Boo! Voters Prefer Third Party Candidate Over Republican

[happyg]

The latest NBC/WSJ poll finds that more Americans would vote for a third party candidate for Congress than a Republican. 35% of voters prefer a Democrat, which has been steady for three years. Republicans, however, have experienced an 8-point swing against them since they took control of the House. Today, just 28% of voters say they would vote for a Republican for Congress, while 30% would opt for a third party.

The GOP Establishment, engaged in open war against the Tea Party and conservatives, is simply committing political suicide. Listening to the consultant and pundit class who inhabit the "Acela line" between New York and DC, the Republican elite believes it must shed itself of the conservative base that won them a majority. From John McCain to Grover Norquist, the GOP elite have made public their disdain of the party's conservative base. The donors, lobbyists and consultants who fuel the party are committing enormous resources to defeat conservatives at the ballot box.

The Republican party risks going the way of the Whigs in the 19th Century. While close to 70% of Democrats want their party leaders to compromise on the coming budget talks, a slim plurality of Republicans want their leaders to "stick to principles" (47%) rather than "compromise" (46%). Republican voters recognize that the "go-along-to-get-along" attitude of Republicans in DC has been a big factor in creating the mess our nation is in.

Just 38% of voters "blame" Republican for the shutdown. 59% blame Obama or both parties equally. In the aftermath of the shutdown, voters view "Tea Party Republicans" more favorably then generic "Republicans" in Congress. This is stunning considering the amount of vitriol emanating from the GOP establishment and the media against Tea Party conservatives.

Yes, the Republican brand is suffering in the polls. Not, however, for the reasons the establishment thinks. Republican voters are becoming disgusted with the party leadership. For all the right reasons. 

http://ht.ly/qni5s

[sinkspur]

LOL!  Another one of those "generic" candidates. 

When the candidate is actually named, he/she always--ALWAYS--loses support. 

What, exactly, is a "generic" Republican? 

I've been hearing "the Republicans are going the way of the Whigs" for the last 25 years.  It never happens.

It won't happen.

[ABX]

Principle over party. Voters are tired of all of these career politicians who care more about lining their own pockets and compromising with the left than standing on the principle they were elected for. Case in point, it was such a shock to the Republican Establishment when Ted Cruz stood on principle, yet, nothing he said would have been shocking just a decade ago. He was preaching the same things Republicans did when they took back Congress in 94 under Newt. Hell, he was saying many of the same things JFK said regarding spending.

Yet now, Cruz is somehow controversial.

[Bigun]

Principle over party. Voters are tired of all of these career politicians who care more about lining their own pockets and compromising with the left than standing on the principle they were elected for. Case in point, it was such a shock to the Republican Establishment when Ted Cruz stood on principle, yet, nothing he said would have been shocking just a decade ago. He was preaching the same things Republicans did when they took back Congress in 94 under Newt. Hell, he was saying many of the same things JFK said regarding spending.

Yet now, Cruz is somehow controversial.

Really makes you wonder doesn't it?

[ABX]

Really makes you wonder doesn't it?

Yes and no. It is arrogance run out of control where few think of themselves as represent the people and more feel themselves as rulers. Hell, Peter King's quote about Cruz really demonstrates the problem in DC (with most politicians in all parties):

"We just can’t have national Republicans criticizing the system.”

That really says all.

The part I wonder is why this arrogance suddenly happened publicly- it used to be tempered with 'spin' that appeared at least on the surface as reasonable. It is so out of control The temper tantrum the government had during the shut down really does demonstrate it well.

They have stopped pandering and started insulting.

[jmyrlefuller]

That third party, though, is the sum total of all third parties, current or potential. As we've seen, most third parties have less than 2% support in any given election and often less than 5% combined. It's not as if all of the third party potential voters could ever unite with each other, either: the views range so widely, from the socialists (heck, even they can't agree on one party; there are so many tiny socialist party fragments it's ridiculous) to the libertarians to the white supremacists, that to say a "third party" would beat the GOP from this data is a mirage.

[ABX]

That third party, though, is the sum total of all third parties, current or potential. As we've seen, most third parties have less than 2% support in any given election and often less than 5% combined. It's not as if all of the third party potential voters could ever unite with each other, either: the views range so widely, from the socialists (heck, even they can't agree on one party; there are so many tiny socialist party fragments it's ridiculous) to the libertarians to the white supremacists, that to say a "third party" would beat the GOP from this data is a mirage.

There will never be a third party with major success. What there could be is a new top 2 party that replaces one or the other but you won't see anything like a 33% split among 3 different parties. You will always have generally a 49/49/other. (Human nature works in dualities).

[NavyCanDo]

In an off year people will prefer just about anything, but when it comes down to the real thing in 2014 and 2016, we will rally around whoever has the best chance of keeping Hilary out of the Whithouse, and it is highly unlikely they will have anything else but an "R" after their name.