Republicans Increase Party Identification, Poll Shows

The number of Americans identifying themselves as Republicans increased from 26 percent before the Republican National Convention to 30 percent immediately afterwards, a Gallup poll released Thursday found.

Before the convention, 39 percent said they identified with or leaned to the GOP, and afterwards, that number jumped to 47 percent.

A short-term bump in party identification after the conventions is common – usually a four percent average - but this year Gallup found an eight-point increase in GOP identification and leaning is much like the Democrats’ high in 2000.