World

Tea Party movement and the 'Ralph Nader' effect

by Susan Marie Kovalinsky | February 26, 2010 at 05:33 pm

1274 views | 8 Recommendations | 6 comments

The Tea Party movement in America is expected to exert a major influence on the 2010 election. But now a poll indicates that a candidate endorsed by this conservative, populist movement might, paradoxically, suffer the “Ralph Nader-effect”; the weakening of a Republican Party-endorsed candidate in a three-way general election.

Some say that Tea Party members are too savvy and mainstream to allow this sort of split effect to occur.

A recent poll conducted by CNN/Opinion Research showed that most Tea Party activists label themselves as “Independents".

Still, 87 percent say they would vote for the Republican candidate if there were no third-party candidate endorsed by the Tea Party.

In recent news, US Green Party leaders and candidates said that many Tea Party activists might be in the wrong party and urged them to consider going Green.

According to the CNN/Opinion Research poll, of the individuals polled, 64 percent favored a third political party to run for either President, Congress or state offices. 34 percent were opposed to the third political party idea, and 2 percent had no opinion.
Of the 64 percent who were favorable, 38 percent would favor a third political party if having a third political party would mean that the winner of some elections would be a candidate who disagrees with them on most issues. 26 percent opposed the third political party under those circumstances.
The poll was conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation and consisted of interviews with 1,023 adult Americans, including 954 registered voters between February 12-15, 2010. The margin of sampling error for results based on the total sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points and for registered voters is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Rory Cripps

at 18:05 on February 26th, 2010

There's no doubt that the Tea Party will effect "the weakening of a Republican Party-endorsed candidate in a three-way general election."

Tea Party members are relatively conservative and no doubt Republican for the most part. But there are some bona fide independents within the Tea Party ranks as well. The problem for the Republican Party is that the majority of Tea Party members are simply fed up with it and politicians in general. And who can blame them?

Susan Marie Kovalinsky

at 18:15 on February 26th, 2010

Nice hat, Rory.

YankeeJim

at 05:59 on February 27th, 2010

In my opinion, the Tea Party Crowd are like tail gaters who show up at the game wearing team colors but are more interested in the BBQ and are so plastered in the end, they don't know who won the game, but for sure, they will be back for more...BBQ that is.

Coffee is the new tea (not verified)

at 09:57 on April 4th, 2010

Look, we understand that people are upset with government spending, but where was the Tea Party back when Bush was president? These seem like people who prefer spending money on wars than social programs. Besides, it's not like health care came from nowhere. If people elected Obama, then it was for one of these:1. People liked the Democratic platform2. People don't care just as long as the Republicans were not in power again.Now, all of a sudden, there are only liberals at Congress, liberals that would rather spend money to create jobs and promote social well being than spending it on wars that do nothing except harm the image of the US (whatever little image there's left anyway).

Kacee (not verified)

at 14:31 on April 4th, 2010

I'm reminded of the following: 'An American was showing an Englishman the modern marvel of a tea bag, to which the Englishman replied, 'Jolly good show, but isn't it difficult to get the tea out of the bag when one wants to make a pot of tea?' I find the 'tea party' made up primarily of discontents, who have this marvelous new invention of 'liberty and justice and freedom for all', and of course hate all those who disagree with their version. Unfortunatly, it's allready been invented and been in use for quite some time, and is still working quite well. With your spare time go back and make a living for your families and think of something more original, and remember, give your money to those who wish to benefit your families, not the for-profit Big-Business CEO's.

bombboomer (not verified)

at 18:22 on April 9th, 2010

this whole thing has gotten to far out of control with these political hacks , they have us out of work , have all of our money , made special deals that have benifited only themselves , pussy foot around with these religious zealots and wacko's -- shipped all of our work to china , made billionaires out of criminals and it seems the more inept the idiots are, the higher they go on the ladder without having to pay the fiddler-- the decent people pay the piper and these friggin nazi ass kissers seem to be immune from any form of retribution -- nobody seems to control the liars/propaganda minsters that spread all this crap on tv and then there are the bankers that are way above reproach and will in a short period of time have it all ( just look at the ponzi boys ) some got caught but most made off with the loot-- all in the name of "sharp business men " oh well , round and round she goes and where she stops ,nobody knows