Many here have speculated about the polling data that seems to indicate a stable Republican base of support for Bush at around 30%. Some here have also reasonably suggested that the number of self-identified Republicans may have been significantly eroding as Bush's failures continued to pile up.
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Harris polling results throughout 2005 were combined and recently published providing some data that shows a
100% increase in the percentage lead of self-identifying Democrats over Republicans (in a cross section of 4,945 adult Americans) from 3% to 6%.
The Harris Polls conducted by telephone in 2005 show the Democrats slightly increasing their modest lead over Republicans in party identification to six percentage points from three percentage points in 2004. Emphases added.
How a 100% increase is fairly characterized as "slight," I don't know but I'd say it's at least a dramatic increase. Although this data does not measure how many once proud Republicans may now be calling themselves "Democrats" or "Independents," it is intriguing and something Kossacks might want to know.
Has the trend toward "Independent/unaffliated voter" slowed or stopped? This is one of a gazillion things I don't know but I'm hopeful this poll bodes well for the Democratic Party and freedom in our country.
Harris also has good news for Democrats regarding the 2006 elections although Harris also reports an increase in Bush's approval rating from 38% to 43%.