Essex UKIP leaders have dismissed fears that accusations of racism currently surrounding the party could affect its fate at Thursday's county council elections.
A candidate in Somerset has been suspended by leader Nigel Farage after he was pictured in today's Daily Mirror allegedly making a Nazi-style gesture on his Facebook page.
Two other candidates in Leicester and Cornwall were also temporarily dropped after it emerged they were former members of the BNP.
And it came a few days after cabinet minister Kenneth Clarke described UKIP members as "a collection of clowns".
East of England regional spokesman Stuart Gulleford said he had yet to meet anybody on in Essex while out canvassing who said they were not voting UKIP. The party is fielding a full slate in all 75 seats.
"Essex is one of our strongest areas in terms of support," he said. "I know a lot of the candidates personally.
"We are talking about a tiny handful of candidates out 17,000 members nationwide.
"It's just a shame that the Conservative Party is wallowing in the gutter trawling through social media." The party has been tipped by one political historian to do well in Essex this year, possibly supplanting the Liberal Democrats as the county's opposition
Mr Gulleford added: "The feeling on the streets is very good. People are telling us they want to give Cameron a kicking."
