GOP: a dead brand

Rasmussen asked likely voters to "assume that the Tea Party movement organized as a new political party" and them asked them who they would vote for. Despite 6 months of the MSM's obscene comments and ridicule, the Tea Party outpolled the GOP:

In a three-way Generic Ballot test, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds Democrats attracting 36% of the vote. The Tea Party candidate picks up 23%, and Republicans finish third at 18%. Another 22% are undecided.

Among voters not affiliated with either major party, the Tea Party comes out on top. Thirty-three percent (33%) prefer the Tea Party candidate, and 30% are undecided. Twenty-five percent (25%) would vote for a Democrat, and just 12% prefer the GOP.

Conservatives should be the Republican party base but little more than half of conservatives consider themselves Republicans and those who vote Republican overwhelmingly think their leaders are "out of touch":

Data from the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows that just 55% of conservatives nationwide consider themselves Republicans. Recent polling shows that 73% of Republican voters believe their leaders in Washington are out of touch with the party base.

The Republicans in Washington need to hold a strategy session.

Hat tip: B. Daniel Blatt