Republican hopefuls jockey for 2016

[SMOKE 1,426]

i knew that would bring you out but i figured for later this afternoon.

i'll come back later. i was off friday & have a ton of work to do.

[^_^ 5,021]

i'll come back later. i was off friday & have a ton of work to do.

life sucks and then you have to watch an iranian sleeper agent destroy the country you love and then you die.

[Teddy B 17,252]

You might do well to take a look at the "historical" political landscape of FL. When talking about the "historical" political make-up of a state, I think we can agree that we need to look back further than the 90's. And if we do that, we will find that FL was dominated by Democrats for most of the last 100+ years. Then again, why let facts get in the way?

The shift to the Republican party in Fla started in the late 60's, early 70's, and has continued straight through to the present. Florida has also only voted for a Democrat in 4 presidential elections since 1952. I'll be sure to qualify my time period next time I use the word "historicaly".

Edited August 13, 2012 by Teddy B

[SMOKE 1,426]

life sucks and then you have to watch an iranian sleeper agent destroy the country you love and then you die.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The shift to the Republican party in Fla started in the late 60's, early 70's, and has continued straight through to the present. Florida has also only voted for a Democrat in 4 presidential elections since 1952. I'll be sure to qualify my time period next time I use the word "historicaly".

Granted, FL is a swing state in Presidential elections. However, the Democrats had a solid majority in the FL House all the way into the mid 90's. They controlled the FL Senate into the early 90's. They had the governor's office for 30 out of the last 50 years. And they dominated the state's congressional delegation well into the mid 90's. The shift happened in the 90's, not the 60's or 70's. It's a recent dominance the Republicans enjoy, not a historical dominance.

[Teddy B 17,252]

Granted, FL is a swing state in Presidential elections. However, the Democrats had a solid majority in the FL House all the way into the mid 90's. They controlled the FL Senate into the early 90's. They had the governor's office for 30 out of the last 50 years. And they dominated the state's congressional delegation well into the mid 90's. The shift happened in the 90's, not the 60's or 70's. It's a recent dominance the Republicans enjoy, not a historical dominance.

The chart in the link below shows a shift to Republican power in the Fla executive offices beginning in the late 60's, the house and senate soon started to follow in the 70's/80's and gained strength every decade until the present.

My link

Either way, this isn't the basis of what we were talking about in regards to Independent voters being not so independent. If you ask me, being registered as an Independent these days is more of a cliche for most people than it is anything else.

Edited August 13, 2012 by Teddy B

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The chart in the link below shows a shift to Republican power in the Fla executive offices beginning in the late 60's, the house and senate soon started to follow in the 70's/80's and gained strength every decade until the present.

My link

Either way, this isn't the basis of what we were talking about in regards to Independent voters being not so independent. If you ask me, being registered as an Independent these days is more of a cliche for most people than it is anything else.

In NJ, being registered independent/unaffiliated (I forget the specific term this state uses) is the lazy default option. So we have a lot of independents... who are actually much more likely to be Democrats or Republicans depending on which part of the state they live in.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

If you ask me, being registered as an Independent these days is more of a cliche for most people than it is anything else.

Being registered as an independent here in FL keeps you out of the primaries but it leaves you reasonably confident that the Republicans won't come after your access to the polls should you be registered with the "wrong" party.

[Teddy B 17,252]

In NJ, being registered independent/unaffiliated (I forget the specific term this state uses) is the lazy default option. So we have a lot of independents... who are actually much more likely to be Democrats or Republicans depending on which part of the state they live in.

Up until about 10 years ago I was a registered Republican, I changed to unenrolled so I could vote for a life long friend of mine who was running for Mayor as a Democrat in the primary election. We have what is called a "closed primary" here and one can onlly vote the party they are affiliated with in the primary unless they choose to be unenrolled. I've kept the unenrolled status ever since, I just have to choose which party I vote for in the primary. I get a good laugh when I walk into the polling place come primary time and they automatically hand me the Democrat ballot because that's the norm here, I smile and say I'll have the Republican one please. I get some strange looks for that.

[^_^ 5,021]

Up until about 10 years ago I was a registered Republican, I changed to unenrolled so I could vote for a life long friend of mine who was running for Mayor as a Democrat in the primary election. We have what is called a "closed primary" here and one can onlly vote the party they are affiliated with in the primary unless they choose to be unenrolled. I've kept the unenrolled status ever since, I just have to choose which party I vote for in the primary. I get a good laugh when I walk into the polling place come primary time and they automatically hand me the Democrat ballot because that's the norm here, I smile and say I'll have the Republican one please. I get some strange looks for that.

Freak.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I am still a registered Democrat. There really is no other choice living in a communist enclave.