More evidence that Republicans have a bit of a teabagger problem going into 2010:
Rasmussen polling generally skews right, but on the Republican v. teabagger question, it's hard to see how that bias would swing the results. Still, assuming the polling on Independents is even close to correct, we can assume that both parties have a bit of a problem here.
But, as I wrote earlier today, it seems likely that GOP campaign rallies have a real danger of becoming tea parties -- complete with wingnut craziness like guns, birtherism, Glenn Beck groupies, and "OBAMA=HITLER" signs.
It's hard to see how that's going to be an advantage for Republicans. I think Independents aren't going to be too happy to be part of that crowd and many of them will either go Democrat once things start to get real crazy or just stay home on election day.
I really can't see any way to spin this into a positive for the GOP. Not that they don't try. An unnamed "senior GOP leadership aide" emailed Greg Sargent a response to the poll and it seems more than a bit stretchy to me:
Yeah, more popular than the GOP, who come in dead last in that demographic.
Rasmussen Reports:
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.
Rasmussen polling generally skews right, but on the Republican v. teabagger question, it's hard to see how that bias would swing the results. Still, assuming the polling on Independents is even close to correct, we can assume that both parties have a bit of a problem here.
But, as I wrote earlier today, it seems likely that GOP campaign rallies have a real danger of becoming tea parties -- complete with wingnut craziness like guns, birtherism, Glenn Beck groupies, and "OBAMA=HITLER" signs.
It's hard to see how that's going to be an advantage for Republicans. I think Independents aren't going to be too happy to be part of that crowd and many of them will either go Democrat once things start to get real crazy or just stay home on election day.
I really can't see any way to spin this into a positive for the GOP. Not that they don't try. An unnamed "senior GOP leadership aide" emailed Greg Sargent a response to the poll and it seems more than a bit stretchy to me:
This proves one of the major points that Democrats have tried hard to deny: the Tea Party movement is not some fringe group of ultra-conservatives, it is most popular among independents, many of whom believed President Obama’s campaign promises about doing things differently in Washington, and feel burned by the fact that he has governed in a relentlessly partisan fashion.
Yeah, more popular than the GOP, who come in dead last in that demographic.
