Most Independents Were Once at the Party
Forty-two percent of Americans identified themselves as political independents in a CBS News/New York Times Poll conducted February 5-10 -- similar to percentages found in CBS polls conducted over the last year. These independents are a key swing group in elections and the poll finds evidence of their vacillating nature.
According to the poll, a majority of independents - six in 10 -- say they used to identify with one of the nation's two major political parties. Fourteen percent of independents were once Republicans, 23 percent are former Democrats, and another 24 percent say they actually belonged to each of the major political parties at one time or another.
The poll did not ask when these current independents changed allegiances.
There is no love lost between independents and their former political parties. Majorities of independents who used to be Democrats, Republicans or both hold negative views of both parties.
Fifty-three percent of independents who were once Republicans hold an unfavorable view of their former party. Similarly, 55 percent of Democrats turned independents view their former party negatively. Less than four in 10 have a favorable opinion of their former party.
Like most Americans overall, these disenfranchised ex-partisans are dissatisfied or angry about the way things are going in Washington.
These former partisans do not differ much demographically from independents overall. They are mostly white; more than half are under age 45, and nearly four in 10 are moderates ideologically. Another third say they are conservative.
Still, 85 percent of independents who were once Democrats, Republicans, or both are registered to vote, compared to 64 percent of those independents who have never previously identified with a major party. This could be an indication that these former partisans are more engaged politically.
As might be expected, Americans who are currently affiliated with one of the two major political parties have stronger allegiances. Just 26 percent of Democrats used to be Republicans, and the same percentage of Republicans were once Democrats. Here too, these party switchers have little affinity for their former political party.
Jennifer De Pinto is manager of election and survey information for CBS News. Poll Positions is Hotsheet feature on polling analysis and trends from the CBS News Survey and Polling Unit. Click here for more posts from the series.