Texas Tea: The Flavor of Identification with the Tea Party Movement in the 2010 Campaign in Texas

Abstract

We draw on data collected for the University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll during the 2010 campaign to assess the demographic and ideological characteristics of identification with the Tea Party label among Texas voters. Preliminary analysis of data from one survey suggests that support for the Tea Party label is strongly positively related to the gender (male), importance of religion in life, conservative ideology, and selected policy preference variables, and negatively associated with education, the latter pointing to a notable difference from survey results from national polling on the subject. The paper will incorporate survey data to be generated between now and April, which will enable us to refine these preliminary findings.