Legal Commentary

National Survey of Tea Party Supporters, Done by the New York Times and CBS News

By Eugene Volokh

Here are the details. Some unsurprising data, but some noteworthy; among other things, tea party supporters are more conservative than the public on social issues, but not vastly so ? 40% think Roe v. Wade ?was a good thing? (compared to 58% of the public), and their support for allowing same-sex marriage or civil unions is 57%-40% (compared to 63%-30% for the public at large). Support for same-sex marriage as such is considerably lower: 16% as opposed to 39%.

I?ve heard statements that tea party supporters are predominantly male, but the margin is 59%-41%; tea party supporters are thus predominantly male only to pretty much the same extent as college students are predominantly female (57%-43%, 2005 data) ? there?s a gender gap, but the movement pretty clearly appeals both to many men and many women. (Bipartisan + sexes instead of parties = bisexual?) They are also somewhat better educated than the public at large (70% with some college or more, as opposed to 53% among the general public). And they are somewhat more prosperous (56% reported incomes of $50,000 and above, as opposed to 44% among the general public) but generally not by much (only 31% reported incomes of $75,000 and above, as opposed to 26% of the general public).

Among the interesting but relatively little-noted substantial differences: The yes-no breakdown as to household gun ownership was 58%-32% for tea party supporters, and 41%-56% for the public at large.

Full post as published by The Volokh Conspiracy on April 15, 2010 (boomark / email).