How badly beaten were the Republicans? How about 54%-44%?
Conservative journalist Steve Sailer has tallied up the votes in the Congressional elections and finds a 3.3 million – 8 million vote gap between the Democrats and the Republicans.
What hurt Republicans the most, according to Mr. Sailer, was the huge drop-off among white voters, who still make up close to 80% of voters. The Republicans managed to win a measly 51% of white voters, down from 58% in 2004 and substantially less than they need to be competitive.
What caused the white voter flight from the GOP? My guesses: Iraq, corruption and a sense that President George W. Bush’s Administration just isn’t very competent. I also think the labor market hurt the party. While it’s true that the unemployment rate is low – 4.4% in October – the job market is not easy for blue-collar whites in states like Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, as I have noted here from time to time. It’s probably similar in many other states in the Appalachians and the Midwest.
