Younger voters giving GOP the cold shoulder - Frustration with war, strong views on social issues

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5212398.html

WASHINGTON — Ben Bronson, 18, is the kind of young voter Republicans have attracted for decades. A Texas Tech University freshman and Fort Worth-area native, he's a deer hunter who hates Hillary Clinton and opposes gay marriage. But he's disappointed with the Iraq war and stops short of identifying with the GOP.

Conrad Camit of Houston is the son of committed Republican immigrants from the Philippines. A former political independent, the Texas A&M University graduate, 33, said the war sealed his conversion to the Democratic Party.

Also, he said, "growing up in an immigrant family, you tend to be supportive of a pro-immigrant stance, which is definitely a Democratic ideal," said Camit, now communications vice president of the Harris County Young Democrats.

These Lone Star State voters reflect a national trend: Exit polls from recent elections and survey research show the nation's young people are less likely to embrace the Republican Party than any generation since the '60s. snip

Take away Kerry's support among younger voters and Bush's 3-point victory margin would have swelled to 7.

The Democratic trend accelerated in 2006, with young voters giving Democrats 60 percent of their votes in Senate elections and 58 percent in House contests, according to CIRCLE analysis of exit poll data, helping cement the Democrats' takeover of Congress.

Turnout is climbing

to the GOP.

The Bush administration's obsession with privatizing social security does NOT win a lot of retirement-age converts to the Republican cause.

Parents, not so much

I think the Republican party is stubbornly marginalizing itself into a corner of its own making.

I think the smartest thing the new Congress did was make college loans more affordable. Amongst my 20-something relatives, this one measure impacted their own lives so much that the stark contrast between country club repubs and level playing field democrats was hard to ignore.

Being a young Republican hasn't been "popular" since the halcyon days of Dennis Miller stand up and David Spade in PCU. All those angry middle aged white guys will soon transition into the voting age group that votes most heavily, off setting gains in the youth vote.


When will the tipping point be tangible?