I am a poll freak. Put me down in front of a poll with crosstabs, and my eyes light up like those cheap LED flashlights, and I go to work. I'd rather do this than watch TV, go out clubbing, or playing video games.
Why?
Mostly because I'm fascinated with the way people think about things, and the sense that certain people think about certain things in a certain way because of how they identify just boggles this independent-minded person. I think modern demographic politics could be smashed to smithereens by asking questions like, "Do you like Cheese Whiz because your buddies like Cheese Whiz? or do you like Cheese Whiz because you like it's taste?"
Cheese Whiz shares would plummet.
Which leads me to the Quinnipiac poll below the squiggle...
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/...
I won't go through the whole poll. While I realize I love polls, most people find them better than sheep at sleep-inducing.
But there are some highlights...
The Good News from this poll is that Democrats continue to outpace Republicans in the generic ballot, 40%-36% overall, although when you get into the weeds, I'm a bit concerned that a considerable amount of our support comes from 18-29yr olds who don't generally vote midterm (44-29), while seniors 65+ usually do (39-42).
If memory serves, if we can push that to a 7% differential, we overcome the gerrymandering and take back the House. That's only 3% more to go, folks!
Surprising to me is the support Hispanics give the GOP here, (40 Dem - 35 GOP), which while basically following the national norm, is way higher than I would have expected with GOP recalcitrance toward any kind of immigration bill. It makes me wonder if there will be any manna from heaven for pushing one through congress.
And it seems it takes a college education for white voters to figure out who they're going to vote for, 15% of them don't know who to vote for, but that rises to 22% for those without a degree to hang on their wall.
As for Obama's job approval, Blacks and Hispanics love him (84-11 and 63-27), while White people don't (36-58). Who says racism is dead?
Interestingly enough, though it's White MEN who give Obama the thumbs down, (40-55) while White WOMEN think he's the bees knees, or at least their ankles (52-42).
Everyone hates the job the GOP is doing in Congress. Even among their fellow GOPers only 37 approve - 56 disapprove, and the only groups that even come close provide some head-scratching, Hispanics come closest 35-47, and 18-29yr olds with 30-60, which at least somewhat matches their support for voting for them in 2014, 29% GOP to 44% Dem.
All age groups like the Dems more than the GOP, approval numbers only: Dem - GOP 18-29yo 34%-30%, 30-44yo 35%-16% 45-64yo 29%-15% and 65+ 29%-20%
There's lots more here to pore over and like I said, I won't bore you -- because I'd like for you to be awake long enough to at least consider my insight...
An insight that was generated after going all the poll crosstabs and coming finally to the economy. I was floored. When asked who they trusted more to handle the economy, Obama or the GOP in congress, Women prefer Obama 52-33, while Men prefer the GOP 44-39.
Now, I can see yahooism for things like foreign policy (men don't think we bomb enough people back to the stone age) and maybe men just resonate more with GOP selfishness with regards to taxes, and maybe men own more businesses...
But personally, I'm a bit fed up with this gender gap within our party. We need more men, especially white men.
And that got me to thinking...
I had read an article not long ago on a business trip about a sneaker company (Keds?) re-establishing their brand by getting some "alpha-kids" to wear their sneaks. The campaign was extremely successful.
Now I can think of all kinds of alpha women out there who support the Dems, but where are our men?
Maybe if if we could get some men (particularly in sports) to come out as Democrats, it might just have a positive effect electorally. We wouldn't need to alter any of our positions, all we really need to do is find out who they are and get them to speak for our brand.
Kind of like Cheese Whiz.