Lessons from the 2006 Elections

Here are some excellent excerpts that hint at some of the lessons to be learned from the 2006 elections based on the way people have moved their voting affiliations.  These excerpts come from the article by Jim Malone at News VOA.com

1. "Regionally, the Democrats won a majority in the Midwest for the first time in a decade.  Of the four regions, the Republicans held only the South.  A majority in the all-important suburbs, representing about 47 percent of the electorate, voted for Democrats, the first time this has happened since 1992.  Rural voters, an important Republican group, looked Republican once again, but just barely," says Bowman.
2. Republicans remain strong in the South, an area of the country where Democrats have had limited success in recent years.
3. But Democrats are encouraged by the gains they made in the Rocky Mountain West, an area of the country that is growing rapidly thanks in part to a large influx of Hispanic immigrants.
4. Moderate Roles Increasing in importance
5. In November, self-described moderates and independents voted for Democratic candidates over Republicans by about a two-to-one margin.