Most Americans Don't Know Much About Tea Party, But It Has Potential

Despite the coverage the Tea Party movement has received over the last few months, nearly two-thirds of Americans know just some or very little about what it stands for, but based on what people do know, a plurality agree with the movement's stands on issues, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted Feb. 4-8.

Sixty-four percent say they know just some or very little, while 35 percent know a great deal or good amount.

Forty percent say they see the movement unfavorably compared to 35 percent who see it favorably. But 45 percent say, given what they know about the Tea Party's positions, they agree strongly or somewhat strongly with its positions while 36 percent do not.

In its analysis of the results, ABC said support for the Tea Party "peaks among people who are more apt to see the government as wasting money; people who strongly agree with the movement say on average that the government wastes 63 cents out of every tax dollar it collects" and are "more apt to classify themselves as anti-incumbent."

"The Tea Party movement has the potential for significant political clout, but with challenges: high negatives, a fuzzy image, and broader-than-ever skepticism about one of its most prominent backers, former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin," ABC analyst Gary Langer said. (For the figures on Palin, see our post: Voters Divided on Re-Electing Obama in 2012; Palin's Negatives Rise).

See also a previously-published Fox News/Opinion Dynamic poll on public views about the Tea Party.


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