It’s Tea Time but What Flavor? Regional Variation in Sources of Support for the Tea Party Movement
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15763/issn.2374-7781.2012.33.0.95-121Abstract
While the Tea Party movement has gained much support and media attention over the past several years, the debate remains about the sources of support for the movement. Some argue that supporters are drawn to the movement by concerns about the state of the U.S. economy. Others believe the movement attracts those who are most disgruntled with the size and direction of the national government. Further, charges of racism and anti-immigrant attitudes among movement supporters continue to arise. Finally, some wonder what role moral issues play in this movement, if any. We believe that much of this debate results from the varied attraction of the Tea Party movement across the nation. Using data from a June 2010 nationwide USA Today/Gallup Poll, investigate the sources of movement support, finding that the basis of support varies by geographic region. We find that traditional, moral values, and counter to much popular sentiment, racism play no role in movement support in any region of the nation. Instead, concerns about illegal immigration, the economy, and the size of federal government predict movement support, but vary by region.References
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