In just one year, the unfavorability ratings of the GOP have risen an astounding 19% to 65% with the 65+ age bracket, the Americans most likely to vote in mid-term elections. Ongoing efforts by Paul Ryan and the GOP to cut Social Security and Medicare will cement this landslide shift in how seniors view the GOP. Moreover, GOP support from college educated whites has collapsed. Seventy percent of college educated whites, a solid voting block in off-year elections views the GOP unfavorably, up 21% in 13 months.
The government shut down has been worse than New Coke for the GOP's brand.
GOP gerrymandering, which has given extreme right wing rural districts control of the Republican party, is destroying the Republican party from within. Citizens United, which has given extreme right wing billionaires control of the Republican party is backfiring on the right-wing supreme court justices. Over 80% of Americans think the shut down hurt the economy and the GOP takes the lion's share of the blame.
The government shut down may trigger the collapse of the Republican Party as a national party.
From Greg Sargent re:WaPo/ABC poll internals:
the GOP’s unfavorable ratings have jumped 19 points among seniors, to 65 percent; 17 points among independents, to 67 percent; and 10 points among women, to 63 percent. Those are all key constituencies in midterm elections.
Observers believe that over the long term, the GOP will have to do a better job winning over college educated whites, who are an increasingly important constituency, along with young voters and minorities, in the Democratic coalition of the future. (Ron Brownstein has dubbed these groups the “coalition of the ascendant,” arguing they are increasingly important in statewide races, not just national ones.)
Among white collar whites, the GOP’s unfavorability rating has shot up by a startling 21 points, to 70 percent. Among college educated women – who may be more critical to the Dem coalition than college educated men – the spike in GOP unfavorability has been somewhat more dramatic than among women overall, jumping 15 points, to 74 percent. If this trend continues, it could fuel future Dem gains among women.