Polls: Where the Voters Heads Are At...
If you're confused as to why Democrats and Republicans aren't stereotypically mirroring each other, you need look no further than their respective bases.
From the latest MSNBC/McClatchy/Mason-Dixon polls, it shows that the Top Three Concerns for Republican voters (in Missouri, New Jersey and California) were "has the strength and leadership to keep America safe," shares my values and views on issues," and "has the right experience." The "strength" and "experience" concerns may explain why McCain is defying the conservative media to take the lead in the Republican primary, as well as why Huckabee (who hasn't been in the public spotlight until the primary) and Romney (who doesn't have the military background) are behind him.
For Democratic voters (in Arizona, California, Georgia and Missouri) things are a little more mixed with them having Four Top Concerns: "cares about the issues I care about," "is honest and trustworthy," "represents change and a new approach," and "has the right experience." What comes first, second, third or fourth depends on the state, which may explain why Clinton and Obama have been neck-and-neck (expecially with the likes of Edwards, Richardson and Kucinich out). Then you have New Jersey, which inexplicably had a different set of options, and therefore had different responses: "The Economy and Jobs," "Iraq," "Health Care," and "The Environment, Energy and Climate Change," in that order.
I think the results goes into the mindset of the Republican voter vs the Democratic voter. For Republicans, security is more a national issue; they want the government to protect them from the foreign moreso than the domestic. For Democrats, the less the candidate is like Bush (whom Democrats obviously don't trust) the better. Both seem to place some value on experience (in public service, I'm assuming), but considering who's left on both sides, I'd say that desire was stronger for the GOP (or we'd be seeing Joe Biden or Richardson still in this race).
The most striking thing is that the Repbulican voters don't seem to think too much has gone wrong in the Bush Era. In the polls, "represents a different approach from President Bush" got low percentages, as if Bush wasn't even president and we've been on autopilot since 2000. I can only imagine how that poll would have read if the incumbent was a Democrat.
Truly, finding the slim commonality in these kind of voters will be key in the general election.
From the latest MSNBC/McClatchy/Mason-Dixon polls, it shows that the Top Three Concerns for Republican voters (in Missouri, New Jersey and California) were "has the strength and leadership to keep America safe," shares my values and views on issues," and "has the right experience." The "strength" and "experience" concerns may explain why McCain is defying the conservative media to take the lead in the Republican primary, as well as why Huckabee (who hasn't been in the public spotlight until the primary) and Romney (who doesn't have the military background) are behind him.
For Democratic voters (in Arizona, California, Georgia and Missouri) things are a little more mixed with them having Four Top Concerns: "cares about the issues I care about," "is honest and trustworthy," "represents change and a new approach," and "has the right experience." What comes first, second, third or fourth depends on the state, which may explain why Clinton and Obama have been neck-and-neck (expecially with the likes of Edwards, Richardson and Kucinich out). Then you have New Jersey, which inexplicably had a different set of options, and therefore had different responses: "The Economy and Jobs," "Iraq," "Health Care," and "The Environment, Energy and Climate Change," in that order.
I think the results goes into the mindset of the Republican voter vs the Democratic voter. For Republicans, security is more a national issue; they want the government to protect them from the foreign moreso than the domestic. For Democrats, the less the candidate is like Bush (whom Democrats obviously don't trust) the better. Both seem to place some value on experience (in public service, I'm assuming), but considering who's left on both sides, I'd say that desire was stronger for the GOP (or we'd be seeing Joe Biden or Richardson still in this race).
The most striking thing is that the Repbulican voters don't seem to think too much has gone wrong in the Bush Era. In the polls, "represents a different approach from President Bush" got low percentages, as if Bush wasn't even president and we've been on autopilot since 2000. I can only imagine how that poll would have read if the incumbent was a Democrat.
Truly, finding the slim commonality in these kind of voters will be key in the general election.
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