Note: This is not my Opus, just a posting... 
But I agree that it's an interesting study.
Related thread:
Former state Democratic party chairman changes to GOP The News & Observer ^ | May 23, 2005 | Rob Christensen
Posted on 05/23/2005 8:32:58 AM PDT by mlc9852
Lawrence Davis, a former state Democratic Party chairman from Raleigh, has switched his registration to the Republican Party. Davis said he decided to switch parties because his personal beliefs on issues such as abortion, same-sex marriages and the lottery differed from the positions of the Democratic Party.
"Basically, it's an effort to bring some coherence between my beliefs and my actions," Davis said. "I felt my [former] party was on the wrong side of right-wrong issues."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1408738/posts