What happened to republican turnout?

So just now CNN is showing a stat that describes the following as it relates to voter turnout...

2004 2008
Dem 37% 40%
Ind 26% 28%
Rep 37% 32%




It appears that the number of republicans actually decreased.

The number of independents and dems increased, there is only 4 points difference now between Ind and Rep's so there are almost as many voting independents as there are voting repulicans.



What does this say about the future of Republican Party?

It says we did not care much for the person nominated on our ticket. Plain and simple case closed.

I'd like to see the link, however I believe that is the amount of registered Democrats Republicans and Independents.

I agree, the Republican Brand needs a lot of reworking.


But they also have to be more competitive in the future, because the Dem's also increased, some of these are new and some are folks who switched.

That also means that the Democratic Brand is becoming much stronger.

If I had to take a guess, I would say the Republicans were lacking a bit of necessary passion for their candidate. McCain was quite famously disliked by a good number of Republicans, a few of whom publicly threatened to support the Dems (those heathens!) if McCain was nominated to the ticket. I am quite surprised, though, that the threat of Obama didn't persuade more of them to get their behinds to the voting booth.

reply to post by HunkaHunka

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As I stated on another thread, as a conservative, I had no one to vote for. I was compelled to choose between an amateur socialist, or an old part-time liberal.

I have a feeling that a lot of moderates, especially moderate conservatives felt a lot like me.

Besides. This was a lose/lose proposition.

Obama will be the biggest loser in history over the next four years. One disaster after another, and the next two years are going to be a financial disaster for the US. And when Obama can't meet all those glowing campaign promises to all those teary-eyed worshipers, and they realize they were fooled - well, let's just say that yet another one of America's experiments with socialism, combined with change for the sake of change, will take another decade or two for liberals to overcome.

This might also indicate some party defection from Republican to Democrat the same way Colin Powell did. That and combined with the number of new voters (college kids who are overwhelmingly Democrats) added to the Dem ranks I'd say the turnout was probably the same.

Actually I'm quite surprised so many Republicans left their spine at home and went and voted for McCain! I was hoping Republicans would show they are not shallow enough to vote party even though the ticket did not properly r. I guess perhaps enough of them disliked Obama and the media enough to hold their nose and vote McCain.

I know a lot of republicans who were going to vote for McCain until Sarah Palin entered the picture. Needless to say, none of them even bothered going to the polls after that.

reply to post by HunkaHunka

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This time the republicans made it too difficult to decide who was lesser of two evils; many more Republicans sat at home. There is already some regret because Obama is making his plans more clear. Whatever happens now remember Obama is being controlled by other people who do not want to be known.

I know a lot of Republicans who weren't gonna vote for McCain until Palin entered the scene.

So there is a big split in the opinions about the direction of the Republican party.

Then add to the fact that the Disney characters, dead people, felons, underage voters, and people who voted twice all voted for Obama and there is really no way to win.

reply to post by wutone

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First, Mickey Mouse can register to vote, but he can't vote. Second, PROVE that Mickey Mouse voted.

I'm seeing quite a few that are basically saying it was because McCain was the Repub. pick.

Ok - fair enough. After Obama and MCain were nominated I thought it was an election between one of the liberal of Democrats and (possibly) the most "non-Republican" of Republicans.

If that is true - what does it say about the people of the and the Republican party that McCain ended up wining the primary?

I know he was counted out a few times. But McCain did get the nominaition. Were there not canidiates running that were more "Republican" than McCain? Why didn't one of these get it? Why was McCain more paltable than the others in the primaries?

Even if many Repulicans don't like McCain - clearly enough people liked him for him to get the nod - but not the big win.

reply to post by GamerGal

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I worked the Election this year, and Mickey Mouse was voted for once at my precinct But I doubt he voted for himself

reply to post by Frogs

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It was the party insiders who picked McCain and Palin(she did not deserve the crummy treatment the international elitists gave her); there were many competitive agressive men and women who would have been more competitive. The republican party insiders threw the race; they did not want to win.

Maybe the Republicans changed their party to Democrat while they were voting for Obama?

My theory is based on nothing but my own silly brain.

I say that it's because there are more and more young voters and they are a new generation of liberal thinkers. Even my generation is more liberal then the one before it. As the years go by the line will no longer exist between the two parties, because people will be beyond black and white thinking ( no pun intended ).

Evolution of society.

reply to post by Ellipsis

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Very good points Ellipsis. I look forward to the time when the differences fade away as well.

reply to post by sos37

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Clearly, the money spent on Obama's get out the vote program increased the Democrat ranks. If the number is based off of registration, I and many others changed affiliation to dem. during the primary so I could vote for Hilary Why I don't know. I did vote Rep. in the final election.

[edit on 7-11-2008 by jibeho]

reply to post by jibeho

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Oh come on be honest, you switched to the Dem side and voted for Hillary because Rush Limbaugh had his operation chaos telling you to do just that.

[start sarcasm]
Wow it's amazing democrats got so many people registered, 22% of the counties only voted more republican as opposed to 4 years ago. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the 2006 elections, or the kind of Policies Republicans had been pushing through for 12 years, 6 of those with Bush as president.
22% of Counties vote more Republican