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Number of 'Solidly' Democratic States Falls Since the Last Election
Gallup says that 16 states can be considered competitive this year, four more than in 2009 and six more than in 2008.
There are 14 states now considered solidly Democratic based on party identification compared to 24 in the solid column last year and 30 in 2008. The Democrats have nine states in the leaning column, down from 10 last year (but higher than the six it had in 2008).
Republicans have seven states considered solid and five leaning, compared to the four it had in 2008 and 2009. Five states lean Republican compared to one each in 2008 and 2009. While public identification with the Democratic Party has steadily dropped over the last two years from 52 percent in 2008 to 49 percent in 2009 and 44 percent now, the Republicans have not made headway in getting voters to identify with them. The 40 percent who say they now identify with the GOP compares to 41 percent in 2009 and 40 percent in 2008.
Most of the pickups have been among independents, who do not lean one way or another. Their number was 8 percent in 2008, 10 percent last year and is 16 percent now.
Gallup concluded, based on the numbers, that "the overall result is a more competitive partisan environment this year than has been the case in the last two years, underscoring the potential for Republicans to do well and pick up seats in this year's midterm elections."
Gallup included the District of Columbia in its list of states. For its complete list of states, go here. Gallup's post also has a map illustrating its findings.
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Why do the republicans want to cut spending so they can give more huge tax cuts to the richest among us?
July 27 2010 at 6:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThere is a lot to be said about what this article says. Bottom line both parties are loosing. I can see that more and more people are becoming independent voters and beginning to think for themselves. As for either "party", which i feel that both sides think they are in, has no ideas as to how to get us out of this mess. Both sides on most large ideas will never work together. There bottom lines are money and power only for them. If at any time you think that those up in the fantasy land found inside the beltway have our best interests in there hearts and minds, look around you find yourself awful alone.
July 27 2010 at 8:06 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply435 Members of the House
100 Members of the Senate
1 President
9 Supreme Court Justices
545 Members of our government who are solely responsible for the pickle that our
country is in.
Party affiliation aside, the situation will not improve until voting citizen fires the rascals that have done this to us, and hire someone who will work for the strength of the country, rather than their party.
That has been my argument for years. A politician runs on a particular ticket to get his or her name on the ballot. I refer to it has the train that gets them to their final destination. Once he or she gets to the stop the train no longer is needed. they then belong to the people that elected them regardless of party.
There are 435 members in the house I expect 435 members to be involved in the drafting of a bill and the final vote. The same for the 100 senators. This way all the people in this country have fair representation.
It's too bad we don't have a good political party to vote for - both the democrats AND republicans have caused more problems than they've solved. And the republicans refuse to "work together" to find solutions all too often which results in our "being stuck".
The tea party gets the most press coverage, but it doesn't have a clue on how to solve our most serious problems either and doesn't have a credible chance to win enough seats in the 2010 election to have any power in D.C.
it is very courious that there are fewer democrat and no more republicans than befor is this the forlorn hope of a failing party were will they go?
July 26 2010 at 9:22 PM Report abuse Permalink -18 rate up rate down ReplyNo really who would have thought!
July 26 2010 at 9:07 PM Report abuse Permalink +15 rate up rate down ReplyI say cut taxes for everyone - even the 'rich' - they will spend millions more and help create jobs the American (not Obama) way. Besides, Im not a jealous envious person that talks bad about 'rich' people because I am not 'rich'
July 26 2010 at 8:46 PM Report abuse Permalink +50 rate up rate down ReplyHa! Now that Obama got in the Democrats are out!
July 26 2010 at 8:42 PM Report abuse Permalink +49 rate up rate down ReplyAs discovered by other polls --- If the sampling is "likely voters" the shift from Democratic to Republican is much more dramatic.
July 26 2010 at 7:53 PM Report abuse Permalink +42 rate up rate down ReplyOne has to be careful with this gallup poll... it polled all adults .... not registered voters and most certainly not likely voters ... it makes the analysis rather speculative
July 26 2010 at 5:56 PM Report abuse Permalink -25 rate up rate down ReplyYou have a point but if you're comparing these numbers to a previous Gallup poll using the same methodology you can still make conclusions.
July 27 2010 at 8:11 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
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