Poll: majority of Republicans support the Tea Party movement

Once considered a fringe element that spoke only to the most disaffected, a new poll reflects broad support among Republicans for the Tea Party movement.

A new poll released by Wall Street Journal and NBC News demonstrated the Tea Party's support among Republican voters. 71 percent of Republicans support the ideals expressed by the Tea Party, a significant majority that shows the Tea Party “isn’t a small little segment, but it is a huge part of what’s driving 2010,” according to Democratic pollster Peter Hart in an interview in The Wall Street Journal. The Tea Party has been making significant gains in politically important regions, as evidenced in Ohio where Tea Party affiliation has grown notably - and in New York, where the Democratic candidate for governor, Andrew Cuomo is struggling against Tea Party-backed Carl Paladino. The growth in Tea Party influence has also raised concerns among Democratic leadership figures, with Senator John Kerry seeking to label the movement as "Sarah Palin's Party." The poll also showed that 73 percent disapproved of the job Congress is doing. The high Congressional disapproval correlates well with the Tea Party support. Meanwhile, President Obama sought to motivate Democratic supporters. According to Huffington Post, an Obama rally in Michigan drew a crowd of 26,000. The midterm elections will be held on November 2.