PPP's first look at the 'Tea Party' in North Carolina finds that only 15% of voters in the state actively identify as members of it, which could help explain why self proclaimed candidates of the movement didn't fare all that well in the primaries two weeks ago.
Even among Republicans in the state only 32% claim 'Tea Party' membership. Although leaders of the movement try to claim that it's something more than a subset of the Republican Party just 17% of independents and 3% of Democrats call themselves Tea Partiers.
Personal identification with the Tea Party may be low in North Carolina, but agreement with its goals is broader. 40% of voters say they support what the movement is trying to accomplish while 36% stand opposed to its goals.
The Tea Party movement has a long way to go before it's a powerful force in state politics. But it does have the potential to be a player if it can turn more of those 40% who agree with its goals (or at least what they perceive them to be) into active participants in the movement.