Gap Between Dem And GOP Identification Almost At Record High
More Americans are likely to identify themselves as Democrats than at any time since 2000, according to a Gallup poll conducted Feb.11-14. In the survey 40 percent identified themselves as Democrats, 26 percent as Republicans and 34 percent with neither. Most of the “neithers” considered themselves independents. Gallup said the only time this 14 point gap was higher for the Democrats was in 1998, immediately after the Republican-controlled House impeached former President Clinton. The margin then was 41 percent to 20 percent. For the record, Gallup says the Republican high points – when they were at 39 percent — occurred in May 1991, right after the Persian Gulf War; Dec. 2003, conducted at the time of the capture of Saddam Hussein; and, Sept. 2004, after the Republican presidential convention.