Where did Obama's voters go?
Why young and minority voters stayed home after boosting Obama in 2008
Republicans benefited Tuesday from a sharp drop in turnout among so-called "surge" voters from 2008 -- namely African Americans and voters under thirty who overwhelmingly supported Barack Obama last year. In Virginia -- where Democrats lost the governor's job after Obama took the long-red state in 2008 -- only 10 percent of voters were under 30, down from 22 percent last year. Why did "Obama World" stay home?
Obama has lost his touch: President Obama tried to coax out his supporters, says Dan McLaughlin in RedState, to help Gov. Jon Corzine in New Jersey and Democrat Creigh Deeds in Virginia -- but Republicans won both gubernatorial races. Obama, though still popular, was powerless to transfer his minority and youth voters to his allies in 2009, and he won't be able to do it in 2010, either.
"Barack Obama: Not helping Democrats"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Young voters never vote in off years: Obama's voters haven't gone anywhere, says Dave Brockington in Lawyers, Guns, and Money. "Minorities, the young, the less wealthy, new voters do tend to stay home in odd years." If anything, Tuesday's results suggest that Obama still has plenty of "pulling power" -- more of the "Obama coalition" turned out in New Jersey, where Obama campaigned "heavily" for Jon Corzine, than in Virginia, which Obama "basically ignored."
The economy will determine 2010: These "incredible shrinking turnout numbers" should worry the White House, says Walter Shapiro in Politics Daily. The sharp drop in youth turnout in New Jersey and Virginia underscored how mad voters are about 10 percent unemployment. But it's risky to draw conclusions from what happened to the "unpopular" Jon Corzine and the "lackluster" Creigh Deeds -- the turnout and results in 2010 will depend on how the economy looks next fall, not on Election Day 2009.
"The election's carry-over lessons? There are fewer than you think"
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Indie film's 'very brief' use of AI sparks backlash and calls for boycotts
Talking Points Did the creators of a new horror movie make a deal with the artificial intelligence devil?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Could Taylor Swift swing the election?
Today's Big Question The pop star has outsized influence — and that extends beyond the music industry
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will North Korea take advantage of Israel-Hamas conflict?
Today's Big Question Pyongyang's ties with Russia are 'growing and dangerous' amid reports it sent weapons to Gaza
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published