Free Republic

TO: Interested Parties FROM: Ed Gillespie and Whit Ayres DATE: July 15, 2009 RE: Political Shift Among Independent Voters In 2000, 2002, and 2004, Republicans won national elections in large part because Independents looked more like Republicans than Democrats on the major issues of the day. In 2006 and 2008, Independents looked more like Democrats than Republicans, and consequently voted for Democratic candidates by substantial margins Since April 2009, Resurgent Republic polling has shown Independents once again looking more like Republicans than Democrats on fiscal issues, interrogation of detainees, and health care reform. The longer debates continue on these issues,...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- John Kerry built a winning coalition in two Southern states with strong support from women, blacks and Democratic voters hungry for victory in November, according to Associated Press exit polls. Kerry also finished first among white Southern voters Tuesday, but fared better among black voters in Tennessee and Virginia, leaving some question about the strength of his appeal with a crucial Southern voting bloc. Retired nurse Bob Casey, a 68-year-old independent from Memphis, Tenn., said he voted for Wesley Clark, but would vote for President Bush in the general election over Kerry, a Massachusetts senator. "I don't...

Right, Left, and whatever. It's one of the funnier ironies of American presidential politics that the people who fancy themselves to be the most politically informed boast the silliest rationale for how they vote. I'm referring of course to "independents." There are two kinds. The first are the serious independents. Their shtick goes something like this: "I'm an independent-minded guy (or gal), I don't let the parties do my thinking for me. I choose each individual candidate based on his or her individual merits. I am a very discerning and thoughtful person." If you've ever listened to C-SPAN, you've heard...