State Partisanship Shifts Towards Democrats

[DonViejo]

February 3, 2018 at 8:34 am EST By Taegan Goddard

Gallup: “For the first time in three years, more states can be considered Democratic than Republican, based on residents’ 2017 self-reported party preferences. Nineteen states, up from 14 in 2016, were solidly Democratic or leaned Democratic, while 16 states, down from 21 in 2016, were solidly Republican or leaned that way.”




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https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/03/state-partisanship-shifts-towards-democrats/

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. The part I can NEVER get over is how hard it is for democrats to get more support

when it is the republicans who right out in the open harm the voters over and over.

Just amazing.

[lancelyons]

10. Too much focus on just identity politics.

Need to focus on all people.

[Eliot Rosewater]

13. WRONG

[Skittles]

2. see Texas, everyone?

yes indeed

[dalton99a]

6. +1

[Downtown Hound]

12. If we can ever wrest Texas from GOP control

The GOP is finished as a national party.

[bearsfootball516]

3. Very interesting, but I question a few things

Like, there's no way Indiana and West Virginia aren't red states. I know Obama won Indiana in 2008, but Trump won it by 20 points and West Virginia by 42 points. Same with Texas and Kentucky, those are red states, although it wouldn't surprise me if Texas starts becoming competitive in the future with the increasing minority population.

[Tatiana]

5. This is based on self-reported party affiliation. Seems accurate.

More people are willing to be identified as Democrats in traditionally red states as a result of the actions of the Grand Old Party of Russia.

While Republicans may more reluctant to identify as Republicans, even if they still will vote that way. Some of them do have some shame. Others, like Scarborough have actually left the party.

This portends very well for Democratic turnout. The people who sat out 2016 are motivated to vote out Republicans.

[herding cats]

8. Trump won Texas by 9 points.

A single digit win for a presidential candidate in Texas is a good sign. The last time Texas saw that was in the 90's with Clinton vs. George H.W. Bush and then Bob Dole. It wasn't due to a depressed turnout in 2016 either, both parties turn out was up from previous years.

I believe Texas has the numbers now or at least is extremely close, but it's highly gerrymandered and still has work to do on getting Democratic voters registered and to the polls. There needs to be a push to get the rural Democrats to the polls in all presidential and US senatorial elections. They often feel their votes don't matter, which is valid to an extent on local races, but every vote counts when it's a statewide tally.

[lindysalsagal]

4. TX, LA, GA, KY, IA, WV, IN, AZ, all in play. Wow!

THAT's different. Great news.

[Yonnie3]

7. This is based on "self-reported party preferences,"

which includes a "probing" of those with no preference to see which way they lean.

I'm sure there has been a shift, but I can't dance for joy over this. It seems too subjective. Which sort of Republican leaning? Could it be white supremacist, fiscal conservative, nationalist? Were these categories there ten years ago? What the heck is a Republican now days?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. It's also a poll of adults, not registered or likely voters but it is a step in the right direction.

[Yonnie3]

11. It does show there are lots of opportunities.

I am a firm believer in polls as tools, but they have to be used in context.