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While the GOP is only 2 points down in registration (nationally) from the Democrats, it is the independent voter that is moving fast--now 38%.
The good news for the GOP is that the independents are voing Republican. The bad news is that in 2008 they voted Democrat. They are the swing vote.
"A new Gallup Poll released today has some potentially disturbing news for Democrats. In the findings, only 31% of Americans identify as Democrats which ties for the lowest level in 22 years. However, this doesn’t mean that Republican identification soared past them. While the Republicans did get a slight bump, it was Independents that were really on the rise. The findings, which were put together from 21 separate Gallup and USA Today/Gallup polls, have the Republicans at 29%, two percentage points up from 2009 where they had their lowest ranking in 22 years (clearly, neither party’s been particularly popular as of recently). Meanwhile, Independents have risen to 38%. Republicans will, however, be happy to know that, when Independent was taken off the table and Independents were instead split into “Democrat-Leaning” and “Republican-Leaning,” the right got a huge boost while the left shot down. So, it would appear that many of those new Independents would, push come to shove, vote for a Republican"
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The good news for the GOP is that the independents are voing Republican. The bad news is that in 2008 they voted Democrat. They are the swing vote.
"A new Gallup Poll released today has some potentially disturbing news for Democrats. In the findings, only 31% of Americans identify as Democrats which ties for the lowest level in 22 years. However, this doesn’t mean that Republican identification soared past them. While the Republicans did get a slight bump, it was Independents that were really on the rise. The findings, which were put together from 21 separate Gallup and USA Today/Gallup polls, have the Republicans at 29%, two percentage points up from 2009 where they had their lowest ranking in 22 years (clearly, neither party’s been particularly popular as of recently). Meanwhile, Independents have risen to 38%. Republicans will, however, be happy to know that, when Independent was taken off the table and Independents were instead split into “Democrat-Leaning” and “Republican-Leaning,” the right got a huge boost while the left shot down. So, it would appear that many of those new Independents would, push come to shove, vote for a Republican"
More...