Boehner Blasts Conservatives As Tea Party Hits New Low With Voters
WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) – Senator Marco Rubio and Governor Rick Scott rode to office on the tea party wave in 2010, but Americans appear to be tiring of the ideological rigidity of the tea party. However, that doesn't meant their power is waning in Congress.
According to a new Gallup Poll, just 30 percent of Americans have a favorable view of the tea party. It's the lowest rating for the tea party since the group began to exert itself in the 2010 Congressional midterm election.
Gallup also found that 51 percent of Americans had an unfavorable view of the tea party, the first time the public had a majority unfavorable view. Overall, Gallup found thirty-two percent identified themselves as tea party supporters and 24 percent opposed the group.
Where the tea party still has an outsized influence is in the GOP. Fifty-eight percent of Republicans viewed the tea party favorably while 28 percent viewed it unfavorably.
However, while the tea party may be waning nationwide, thanks to gerrymandered districts, primary elections, and outsized spending by ultra-conservative groups; Republicans have to push further to the right to win primaries and oppose any compromise in Washington.
But, even that aspect of GOP politics may be starting to fade. Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) has opened up with both barrels on groups like the Club for Growth and Heritage Action that have been pushing Republicans hard to the right.
Speaker Boehner criticized members for obeying the groups which are using members to raise money, according to the speaker. Boehner was especially critical of the groups and members who opposed the new budget deal with Senate Democrats without even reading it.
"When you criticize something and you have no idea what you're criticizing, you've lost your credibility," Boehner forcefully said Thursday. "It comes to a point where some people step over a line."
Among those who criticized the budget deal before it was widely released was Senator Rubio.
