Posted on 05/17/2008 8:49:18 PM PDT by txhurl
COLUMBUS, Ohio (ASSOCIATED PRESS) -
The number of Republicans who switched sides to vote for Democrats in Ohio’s March 4 presidential primary easily eclipsed President Bush’s 120,000-vote margin of victory in the state that decided the presidency four years ago, documents released Monday show.
Although a small portion of total voters, the 173,000 people who previously voted Republican but voted Democratic in the primary could be an important group in the November election, when Ohio is again expected to be crucial.
The party-switching in 85 of Ohio’s 88 counties with data available could be a sign of excitement about Democratic candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. But not all of these voters can be counted on to again vote Democratic against presumptive Republican nominee U.S. Sen. John McCain.
Some of the crossover voters felt their choice counted more on the Democratic side because McCain had all but won the Republican nomination. Some said they disliked Clinton so much that they wanted to vote against her. And some of the wild-card voters sought by both sides are still torn, but they voted in the Democratic contest to try to make sure each party had a nominee they could potentially support. The reasons were varied and complex.
“I could not stomach to have another Clinton in the White House,” said Karen Purdy, one of the Republicans who switched. “I thought the country needed a fresh start and I thought Obama could do that.”
Purdy, of Elida in traditionally Republican Allen County in northwest Ohio, doesn’t know which candidate will get her vote in the fall. Her husband, Dennis, switched to help out Obama as well but is voting for McCain in November.
Republicans switching sides represented roughly 8 percent of the 2.2 million Democratic ballots that were cast in Ohio in a contest in which Clinton beat Obama by about 10 points. About four of every five voters who switched parties for the primary went from Republican to Democrat.
The election shattered Ohio primary turnout records, with about 3.5 million people voting - or about 45 percent of registered voters.
Democrats have pointed to high turnout across the nation as a sign that voters are discouraged with the Republican majority in Washington and eager to vote for Democratic candidates who would both make history. Clinton, whose campaign is now on the ropes after a large defeat in North Carolina and a slim win in Indiana, would be the first female president. Obama would be the nation’s first black president.
Interviews with crossover voters in Allen County showed a wide range of reasons for the switch.
The county, which has twice voted for President Bush by a two-to-one margin, was one of several previously Republican-dominated counties that had more Democrats than Republicans after the primary, due largely to the number of newly registered Democratic voters.
Voters in Ohio may choose a ballot from either party but generally must sign a statement saying they uphold the principles of that party. Once voters choose a particular ballot, they are considered members of that party.
Allen County went from having 5,527 registered Democrats before the primary to 14,503 after. Republicans went from 14,115 to 13,379. The county had 1,500 voters switch parties - 1,399 of them went from Republican to Democrat.
Democrats are banking on voters such as Janet and Tom Stalter of the Lima area, who have voted Republican for 50 years but switched in March to vote for Obama.
“We just decided we like Obama the best of the three and we think he can help our country,” said Janet Stalter, who quipped that her die-hard Republican grandfather was probably rolling over in his grave as she spoke. Clinton wouldn’t have gotten them to switch: “We’ve had enough of ‘slick Willy’ so to say.”
But Carla Zerbe is the kind of crossover voter the Democrats may lose unless the unlikely happens and Clinton wins the nomination. If Obama wins, she will vote Democratic if he chooses Clinton as a his running mate. If not, she will probably vote for McCain.
“I think his minister did it for me,” Zerbe said about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the man who served as Obama’s pastor and made several controversial statements, including that the U.S. government may have developed the AIDS virus to infect blacks. Obama has since denounced Wright - Zerbe believes for political purposes.
“It’s a matter of loyalty and a matter of trust for me right now,” she said.
Lynn Gibson is still another version of the Ohio crossover voter. The “Harry Truman” Democrat switched to Republican for the first time in his life for local races, but he doesn’t plan to vote for any of the presidential candidates.
Obama and Clinton? “They’re socialists not Democrats,” Gibson said. McCain? “He’s a Democrat-light.”
“I’m tired of voting for someone who’s the lesser of two evils,” he said.
VERY interesting post in #13, Common Tator... thanks!
“and if we have to get down with the sewer rats to turn it around, so be it.”
When in Rome...
I hope your analysis is correct.
You seem to be one of the very few that has a good handle on the upcoming November general election. None of the pundits and talking heads have a clue of what is going on with real people. By sometime next winter there will be a general consensus that "people lied to the pollsters" and voted their own interests and prejudices in the voting booth.
I think so, too. All my southern dem family and friends are outraged by/with him.
Yep. That’s exactly what I keep telling all the Clinton lovers around here, but they seem to only worry about the magic negro becoming prez. It ain’t gonna happen.
Almost forgot, thanks for the ping.
You seem to actually believe that those who crossed over to cause mischief, having done so will now STAY as Democrats?
What is your reasoning behind this?
You seem to actually believe that those who crossed over to cause mischief, having done so will now STAY as Democrats?
What is your reasoning behind this?
No wonder, they're called the Dinosaur media, they are clueless. Anyone going to them for news is a fool.
I might have switched over, but the poll workers all know me too well. I just looked at that RAT ballot and it reminded me of a fresh, green cow excrement patty. Then, there was a lady - Tina a very conservative woman - and if she had seen me with a (d) ballot, I'd have had to call 911.
That said, I don't think the troops marched in lock step. My wife, for example, voted for Obama because she hated Hillary.
In the fall, unfortunately, I think you'll see massive numbers of Republicans stay home. Too bad, because either of these bozos could have been beaten easily by a real conservative.
Even if McInsane wins in November I think we should still have a big “thank you god” Party!
Go figure.
Snort!
Good. Then I won't feel as guilty when I don't vote for McCain, cause I won't. Nor will I walk the streets (as I did for Blackwell in 06 and Bush in 04), nor will I contribute (as I have regularly).
I was at a Karl Rove event for McCain in Dayton. The level of apathy was astounding. No one would wear "McCain" pins or stickers. Lukewarm applause every time he was mentioned. No one I know is going to work for the campaign.
Mike DEWINE, for Pete's sake, is his OH campaign chairman. That's rich. Tag the loser to head your campaign.
Two words: Pyrrhic victory.
Sigh.
I'll break out the booze. But it won't be in celebration :(
1) Down ticket people are elected by radically-motivated voters (usually a handful). I stayed with the GOP ballot specifically to vote for the down-ticket people. But most people who don't KNOW the down-ticket candidates just by-pass them. I know my wife and son do.
2) As for registering permanently as Dems, don't think that has happened. Both my wife and son "crossed over," one for Hillary, one for Obama, cancelling each other out. Neither will be back for the Dems in the fall (thought none of us will vote for McCain. We may all vote L, then R on all the down ticket people).
This is a no-win election, like a Super Bowl with teams you hate. The best outcome is a zero-zero tie in which someone else becomes president.
My experience is that people will not vote for people they don’t know. That’s why the judge and sheriff and other candidates on the ballots have smaller vote totals as you go down the line from president.
It’s fun to watch the left tie itself in “logic knots” trying to discount the effects of Operation Chaos. Evidently this is the training they acquire at journalism school. Ignore facts that get in the way of a good left-advancing story. And create man-on-the-street interviews as necessary when inconvenient facts threaten your mission.
The rest of the Republican candidates will be lucky to get elected as dog catcher. The people of Pennsylvania blame the Republicans for our bad economy and I can't disagree with them. If the republicans want to win they better come up with a plan to drill for our own oil.
Everywhere I go, I turn the conversion I have with complete strangers at checkout and gas pumps to the question of drilling for our own oil. NO ONE disagrees with me. They are all “mad as hell and not going to take it any more”.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.