ABSTRACT
Current indications are that the Tea Party has great influence in Republican politics, but that the often extreme candidates its supporters help nominate tend to repel more moderate conservative voters and that, on balance. In reality Tea Party support was very highly correlated to voting for the Republican Party candidate in 2012 and it seems fair to say that supporters of the Tea Party are at their core conservatives who identify with the Republican Party. Tea Party supporters, like conservatives in general, show clear signs that they are more likely than other citizens to favor decreased spending in many areas identified with liberalism. One of the more interesting things about Tea Party adherents is said to be their import in electoral politics, and most especially in the citizen participation side of nominating politics. Tea Party supporters, especially those who are the most supportive of the Tea Party movement, are major players in the public part of the Republican nominating process.
