|
|
"A comprehensive, collaborative elections resource."
|
Ailing G.O.P. Risks Losing a Generation
|
|---|
| Parent(s) |
Party
|
| Contributor | ArmyDem |
| Last Edited | ArmyDem Mar 02, 2009 11:25pm |
| Logged |
0
|
| Category | News |
| Media | Newspaper - New York Times |
| News Date | Sunday, March 1, 2009 05:25:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | By MARJORIE CONNELLY
Published: February 28, 2009
Republicans have their work cut out for them.
Americans identifying themselves as Democrats outnumber those who say they are Republicans by 10 percentage points, the largest gap in party identification in 24 years.
The gap has widened significantly since President George W. Bush’s re-election in 2004, when it was a mere 3 percentage points. But by the time Mr. Bush left office in January, less than a quarter of Americans approved of his performance.
These days, 38 percent of Americans say they are Democrats, 28 percent call themselves Republicans, and another 29 percent identify as independents, according to an average of national polls conducted last year by The New York Times and CBS News.
Whether President Obama is able expand that gap to favor his party will probably depend mostly on Americans under the age of 30 who have yet to form strong partisan ties.
Ronald Reagan’s presidency underscores the power of a popular incumbent to win over young voters. When he was elected in 1980, only 20 percent of young Americans identified as Republicans. By 1989, the number had grown to 37 percent, a significant factor in the expansion of the Republican Party during those years.
The year-by-year trends are based on party identifications from all national surveys conducted by The New York Times and CBS News and averaged by year. |
| Share |
|
|
2¢
|
|
| Article | Read Full Article |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
|
