Republican votes in Democratic Primary

[lopri]

This was published on Monday.

http://www.dallasnews.com/shar....Edition1.45fc287.html

Editorial: Blue vote in Collin County?

Collin County may be the reddest county in the reddest state in America. President Bush won more than 70 percent of the vote there in 2004, the highest percentage in any of Texas' large counties. In Collin County, there isn't a single Democratic incumbent at any level of government, from justice of the peace through Congress.

And yet, something's happening. In early voting results through Wednesday, more than 60 percent of those going to the polls were voting in the Democratic primary. The early voting totals alone will be several times the total number of primary votes cast on the blue side of the fence in 2000 and 2004 combined.

Well, you say, those primaries meant nothing, especially to Democrats. Sure, it's hard to say what these early numbers mean until we see the election results tomorrow night. And it would be foolish to argue they indicate that Collin County might turn blue in November.

But something's happening. Here's our best guess about what's going on:

Obama-mania: What started as a whisper in Iowa and has swept through South Carolina... Some voters certainly have it. And if previous primaries are any indication, Barack Obama is bringing out first-time voters, especially younger ones ? not to mention college-educated suburbanites. It doesn't hurt that two of the county's early voting sites are on Collin College campuses.

Tactics: Some voters are strategically using their votes, not just casting them for their favorite candidate. Some Republicans are trying to stop that Obama-mania; others are surely hoping to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House. In an open primary process, motive is a big unknown.

Change: Momentum and manipulation are not the only forces at work. It would be unwise to assume that a growing number of voters in Collin County are not basing their votes on the jobs they have seen shipped overseas, the homes they have seen foreclosed upon on their streets or the young men and women they have seen head off to war.

There may be other factors, as well, but tomorrow night, while the broadcasters zero in on the swing voters and the too-close-to-call counties, we'll keep an eye on Collin County. Something's happening.

Now let's see what happened in Collin County on Wednesday morning.

http://enr.sos.state.tx.us/enr/mar04_136_county42.htm

There are so many possible theories to explain this and I figured this would give you guys some food to digest and regurgitate over and over.

P.S. DallasNews has endorsed Obama in their editorial and as far as I know it hasn't followed up with this editorial yet.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Let's see... Obama vs McCain shows Obama as winners in polls. Clinton vs McCain shows McCain as winner. So basically it would not surprise me if Republicans were signing up to vote for Clinton, with the idea that a vote for Clinton is a vote for McCain.

'Not yet tired after all those years of Bush? Want to see more wars and the economy going further down the drain? Vote now for McCain by voting Clinton!'

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: Skyclad1uhm1
Let's see... Obama vs McCain shows Obama as winners in polls. Clinton vs McCain shows McCain as winner. So basically it would not surprise me if Republicans were signing up to vote for Clinton, with the idea that a vote for Clinton is a vote for McCain.

'Not yet tired after all those years of Bush? Want to see more wars and the economy going further down the drain? Vote now for McCain by voting Clinton!'

I think conventional wisdom could be wrong in this case, especially with polls showing that more Hillary voters would break for McCain if she lost than Obama voters would break for McCain if she won.

I know I'm biased (as a Hillary supporter who would vote for McCain over Obama if Hillary lost), but I thought this article made some pretty good points: "Why McCain Would Vote For Obama"

every criticism Clinton has made of Obama ? he lacks experience, he is all flourish and no substance, he gives shoot-from-the-hip answers to serious questions ? falls into McCain?s lap, ready for instant use in the general election.

But, unfortunately for Obama, the reverse is not true. The criticisms of McCain made by his primary opponents ? he twice voted against Bush?s tax cuts, he cooperated with Ted Kennedy on immigration reform and with Russ Feingold on campaign-finance reform, he said that waterboarding was torture and should not be used, he scorned fundamentalist Christian leaders, he supported stem cell research, he opposed a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage, he expressed doubts about Samuel Alito ? cannot be appropriated by Obama because these are his positions, too.

 

[JSt0rm]

actually if you click on the link it shows obama won

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: loki8481
I think conventional wisdom could be wrong in this case, especially with polls showing that more Hillary voters would break for McCain if she lost than Obama voters would break for McCain if she won.

Well, I don't know about the conventional wisdom you talk about, but where I live - Northen Jersey - I know for certain that people will vote for either Hillary or McCain. Sad but true.