We cannot know what might have been. What if Obama had focused his first year on the great issue of this time, as FDR did in his time? Obama won the health care overhaul, which was never popular. He could have certainly won a major jobs bill, which was always popular. Would that have granted Obama momentum for more? A financial bill that actually ended “too big to fail”? Other Democratic ambitions — some measure of legislation on climate change or immigration?
Perhaps surprisingly, Tea Party members are more committed to supporting the GOP candidate than other Republicans. Among GOP primary voters who are Tea Party members, 92% will vote for the Republican candidate even if their favorite falls short of the nomination. Among non-Tea Party members, only 78% are that committed to the Republican candidate.
Ninety-three percent (93%) of Tea Party members think any of the GOP candidates would make a better president than Obama, a view shared by just 66% of non-members.