According to a new statewide poll, the tea party’s fortunes are fading in Michigan, particularly among the all-important independent voters.
The Lambert Edwards & Associates (LE&A) poll conducted by Denno Research also found that Gov. Rick Snyder, certainly not a tea party favorite, has opened up a 45 percent to 31 percent lead over Democratic challenger Mark Schauer, a former congressman from Battle Creek.
At the same time, the tea party sparks strong feelings, with more than one-third of voters saying their view of the tea partiers is "strongly unfavorable." Some 29 percent of voters see the movement in a favorable light, but just 11 percent say their opinion is "strongly favorable."
Women and independents are problem areas for the tea party, according to the survey.
Among women, the tea party receives unfavorable reviews from 44 percent and favorable sentiments from 25 percent -- a 19-point deficit. Among independents, the numbers are identical.
LE&A Director TJ Bucholz told Inside Michigan Politics that the tea party damaged its brand by veering away from a strictly economic message.
"Economic issues were, at one point, at their core, but leadership has allowed social issues to completely draw them off what was once a good rhetorical course," he said. "And I don't think they can ever right the ship."
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