New polling shows serious erosion in support
The Republican Party has suffered a heavy loss of support from senior voters in recent months, a key demographic for the party in November’s midterms and for Donald Trump‘s presidential ambitions, according to polls.
A recent survey conducted by CNN and the research firm SSRS found that 47 percent of those aged 65 and over said they would vote for a GOP candidate if the midterm congressional election for their district were held “today,” with slightly more people aged 65 and over saying they would vote for a Democratic candidate (49 percent).
This is a major turnaround from May, when a previous CNN/SSRS poll found that nearly two-thirds of those aged 65 and over (62 percent) said they would back a Republican candidate in the midterms, compared to just 37 percent of seniors who said they would back a Democratic candidate.
According to the results, the GOP has seen a 15 percent drop in support from those aged 65 and over—one of the main demographics in any election—in just two months between the two polls being conducted.
As noted by John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, the GOP has also seen an “erosion” of support between other key demographics between the two polls in May and July.
These include a fall of 3 percent (49 to 46) from registered voters and a 4 percent drop in support from potential women voters. The survey results are troublesome for the GOP as they hope to regain control of both the House and Senate in November’s midterms.
It’s also the case that younger baby boomers are entering that cohort in large numbers and they have tended to be more liberal in recent years than the older cohort so maybe that’s having an effect. On the other hand, Trump is still very popular among the over-65 Republicans and they will be decisive in choosing the nominee.
I don’t know exactly what accounts for this change. I suppose it’s possible that a few oldsters are having second thoughts about leaving the planet to fascists? But whatever it is, the Republicans can’t afford to lose even one over-65. That is their main demographic and they are in trouble if they lose them.