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View Full Version : Fmr NH Gov warns neocon hack candidates about independent voters




muzzled dogg
07-10-2011, 10:51 PM
Boston Globe

Independence — a state of mind, not a spot on the spectrum
OP-ED
| John E. Sununu [Fmr NH Gov]
July 04, 2011

INDEPENDENCE. IT’S the Holy Grail of politics. Longed for and sought after; politicians declare it, voters demand it, and pollsters define it. Like the Grail, however, being independent means something different to everyone - centrist, defiant, unique. It conveys to them different powers, and comes to them in different forms. Consider the difference between “Monty Python and the Holy Grail’’ and “The DaVinci Code,’’ and you get the picture.

Independence isn’t a place on the political spectrum. It’s about the approach someone takes to problems, ideas, and issues; the confidence they have in their own analysis and decisions; and their willingness to accept that not everyone will agree with them on every issue. Above all, it requires that choices be made free from influence and interference from outside forces.

Campaign strategists target independent voters using crosstabs that slice poll data up by factors such as party registration, self-identification, or ticket-splitting habits. Few things are pursued with such vigor, while at the same time interpreted with such variation. Independent voters differ significantly from one another, and they differ dramatically from state to state.

In New Hampshire, a state known for its independence, we refuse to go along with the crowd. Those without a party affiliation are labeled “undeclared” on the voter rolls. (We usually call them independent, just the same.) It may appear to be a distinction without difference, but in a way, it’s an attempt to steer pundits in the right direction. Undeclared voters come from all across the political spectrum - they just don’t want to tell you where.

Unfortunately, candidates and their consultants keep making the same mistake. They assume that all independents are bundled neatly together ideologically between Republicans and Democrats. But in New Hampshire, independents have enthusiastically supported Ralph Nader, Dennis Kucinich, Pat Buchanan, and Ron Paul, among others. They show no reluctance to support candidates with strong ideological viewpoints, but are wary of candidates that appear to be creations of the established party monolith.

The ideological make-up of a state’s independent voters depends largely upon whether they are permitted to vote in party primaries. Allowing independents to take a ballot from either party gives voters a strong incentive to stay undeclared. When given a choice to have a choice, we opt for a choice. Even if a voter takes the same party ballot 90 percent of the time - or all the time - they feel better knowing they have the option.