by Mark Silva
Democrat Barack Obama won the White House "on the strength of a substantial electoral shift toward the Democratic Party and by winning a number of key groups in the middle of the electorate,'' the Pew Research Center reports today, based on exit polling.
Overall, 39 percent of those who voted were Democrats, 32 percent Republicans - "a dramatic shift from 2004 when the electorate was evenly divided.''
"Barack Obama gained the support of more voters in the ideological "middle" than did either John Kerry or Al Gore before him. He won at least half the votes of independents (52 percent vs. 49 percent for Kerry), suburban voters (50 percent vs. 47 percent for Kerry), Catholics (54 percent vs. 47 percent for Kerry), and other key swing groups in the electorate.
"Without a doubt,'' Pew adds, " the overwhelming backing of younger voters was a critical factor in Obama's victory, according to an analysis of National Election Pool exit polls.... Obama drew two-thirds (66 perecent) of the vote among those younger than age 30.
"Obama drew two-thirds (66 percent) of the Hispanic vote, a 13-point improvement over Democratic Sen. John Kerry's support in 2004. Obama also gained seven points among African American voters (95 percent vs. 88 percent for Kerry), and managed to slightly improve on Kerry's share of the white vote (43 percent vs. 41percent for Kerry).''
Comments
The only thing that bothers me about the breakdown of the voters is those voters in the 18-29 year old range. I've seen and heard too many times of the instances where many of those in this age group when shown pictures of well known legislators and other government officials could not name them. Along with other questions about American history as an example what countries were we at war with in World War II. Any these are the people who voted in this election.
This doesn't sound like a well informed public to me.
Posted by: paul | November 6, 2008 9:37 AM
In WW II the public took the trouble to inform itself. For years afterward everyone knew the major battles and campaigns (like Civil War buffs today know their stuff).
Obama is right that this was a "defining moment". The definition just hasn't crystallized quite yet.
No question everyone's political IQ has been raised by this election and attention is not yet wandering away to Monday Night Football.
Far from it.
One reason Repugs lost was their abuse of the Hispanics.
That Immigration "Reform" Act of 1996 and its extreme harsh provsions re petty offenses and repeal of 245(i) provision. Huge impact on family reunification. For all their rhetoric about "family values" and all Georgie's cowboy hats, they just didn't get it. Everyone in Hispanic community has a family member, at least one, whose life has been screwed up by these provisions not to mention the poor functioning of the Homeland Security itself.
So they shouldn't be surprised if 66% of Hispanic vote went to Obama.
Plus, he put out a pretty good commercial in which he spoke Spanish.
Gotta love him for that.
Posted by: ornery | November 6, 2008 10:18 AM