Chapter 7 POLITICAL PARTIES: Winning the Right to Govern Current Events/Behavioral Focus: Who Are the Democrats, Republicans, and Independents? © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Party Identification The number of people self-identifying as Democrats has decreased over time. However, Democrats still outnumber Republicans and Independents. Registered Republicans and Democrats have decreased over time while individuals self-identifying as Independents have risen. © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Party Identification According to the American National Election Studies, this was the distribution of Party Identification in America as of 2008: Democrats: 34% Republicans: 25% Independents: 40% © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Partisanship in America

Partisanship in America

Party Identification by Social Group: Income Individuals with an income level under $25,000 annually are more likely to identify as Democrats (38%). Individuals making over $60,000 a year are more likely to be Republicans (39%) © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Party Identification by Group: Education No high school: Democrat (40%) High School Degree: Slightly Democrat College Degree: Republican (37%) Advanced Degree: Democrat (38%) © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Party Identification by Group: Religion Jewish: 55% D, 12% R Protestant: 32% D, 32% R Catholic: 30% D, 30% R None (No Affiliation): Lean D 30%, Lean R 20% © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Party Identification by Group: Gender Female: Democrat: 38% Republican: 28% Male: Democrat: 24% Republican: 30% © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Party Identification by Group: Ethnicity Black: 62% D, 02% R White: 37% D, 38% R Hispanic: 42% D, 15% R Other: 36% D, 25% R © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Party Identification by Region of USA South: 38% D, 31% R Midwest: 30% D, 35% R Northeast: 28% D, 22% R West: 30% D, 28% R © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Party Identification by Group: Age 18-29 yrs: 38% D, 20% R 0-41: 31% D, 35% R 42-53: 27% D, 35% R 54-65: 37% D, 36% R 65+: 38% D, 28% R © 2011 Taylor & Francis

The 2008 Vote: look how it is the same and how it is different

2008 Vote (cont.)

Ideology and Partisanship Ideology: An organized coherent set of ideas that forms a perspective on the political world and how it works. There is a correlation between ideology and partisanship with liberalism being associated with the Democratic Party and conservatism with the Republican Party. Furthermore, the stronger one’s ideological commitments, the stronger one’s partisanship. © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Ideology and Partisanship cont.

Ideology and Partisanship cont. Ideological types in the United States and partisanship In addition to liberals, the Democratic Party receives support from populists. The Republicans are best known for their conservatives but also receive general support from libertarians. © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Ideology and Partisanship cont.