Gallup: Democrats re-establish lead in party affiliation

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47% of Americans identified as Democrats or said they were independents who leaned Democratic in 2012, compared with 42% who identified as or leaned Republican, according to Gallup. That re-establishes a Democratic edge in party affiliation after the two parties were essentially tied in 2010 and 2011.

The estimates are based on an aggregate of all 2012 Gallup … polls, … more than 20,000 interviews…. [Since 1991], Democrats have usually held an advantage, including the high margin of 12 points in 2008, the year President Obama was elected. Republicans have held an advantage in only one year — 1991, when President George H.W. Bush enjoyed record-high approval ratings after the Persian Gulf War.

… The new Democratic advantage is mostly due to an increased proportion of Democratic-leaning independents and a decreased proportion of Republican-leaning independents.

Peter Schorsch is the President of Extensive Enterprises and is the publisher of some of Florida’s most influential new media websites, including SaintPetersBlog.com, FloridaPolitics.com, ContextFlorida.com, and Sunburn, the morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. SaintPetersBlog has for three years running been ranked by the Washington Post as the best state-based blog in Florida. In addition to his publishing efforts, Peter is a political consultant to several of the state’s largest governmental affairs and public relations firms. Peter lives in St. Petersburg with his wife, Michelle, and their daughter, Ella.