20,000 Mass. voters quit Democratic party

[lostinblue 1,989]

Amid Trump surge, nearly 20,000 Mass. voters quit Democratic party

Matt Stout Monday, February 29, 2016

Nearly 20,000 Bay State Democrats have fled the party this winter, with thousands doing so to join the Republican ranks, according to the state’s top elections official.

Secretary of State William Galvin said more than 16,300 Democrats have shed their party affiliation and become independent voters since Jan. 1, while nearly 3,500 more shifted to the MassGOP ahead of tomorrow’s “Super Tuesday” presidential primary.

Galvin called both “significant” changes that dwarf similar shifts ahead of other primary votes, including in 2000, when some Democrats flocked from the party in order to cast a vote for Sen. John McCain in the GOP primary.

The primary reason? Galvin said his “guess” is simple: “The Trump phenomenon,” a reference to GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, who polls show enjoying a massive lead over rivals Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and others among Massachusetts Republican voters.

“The tenor of the Republican campaign has been completely different from what we’ve seen in prior Republican presidential campaigns,” Galvin said. “You have to look no farther than the viewership for some of the televised debates.

“The New York Times referred to the campaign as crude; I suppose that’s fair,” added Galvin, a Democrat. “The fact of the matter is the tenor has been very different this time. And that has an effect. People are interested. It’s exciting.”

Galvin said the state could see as many as 700,000 voting in tomorrow’s Republican primary, a significant number given just 468,000 people are actually registered Republicans. In Massachusetts. unenrolled — otherwise known as independent — voters can cast a ballot in the primary of any party.

If the Democratic vote is close to that of 2008 — when 1.2 million hit the polls — the state could surpass the 1.8 million that voted that year overall, setting what Galvin said he believes would be a record for a presidential primary in Massachusetts.

“The question in my mind is the Democratic turnout,” Galvin said. “The nature of the race is a little different than it was in ’08. ... It’s a fact that Sen. (Bernie) Sanders has a very aggressive campaign here in Massachusetts. He spent both time and money. He has a good ground (game) from what I can see, as does Sen. (Hillary) Clinton. So that’s going to help us. But the chemistry was somewhat different than it was in ‘08.”

Galvin noted the historical context in 2008, when then-Sen. Barack Obama was vying to become the nation’s first black president, and running against Clinton — seeking, as she is again this year, to become the first woman to serve as president.

Turnouts have hit record levels in other primary states this year.

But while significant, it doesn’t necessary signal a change in the political power structure in Massachusetts, where Democrats have long dominated with heavy majorities in the legislature and across constitutional offices.

The 19,800 who left the Mass Dems represent about 1.3 percent of the 1.49 million enrolled in the party. And though the MassGOP gained several thousand voters, it actually lost more in the same time frame, when 5,911 quit the party to be unenrolled

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Go to love making lemonade out the lemons life hands you. Did you read the last sentence in your OP big fella?

[Boiler 46,359]

That many racists who were Dem Supporters?

[Teddy B 17,252]

I've been a registered Independent in Mass for over 20 years. It makes things much easier, especially in the primaries when you need to declare the party you're voting for before they hand you the ballot. I'll be voting tonight after work and I'm feeling the Berrrrrrn! Trump will win the republican vote in Mass, so I'm trying to help keep Hillzilla out. I know Bernie is a longshot, but I want to see Sanders vs Trump in the big one.

[ExPatty 502]

I've been a registered Independent in Mass for over 20 years. It makes things much easier, especially in the primaries when you need to declare the party you're voting for before they hand you the ballot. I'll be voting tonight after work and I'm feeling the Berrrrrrn! Trump will win the republican vote in Mass, so I'm trying to help keep Hillzilla out. I know Bernie is a longshot, but I want to see Sanders vs Trump in the big one.

You do know that if Trump and Sanders ever squared off in an election there would be a civil war starting the morning after, right? Might happen anyway.

Funny thing is at least according to RCP Sanders would fare better against trump than hillary.

Sanders will lose, though. This election is going to be between the candidate that the democratic establishment spoon fed their children, and the option that republican voters actually want.

Edited March 1, 2016 by ExPatty

[Teddy B 17,252]

You do know that if Trump and Sanders ever squared off in an election there would be a civil war starting the morning after, right? Might happen anyway.

Funny thing is at least according to RCP Sanders would fare better against trump than hillary.

Would that war be fought by robots?

Not so sure about that. I think Hillary would beat Trump, but Trump would beat Sanders.

[ExPatty 502]

Would that war be fought by robots?

Not so sure about that. I think Hillary would beat Trump, but Trump would beat Sanders.

I'm just going by RCP polls.

I'm increasingly thinking to be honest that Trump will beat Hillary. I used to think she'd lock it up. I no longer do. This election is going to have tremendous voter turnout.

Edited March 1, 2016 by ExPatty

[Teddy B 17,252]

I'm just going by RCP polls.

I'm increasingly thinking to be honest that Trump will beat Hillary. I used to think she'd lock it up. I no longer do. This election is going to have tremendous voter turnout.

I hear ya. I was expressing my own opinion from what I've seen. One thing for sure is this is not going to be your average election. I just want to see Sanders vs Trump to send the message to Washington that the American public is done with politics as usual. If it came down to those two, i would vote for Sanders. If it comes down to Hillary vs trump, which is what I think will happen, I'm not sure which way I'd vote. Oddly enough in the Hillary/Trump scenario, I might just go with Trump.

[smilesammich 10,727]

Oddly enough in the Hillary/Trump scenario, I might just go with Trump.

i would never ever vote for trump. i will never ever vote for hillary. so i'll be voting for bernie or writing him in.

you know what really baffles me? how many of trumps supporters feel that 'entitlement' will be the end of this country. and what is trump other than king ding a ling of the entitled?

[ExPatty 502]

Trump feels he is entitled because he is Trump, but there is no denying at all that he has been an extremely savvy businessman and built a massive number of businesses.

Trump vs Sanders would be the most honest election, but democrats are not yet ready to jump from the nest, so they are still being suckled on the vomit of their mother and will stay with her in the nest a bit longer, hence hillary.

[Dakine10 5,452]

That many racists who were Dem Supporters?

Statistically, about 4000 of them. Plus or minus 2%.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

I would suspect a conspiracy of infiltrating the Republican party to effect the vote but what more damage could they do?

Edited March 1, 2016 by OnMyWayID

[Boiler 46,359]

Statistically, about 4000 of them. Plus or minus 2%.

How come Hillary let them in?

[Dakine10 5,452]

How come Hillary let them in?

How come Trump let them in?

[Jacque67 7,328]

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