For those following the Daily Kos Research 2000 poll, we've known for some time that a substantial number of Republicans are not thrilled with the current iteration of the GOP. Eric Cantor and John Boehner don't do it for everyone. In fact, 25% of self-identified Republicans have an unfavorable view of the GOP:
The comparable number of unhappy Dems with the Democratic party is 14%.
And now a new USA Today-Gallup poll considers that a third of self-ID GOP respondents view the Republicans unfavorably.
In thinking about the Republican Party's troubles, consider
USA Today Gallup poll, Rs only
this: One-third of Republicans now say they have an unfavorable opinion of their party.
There's no such dyspepsia among Democrats. Just 4% have an unfavorable view of their party.
The findings of a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll underscore the perilous state of the GOP. Over the past three years, Republicans have lost control of the White House, the House of Representatives and the Senate, and they're now struggling to forge a unified response to the popular new Democratic president.
Things are so bad, no one even knows who speaks for the party (my bold):
A 52% majority of those surveyed [all adults] couldn't come up with a name when asked to specify "the main person" who speaks for Republicans today. Of those who could, the top response was radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh (13%), followed in order by former vice president Dick Cheney, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former House speaker Newt Gingrich. Former president George W. Bush ranked fifth, at 3%.
So the dominant faces of the Republican Party are all men, all white, all conservative and all old enough to join AARP, ranging in age from 58 (Limbaugh) to 72 (McCain). They include some of the country's most strident voices on issues from Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court to President Obama's policies at home and abroad. Two are retired from politics, and one has never been a candidate.
It's a safe bet to suggest that the GOP is seen as simply inept. Losing does that.
Asked by Gallup "what comes to mind when you think of the Republican Party," 25% of those surveyed said "unfavorable" [matches R2K numbers] and another 1 in 4 offered negative assessments including "no direction," "close-minded" and "poor economic conditions." Sixteen percent said conservative and 7% "favorable."
For the Democratic Party, the most dominant impression was "liberal," mentioned by 15%. One in 3 used positive phrases such as "for the people" and "socially conscious." The most prevalent negative judgments saw the Democrats as "big spending" (8%) and "self-centered" (4%)
More from the Gallup version of the same story:
Almost half of those who identify with or lean toward the GOP cannot think of a single political or other figure when asked to name the main person who speaks for their party. And none of the three individuals whom Republicans name -- Limbaugh, Cheney, and Gingrich -- would likely be characterized as new visionaries or individuals bringing a fresh or new face to the Republican political scene. None of the three hold elective office at this time, all are older white males (the youngest of the three is Limbaugh, who is 58), and only one has a realistic chance of running for the presidency in the future (Gingrich).
Perhaps most importantly, none of these is mentioned by more than 10% of Republicans, a telling indication that rank-and-file Republicans today simply have no single consensus leader around whom they can gather their forces.
click for bigger pic:
Note that George W. Bush polls at 0% with Republicans, and Ronald Reagan was omitted from the poll.
The Republicans still have work to do, and it's not clear they can retain their base while they figure out what they are doing. but there's only so far you can get by simply being the Party of Old Conservative White Guys Who Say Neek No.