 37 45 31 54 Fox Part of it/Not 17% 77% -

Jan. 2010 Feb. 2010 Mar. 2010 Apr. 2010 May 2010 Jun. 2010 Jul. 2010 Aug. 2010

NBC/WSJ Quinnipiac Supporter/No Favorable/Un 28% 23% 32 31 33 31 -

Sep. 2010 Oct. 2010 Nov. 2010 Dec. 2010 Jan. 2011 Feb. 2011 Mar. 2011 Apr. 2011 May 2011 Jun. 2011 Jul. 2011 Aug. 2011 Sept. 2011 Oct. 2011 Nov. 2011 Dec. 2011 Jan. 2012 Feb. 2012 Mar. 2012 Apr. 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 Aug. 2012 Sep. 2012 Oct. 2012 Jan. 2013 Feb. 2013 Mar. 2013 April 2013 May 2013 Jul. 2013 Sept. 2013 Oct. 2013

Continued CBS/NYT Favorable/Not 23% 29% 24 26 18 25 26 29 20 40 21 29 22 30 21 28 18 29

Continued Fox Favorable/Un 39% 35% 35 38 36 47 31 51 30 51 35 46 33 49

Continued Continued Continued NBC/WSJ Quinnipiac Fox Supporter/No Favorable/Un Part of it/Not 28% 61% 30% 31% 28 61 30 59 34 38 29 61 27 62 29 61 25 67 26 62 26 63 25 63 25 69 29 42 26 64 31 45(RV) 25 69 29 42 27 65 27 66 16% 81% 16 81 28 63 14 83 25 64 17 80 30 60 13 83 24 64 14 82 25 65 16 81 16 80 25 66 24 64 23 63 20 64 24 43 24 43 24 65 28 38 21 67 21 67 -

Full Question Wording

Q: Do you consider yourself to be a supporter of the Tea Party movement, or not? (CBS) Q: From what you know, do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the Tea Party movement, or dont you have an opinion either way? (PSRA/Pew). The PSRA/Pew responses shown here are based on responses to two questions. The first asked people how much they had heard about the Tea Party movement, and then those who had heard a lot or a little were asked whether they agreed with it or had no opinion either way. August 2010 question of registered voters. Q: Do you consider yourself to be a supporter of the Tea Party movement, an opponent of the Tea Party movement, or neither? (Gallup) Q: Now Im going to read you the names of several public figures and groups, and Id like you to rate your feelings toward each one as very positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative, or very negative. The Tea Party Movement. (NBC/WSJ) July 2012 NBC/WSJ question asked of registered voters and a partial sample. Q: Do you think of yourself as a part of the Tea Party movement? (Economist/Yougov) In January 2012, question wording added Yes, not, or not sure. Q: Do you consider yourself part of the Tea Party movement or not? (Quinnipiac) Q: Do you have a favorable, unfavorable, or neither favorable nor unfavorable opinion of the Tea Party movement? (AP/Gfk-Roper) Q: From what you know about the Tea Party movement, would you say generally agree, disagree or neither agree nor disagree on th e Tea Party movements positions on political issues? (AP/Gfk-Roper) Q: Do you consider yourself a supporter of the Tea Party movement, or are you not a supporter of the Tea Party movement? (AP/GfK-Roper) Q: Do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of the political movement known as the Tea Party? (ABC/Washington Post) Beginning in May 2012 question wording changed to Q: What is your view of the Tea Party political movement-would you say you support it strongly, support it somewhat, oppose it somewhat or oppose it strongly? Q: Wed like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of these people or if you have never heard of them. (CNN/ORC) In June and December 2011, CNN.ORC asked as political organizations instead of people in the news. Q: Is your opinion of the Tea Party movement favorable, not favorable, undecided, or havent you heard enough about the Tea Party movement yet to have an opinion? (CBS/NYT) Q: Im going to read you the names of several individuals. Please tell me whether you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of each one. If youve never heard of someone, please just say so. The Tea Party movement. (Fox News, registered voters) Q: Do you consider yourself a supporter of the Tea Party movement? (NBC/WSJ, Registered Voters) Q: Is your opinion of the Tea Party movement favorable, unfavorable or havent you heard enough about it? (Quinnipiac) Q: Do you consider yourself to be a supporter of the Tea Party movement, an opponent of the Tea Party movement, or neither? (USA Today/Gallup) Q: Regardless of whether youve attended a Tea Party rally or event, do you consider yourself to be part of the Tea Party movement, or not? ( Fox News, registered voters)