An Internet poll sponsored by Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, in conjunction with his recent article, "From an old- school conservative, advice for the tea party," online, showed overwhelming opposition to a conversion of the Tea Party movement into a political party.
The poll of 736 respondents showed only 11.8% thought the Tea Party should become a political party.
President Obama is considered to be an extreme left wing radical by almost 92% of the poll respondents, with 46.5% labeling him a Marxist and 45.3% a socialist. Only 4.3% thought he was a liberal.
More than 70% considered themselves part of the Tea Party movement, and an additional 17% were conservatives but did not identify with the Tea Party cause. Eight percent said they were libertarians and 4.5% opted for "none of the above."
Viguerie said the results were significant because it showed conservatives were not interested in splitting their votes.
"Republicans lost three Senate seats in 2008 -- Ted Stevens in Alaska, Norm Coleman in Minnesota, and Gordon Smith in Oregon -- and two seats in 2006 -- Jim Talent in Missouri and Conrad Burns in Montana -- because of conservative third-party candidates. If these five senators were still in office, there probably would have been no Stimulus Bill and no Obamacare. Conservative third parties almost certainly made these liberal legislative victories possible," he said.
In looking back on the Bush Administration and the Republican-controlled Congress, more than 77% said many conservative leaders got too close to the GOP and lost their independence and effectiveness. Only 13.5% disagreed.
The complete results of the poll are online here.
Richard A. Viguerie pioneered political direct mail and has been called "one of the creators of the modern conservative movement" (The Nation magazine) and one of the "conservatives of the century" (Washington Times). He is author of Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause.
