Gallup Poll: 52% of Republicans Want Third Party

More than half of Republicans – 52 percent – say there should be a third political party, a new Gallup Poll says. The poll, released Monday, also found that 33 percent of Democrats want a third party. Gallup said it’s the first time its polls have found a significantly larger number of Republicans than Democrats favoring a third party.

The poll found that 52 percent of all Americans want a third party, down slightly from 58 percent in August.

Gallup said the increasing desire among Republicans for a third party could be an outgrowth of the rise of the tea party movement. The poll found 60 percent of Americans who identify themselves as tea party members want a new party.

“Given that a majority of Americans see a need for a third party, and their level of satisfaction with the way things are going in the country is fairly low, it would not be surprising if a third-party candidate emerged” as a factor in the 2012 presidential race, Gallup’s Jeffrey M. Jones wrote.