"Only 43.8 Percent of Military Identify As Republican, Down From 56 Percent In 2005"

Only 43.8 Percent of Military Identify As Republican, Down From 56 Percent In 2005

by Jason Sattler at the National Memo

http://www.nationalmemo.com/only-43-8-percent-of-military-identify-as-republican-down-from-56-percent-in-2005/

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The military is also less conservative than it was seven years ago.

In 2005, a total of 50 percent of respondents described themselves as “conservative” or “very conservative.” The next year that number fell to 44 percent. And in 2012 it hit 42.72 percent, making it slightly more popular than the next most popular group, “moderate,” at 41.54 percent.

Seven years ago, only 33 percent identified themselves as moderate.

The Washington Times’ Shaun Waterman looked at these numbers and suggests that the changes reflect the growth of the Tea Party, which includes some politicians like Rand Paul (R-KY), whose point of view is much less interventionist than Bush-era Republicans. Republicans in Congress have adopted the Tea Party’s willingness to cut defense spending by keeping the sequester cuts in place, even though they hit the military hard.

However, hardline hawks like senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) still play a huge role in shaping the party’s stands on national security issues.

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