Independent voters aren't all that independent, analysis says

CNN via msn ^ | 15 Mar 2019 | Grace Sparks

[blueplum]

Voters who identify as independents are rarely actually independent -- and the ones who are tend to not care about politics, according to a new analysis by the Pew Research Center.

Independents are often seen as the best possibility for potential candidates to pick up votes outside their bases, but most independents actually "lean" toward one party or another, according to the analysis. Less than 10% of the population say they truly have no partisan lean...

[blueplum]

So, is Pell right? And if Pell is right, and indies have increased to 38% of the pop, we have work to do, bringing them over to the Rep party in time for the elections.

[dp0622]

Ah, I click independent on surveys because I’m not an R. I hate many Rs.

I’m a conservative but that’s NEVER a choice at least on the surveys I get.

I think Independents will break towards Trump.

If you’re not a solid dem, this time around they are so repulsive that it would be hard for an I to vote for them.

[Undecided 2012]

after AOC, don’t count on it

[dp0622]

AOC is viewed negatively across the country.

She is one of the BIG reasons Independents will be turned off by dems.

You don’t think so?

I respect your opinion.

Do you think she helps get independent votes for dems?

She might. I could be wrong. Have been many times before :)

[Equine1952]

I wonder which is more important ideology or personality plus delivery during campaigning? Also the economic demographics, are indies well to do, poor, middle class, educated, married, etc etc. I sometimes think people take a middle ground approach to prevent having to explain their choices.

[david1292]

They will just consider her an outlier. They won’t attribute her to the mainstream Democrats.

[pepsionice]

If you go and look internationally, you usually end up with about fifty percent ‘hard-dedicated’ to a party, around forty-percent ‘leaners’ and 10-percent who could flip election to election, depending on the candidate, the platform, or just some unusual variation.

A good example, in France twenty years ago....the two primary parties were a left-of-center group and a right-of-center group. The two parties could usually take the bulk of voters. Well, in 2017, those two parties could only generate 20-percent combined. The Macron-Party (out of thin air) brought new variations into an election that hadn’t been seen before.

In the US case, identity-politics play a key role now. The Democrats have worked for twenty years to build this into their central path to voters. Their problem though....people are waking up, and taking the ‘red-pill’....realizing that they were lied to or deceived. So I would suggest a fourth group to Pell’s study...the potential ‘red-pill’ crowd who might flip permanently to the GOP.

[Undecided 2012]

I would hope and think she’s a big plus for us

[ameribbean expat]

I’m an “I”, but I’ve always voted “R” in state and national elections. Avoid the robocalls and push polls.

[Equine1952]

She’s just a flare shell, she will burn bright for a while then fall and fade. The best part is she got the presidential hopefuls all spouting versions of the same crap.

[Impy]

I don’t see how someone could follow politics even a little and not lean one way or the other.

[Jeff Chandler]

Do I disagree with you? I might. I could be wrong. Have been many times before :)

[DoughtyOne]

I still say independents are Leftist who would rather not face the fact they are.

It’s like on C-Span when they have Rs, Ds, and Is calling in.

This Is repeat the Ds talking points 80-90% of the time.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Demonrat call banks. They’ve been doing that $hit on C-Span since the ‘90s. Same regurgitated talking points on all 3 lines, “I USED to be a Republican but... (insert Communist talking point here).”

C-Span shouldn’t even take live calls to weed out those heavily phony leaning ones.

[SkyPilot]

"But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Matthew7:14

The percentage of the population that is truly guided by the Holy Spirit, and is "good" is very, very small.

Good luck in trying to find a majority of what you seek in this world.

[Cowboy Bob]

Have any "Independents" that hold political office (Sanders and King) ever voted with the Republicans against the Democrats? No.

They are not independent, they just don't want to carry the label of "Democrat."

Many Democrats call themselves "Independents," for the dame reason Liberals call themselves "Progressives."

[V K Lee]

[PCPOET7]

live in California. I am pretty open about being republican but I have friends who claim to be independent because they do not want to be retaliated against by demacrat employers or teachers if still in coledge.

[Jean2]

You may have something there about that. I remember hearing Rush say once that Is are nothing more than libs who don’t have the guts to admit they are libs.

[Alberta's Child]

I describe myself as “independent” because I have no party affiliation. But you better believe I have highly partisan political leanings on any given issue.