---
title: "John Boehner’s dilemma – in a chart"
description: "Sentiment about GOP leaders has shifted among the Republican rank-and-file since last month, with Tea party Republican more approving of the leaders, while non-Tea Party Republicans are less approving."
date: "2013-10-11"
authors:
  - name: "Carroll Doherty"
    job_title: "Former Director, Political Research"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/carroll-doherty/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/10/11/john-boehners-dilemma-in-a-chart/"
---

# John Boehner’s dilemma – in a chart

[![FT_GOP_Leaders](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2013/10/FT_GOP_Leaders.png)](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/10/FT_GOP_Leaders.png)

GOP leaders are facing a difficult task in trying to build united support among the Republican rank-and-file for a strategy on the government shutdown.

In the Pew Research Center’s [most recent survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/10/07/partisans-dug-in-on-budget-health-care-impasse/), conducted Oct. 3-6, most Republicans and Republican leaners who agree with the Tea Party (64%) approved of how GOP leaders were handling negotiations on the government shutdown. Most other Republicans (61%) did not.

A month ago, it was Tea Party Republicans who were unhappy with GOP leaders. In [our September poll](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/09/11/tea-party-increasingly-unhappy-with-gop-leadership/), just 27% approved of the overall job performance of Republican congressional leaders; 71% disapproved. At that time, non-Tea Party Republicans were more positive, with 42% approving and 49% disapproving.

Among all Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 35% agree with the Tea Party while 61% either disagree or have no opinion either way.