The Tea Party Movement: The Latest

An American Enterprise Institute Compilation

(June 2014)

Karlyn Bowman and Jennifer Marsico
House Majority Leader Eric Cantors primary defeat sent shockwaves through the political world. The
winner of the primary, economics professor Dave Brat, may have lacked Cantors funds, but he received
strong Tea Party support. In the aftermath of Cantors defeat, and several other Tea Party successes this
primary season, how strong is the Tea Party today?

One way to answer these questions is to examine how views of the Tea Party have changed since the
pollsters began to ask 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.

Quinnipiac University, Economist/YouGov, and Fox News ask one of the most specific questions about
involvement whether you feel you are part of the Tea Party movement. In September 2013, 12
percent of registered voters told Quinnipiac pollsters they were part of the Tea Party movement. When
Quinnipiac first asked the question in March 2010, 13 percent gave that response.
Gallup, AP/GfK, CBS News and the New York Times, and NBC and the Wall Street Journal ask people
whether they are supporters of the Tea Party movement. May 2014 questions from AP/GfK and
NBC/WSJ produced fairly similar responses (20 percent said they were supporters in the former, 24
percent in the latter). In an early 2010 AP/GfK poll, 31 percent said they were supporters. In the
September 2010 NBC/WSJ poll, 27 percent said they were supporters.
The ABC/Washington Post pollsters ask a different question about whether people support or oppose the
Tea Party. Their latest March 2014 poll shows that 41 percent support and 48 percent oppose it,
compared to 42 percent who supported it and 48 percent who opposed in April 2011, the first time they
asked the question.
Six pollsters ask people whether they have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the Tea Party. All of
the polls with recent askings show that unfavorable sentiment has risen, sometimes quite sharply, since
the questions were first asked. In a February 2010 ABC News/Washington Post poll, 35 percent had a
favorable opinion and 40 percent an unfavorable one. In October 2013, those responses were 26 and 59
percent respectively. In a March 2010 Quinnipiac poll of registered voters, 28 percent had a favorable
opinion and 23 percent an unfavorable one. In November 2013 those responses were 27 and 47 percent,
respectively.
Support/Oppose



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
Sep. 2012
Oct. 2012
Nov. 2012
Dec. 2012
Jan. 2013
Feb. 2013
Mar. 2013
Apr. 2013
May 2013
Jun. 2013
Jul. 2013
Aug. 2013
Sep. 2013
Oct. 2013
Nov. 2013
Dec. 2013
Jan. 2014
Feb. 2014
Mar. 2014
Apr. 2014
May 2014



Gallup
Supporter/Opponent
- -
28% 26%
- -
29 28
31 30
- -
30 27
30 24
28 27
32 30
- -
30 25
- -
- -
30 28
- -
- -
23 25
25 28
21 26
22 27
22 21
- -
- -
26 29
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
24 29
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
22 27
- -
- -
22 24
- -
- -
- -
22 30
- -




ABC/WP
Support/Oppose
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
42% 48%
- -
46 45
44 47
- -
48 45
42 47
43 44
41 46
41 50
43 45
44 43
41 45
- -
- -
- -
44 42
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
40 43
- -
- -
- -
- -
36 54
37 53
- -
41 50
- -
41 48
- -
- -




AP/GfK
Supporter/Not
- -
- -
31% 60%
27 68

- -
28 69
28 68
30 67
30 66
- -
31 61
- -
30 65
- -
30 63
34 61
- -
25 70
- -
28 68
- -
30 64
- -
25 71
- -
- -
22 67
23 65
- -
27 63
23 63
23 62
- -
- -
22 64
- -
- -
23 62
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
17 78
- -
20 76
27 67
- -
22 73
- -
20 77




CBS/NYT
Supporter/Not
18% 39%
- -
18 62
- -
- -
- -
- -
19 63
24 63
- -
- -
- -
27 60
22 65
24 66
25 63
26 65
- -
25 67
20 65
24 66
- -
- -
23 70*
20 68
25 67
26 65
27 65
26 65
26 65
- -
22 68
23 68
- -
- -
21 68
- -
- -
- -
- -
24 63
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -




NBC/WSJ
Supporter/Not
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
27% 61%
28 61
30 59*
29 61*
27 62
29 61*
- -
25 67*
- -
26 63*
25 63*
27 62*
- -
26 64*
25 69*
27 65*
27 66*
- -
28 63
25 64*
30 60*
24 64*
25 65*
26 63*
25 66*
24 64*
- -
- -
23 63*
20 64
- -
- -
- -
24 65*
21 67*
- -
21 67
20 70
- -
24 67
24 65
- -
- -
24 66*
24 64*


*Registered voters.



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
Sep. 2012
Oct. 2012
Nov. 2012
Dec. 2012
Jan. 2013
Feb. 2013
Mar. 2013
Apr. 2013
May 2013
Jun. 2013
Jul. 2013
Aug. 2013
Sep. 2013
Oct. 2013
Nov. 2013
Dec. 2013
Jan. 2014
Feb. 2014
Mar. 2014
Apr. 2014



Economist/YouGov^
Part of it/Not
- -
25% 75%
- -
27 73
- -
25 75
22 78
20 80
23 77
24 76
- -
- -
20 80
20 80
- -
18 82
19 81
17 83
16 84
16 84
19 81
17 83
17 83
19 81
12 69
13 73
14 70
12 72
11 73
14 71
15 70
13 71
18 70
14 71
12 80
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
11 74
17 70
14 67
15 72
13 70
- -
- -




Quinnipiac (RV)
Part of it/Not
- -
- -
13% 80%
15 79
- -
- -
12 81
- -
12 80
- -
13 83
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
12 85*
16 80*
12 85
10 87
- -
- -
14 81
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
12 83
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -




Fox (RV)
Part of it/Not
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
13% 83%
14 82
16 81
13 83
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -





























































NBC/WSJ
Pos. feelings/Neg.
28% 21%
- -
29 28
- -
31 30
34 31
- -
28 36
30 36
32 40*
30 38
33 37
29 38
- -
- -
29 44
- -
28 41
- -
28 43
- -
28 41
27 44
27 43
28 43
- -
- -
27 38
- -
- -
28 43
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
23 47
- -
- -
- -
- -
26 38
- -
- -
25 42
21 47
- -
24 45
- -
- -
- -
22 41
*Registered voters.
^Selected months have multiple askings of the question. In those cases, we have included the most recent asking.
Part of the Tea Party/Not Positive/Negative Feelings

ABC/WP CNN/ORC CBS/NYT Fox (RV) Quinnipiac (RV) Pew
Fav./Unfav. Fav./Unfav. Fav./Unfav. Fav./Unfav. Fav./Unfav. Fav./Unfav.
Jan. 2010 - - 33% 26% - - - - - - - -
Feb. 2010 35% 40% - - 26% 20% 35% 22% - - 33% 24%
Mar. 2010 - - - - - - - - 28% 23% - -
Apr. 2010 - - 38 36 21 18* 36 34 32 31 - -
May 2010 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Jun. 2010 36 49 - - - - - - - - - -
Jul. 2010 - - - - - - - - 33 31 - -
Aug. 2010 - - - - - - - - 30 31 - -
Sep. 2010 37 45 36 40 23 29* 39 35 - - - -
Oct. 2010 - - 37 37 24 26 35 38 - - - -
Nov. 2010 - - 38 42 - - - - 34 38 - -
Dec. 2010 - - 37 43 - - - - - - - -
Jan. 2011 35 52 - - - - - - - - - -
Feb. 2011 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mar. 2011 37 48 32 47 - - - - - - - -
Apr. 2011 - - - - 26 29 36 47 - - - -
May 2011 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Jun. 2011 - - 35 47 - - - - - - - -
Jul. 2011 - - 37 47 - - - - - - - -
Aug. 2011 - - 31 51 20 40 31 51 29 42 36 43
Sep. 2011 - - 28 53 21 29 - - - - - -
Oct. 2011 - - - - - - - - 31 45 - -
Nov. 2011 - - - - - - - - 29 42 - -
Dec. 2011 - - 33 49 - - - - - - - -
Jan. 2012 - - - - 22 30 - - - - - -
Feb. 2012 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mar. 2012 - - - - - - 30 51 - - - -
Apr. 2012 - - 34 43 - - - - - - - -
May 2012 - - - - - - 35 46 - - - -
Jun. 2012 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Jul. 2012 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Aug. 2012 - - 32 46 - - - - - - - -
Sep. 2012 32 45 - - - - - - - - - -
Oct. 2012 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nov. 2012 - - 32 50 - - - - - - - -
Dec. 2012 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Jan. 2013 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Feb. 2013 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mar. 2013 - - 28 48 - - - - 24 43 - -
Apr. 2013 - - - - - - - - - - - -
May 2013 - - 37 45 - - - - 28 38 - -
Jun. 2013 - - - - - - - - - - 37 45
Jul. 2013 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Aug. 2013 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sep. 2013 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Oct. 2013 26 59 28 56 - - 31 53 - - 30 49
Nov. 2013 - - - - - - - - 27 47 - -
Dec. 2013 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Jan. 2014 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Feb. 2014 - - - - 21 31 - - - - - -
Mar. 2014 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Apr. 2014 - - - - - - 35 45 - - - -
May 2014 - - - - 14 31 - - - - - -

Favorable/Unfavorable
*Registered voters.




Agree/Disagree (Asked ONLY of Republicans and Republican leaners)
PSRA/Pew
Agree Disagree No opinion either way
Mar. 2010 48% 4% 26%
Apr. 2010 - - -
May 2010 53 4 25
Jun. 2010 46 5 30
Jul. 2010 - - -
Aug. 2010 46 5 36
Sep. 2010* 56 6 29
Oct. 2010* 58 5 27
Nov. 2010 51 5 42
Dec. 2010 48 5 45
Jan. 2011 45 6 47
Feb. 2011 43 8 47
Mar. 2011 37 7 54
Apr. 2011 45 9 46
May 2011 37 7 52
Jun. 2011 42 9 47
Jul. 2011 40 7 51
Aug. 2011 43 7 49
Sep. 2011 - - -
Oct. 2011 37 11 51
Nov. 2011 41 9 49
Dec. 2011 40 9 48
Jan. 2012 42 8 47
Feb. 2012 40 7 51
Mar. 2012 38 10 49
Apr. 2012 42 8 48
May 2012 - - -
Jun. 2012 42 8 48
Jul. 2012 40 9 47
Aug. 2012 - - -
Sep. 2012 39 7 52
Oct. 2012 38 9 50
Nov. 2012* 40 8 49
Dec. 2012 37 11 51
Jan. 2013 35 10 51
Feb. 2013 36 9 52
Mar. 2013 43 7 47
Apr. 2013 - - -
May 2013 41 7 48
Jun. 2013 44 9 46
Jul. 2013 37 10 50
Aug. 2013 - - -
Sep. 2013 35 9 54
Oct. 2013 41 11 45
Nov. 2013 40 9 48
Dec. 2013 32 9 57
Jan. 2014 35 12 52
Feb. 2014 36 9 54
Mar. 2014 37 11 50
Apr. 2014 33 11 54
*Registered voters.
Note: Selected months have multiple askings of the question. In those cases, we have included the most recent asking.
A LOOK AT REPUBLI CANS: Many Republicans have soured on the Tea Party movement, though not strongly enough to
declare their opposition to it. The percentage of Republicans and Republican leaners who expressed agreement with the
Tea Party peaked in the high 50s in the fall of 2010. In April 2014, only a third said they agreed with the Tea Party
movement.
Full Question Wording


Support/Oppose

Gallup: Do you consider yourself to be a supporter of the Tea Party movement, an opponent of the Tea Party movement,
or neither?

ABC/Washington Post: Whats your view of the Tea Party political movementwould you say you support it strongly,
support it somewhat, oppose it somewhat or oppose it strongly?

AP/GfK: Do you consider yourself a supporter of the Tea Party movement, or are you not a supporter of the Tea Party
movement?

CBS/NYT: Do you consider yourself to be a supporter of the Tea Party movement, or not?

NBC/WSJ : Do you consider yourself a supporter of the Tea Party movement?



Part of the Tea Party/Not

Economist/YouGov: Do you think of yourself as a part of the Tea Party movement?
Note: In January 2012, question wording added Yes, not, or not sure. We have included the latest asking from each
month.

Quinnipiac: Do you consider yourself part of the Tea Party movement or not?

Fox: 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?



Positive/Negative Feelings

NBC/WSJ : (Now Im going to read you the names of several public figures and groups, Id like you to rate your feelings
towards each one as very positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative, or very negative. If you dont know
the name, please just say so.)The Tea Party movement.



Favorable/Unfavorable

ABC/Washington Post: Do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of the political movement known as the Tea
Party?

CNN/ORC: (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 peopleor if you have never heard of them.)The Tea Party
movement.

CBS/NYT: 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?

Fox: (Im going to read you the names of several groups and individuals. Please tell me whether you have a generally
favorable or unfavorable opinion of each one. If youve never heard of one please just say so.)The Tea Party
movement.

Quinnipiac: Is your opinion of the Tea Party movement favorable, unfavorable or havent you heard enough about it?

Pew: Is your overall opinion of the Tea Party movement very favorable, mostly favorable, mostly UNfavorable, or very
unfavorable?


Agree/Disagree

PSRA/Pew: From what you know, do you agree or disagree with the Tea Party movement, or dont you have an opinion
either way? (Asked ONLY of Republicans and Republican leaners)