General Discussion

Purveyor

(29,876 posts) Wed Mar 30, 2016, 07:51 PM Mar 2016

At Least 180,000 Join GOP As Pennsylvania Primary Nears

When Ted Cruz, John Kasich, and Donald Trump square off in Pennsylvania's April 26 Republican presidential primary, they will find themselves competing for votes from a rapidly changing base.

At least 128,000 voters statewide have changed their registration since Jan. 1 to join the party. Nearly 85,000 of them had been Democrats; 42,000 were independents or third-party voters. The GOP has also racked up 55,468 more first-time registrants.

The changes reflect what experts are calling an unprecedented number of party switches before a primary election.

That raises questions: Are Democrats and other voters flocking to the GOP in support of one of its three candidates? Or could they be plotting to stuff the ballot boxes for a Republican they think their nominee can beat in November?

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20160329_At_least_180K_join_GOP_as_Pa__primary_nears.html#FY2xA1hZ6wdY1Qef.99

2 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

At Least 180,000 Join GOP As Pennsylvania Primary Nears (Original Post) Purveyor Mar 2016 OP

Where in Pa. are most of the switchers from? napi21 Mar 2016 #1

PA has closed primaries, and Trump is the reason behind this Amishman Mar 2016 #2

napi21

(45,806 posts)

1. Where in Pa. are most of the switchers from?

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 07:57 PM

Mar 2016

That should answer a lot of questions. It's been said that Pa. is like NY on both sides with Alabama in the middle.

Amishman

(5,557 posts)

2. PA has closed primaries, and Trump is the reason behind this

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Thu Mar 31, 2016, 11:18 AM

Mar 2016

I would bet a lot of these new registrations or changes is so people who usually vote R but are not registered as such can now vote for/against Trump in the primary.

The D voters who are flipping are likely very senior citizens who registered D in the 50's or 60's who haven't actually voted for many Democrats in years. The current Trump drama is motivating people to align their party affiliation with how they have been long voting in the primaries.

I personally know some democrat supporting independents who are now registering on our side so they can vote for Bernie.

Reply to this discussion