Kansas skews blue with young voters / LJWorld.com

Archive for Monday, December 1, 2008

Obama beat McCain among 18- to 29-year-olds

December 1, 2008

Topeka — There is a 2008 electoral map where President-elect Barack Obama won Kansas.

It shows the election results if the contest between Obama and Republican John McCain was decided by 18- to 29-year-olds.

“From start to finish, Barack Obama made sure his campaign focused on the issues that matter most, such as jobs and the economy, health care and making college more affordable,” said Jenny Davidson, a Kansas Democratic Party spokeswoman.

McCain won Kansas, 57 percent to 41 percent. But according to exit poll analyses, Obama won the state’s 18- to 29-year-old vote, 51 percent to 49 percent.

The Millennial Generation — the first ones were turning 18 in 2000 — was a key to Obama’s historic presidential victory.

Obama won the youth vote in at least 38 states, including many that went for McCain, such as Kansas.

The vote of Millennials was crucial for Obama in winning states such as Indiana and North Carolina, where 18- to 29-year-olds were the only age demographic that he captured, according to exit poll surveys.

Should it concern Kansas Republicans that a generation of voters broke from the state’s GOP tradition?

Christian Morgan, executive director of the state Republican Party, said Obama’s lead among young voters in Kansas was slight and can be reversed.

“If I believed for a second that the youth vote went for Obama based on the issues I would be worried — but that isn’t the case,” Morgan said. “The youth vote went toward Obama, barely in Kansas, based off of the ‘coolness’ factor, not issues.”

He noted Obama’s youth — he is 47 — compared with McCain, who at 72 would have been the oldest president elected in history.

The Kansas Republican Party can claim success in an overwhelmingly national Democratic election that saw not only Obama’s win, but Democratic gains in the House in Senate.

But in Kansas, voters ousted Democratic U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda in the 2nd congressional district, which includes west Lawrence, and Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts easily won re-election. In the Legislature, the GOP gained one state Senate seat and lost one House seat.

Sarah Burris, a Kansas University graduate and youth strategist for Future Majority, said both parties should focus on winning young voters.

“As a strategist, if the Democrats are trying to re-invent themselves in Kansas, I highly suggest bringing in those young people. Because, if they’ll vote for Obama at the top, then it stands to reason they’d vote for people down ticket who seek their votes,” she said.

On the Republican side, she said, GOP primary candidates such as Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul were successful in reaching out to young voters.

She said, the GOP should be “continuing their leadership programs they had a few years ago and reaching out to Ron Paul supporters who are more likely to turn to more conservative third party candidates.”

Discussion

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1 December 2008
at 8 a.m.

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gccs14r (Anonymous) says…

The kids are figuring out that tax giveaways to the rich, rampant outsourcing, and burdensome healthcare costs are the reasons why they and their parents are having economic troubles. There is a better way, they know it, and they'll vote for it.
1 December 2008
at 8:11 a.m.

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situveux1 (Anonymous) says…

What a misleading headline. I thought the youth vote was so overwhelmingly in favor of Obama that if they all voted he would have won. 2%? Give me a break. The story is he ONLY won by 2%.
1 December 2008
at 8:26 a.m.

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jonas_opines (Anonymous) says…

“If I believed for a second that the youth vote went for Obama based on the issues I would be worried — but that isn’t the case,” Morgan said. “The youth vote went toward Obama, barely in Kansas, based off of the ‘coolness’ factor, not issues.”Keep that head in the sand, Executive Director of the Kansas Republican Party. (Barely won = won: See Election Results, 2000)
1 December 2008
at 8:41 a.m.

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kidicarus (Anonymous) says…

“If I believed for a second that the youth vote went for Obama based on the issues I would be worried — but that isn’t the case,” Morgan said. “The youth vote went toward Obama, barely in Kansas, based off of the ‘coolness’ factor, not issues.”How arrogant. I voted for Obama based on the issues. It's highly insulting to young voters to insinuate that we don't know what we are doing in the voting booth.
1 December 2008
at 9:07 a.m.

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dstavin (Anonymous) says…

The headline is accurate. It indicates Kansas skewed blue, not turned blue.
1 December 2008
at 9:21 a.m.

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Mackadoo (Anonymous) says…

Mr. Morgan, you should probably be worried. I don't know anyone who voted for Obama in Kansas based on how “cool” it was to do so. However, I DO know people that voted republican because that's what they've always done, not because they are particularly educated on ANY issues.I was skeptical at first, but it seems the Democrats' 50 State Plan is working. Increased attention to the actual issues this year turned a lot of formerly red votes to blue, including both my parents. They definitely did not vote for Obama because it was “cool.”
1 December 2008
at 9:38 a.m.

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foodboy (Anonymous) says…

If you were an 18 year old voter, W was president for almost half your life. Imangine then be presented with a charasmatic, inspirational person promising change from 8 years of incompetence, malfeasance and ignorance. Add to that, a person who can form thoughts into sentences and sentences into a comprehensive world view. The fact that Obama won the youth vote in 38 states says something about the desire for something new. The GOP has problems with evolution, political and scientific, and will be left behind unless they too can change.

1 December 2008
at 9:55 a.m.

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frankwiles (Anonymous) says…

Yup us youngins only voted for Obama because he is “cool”. And African-Americans only voted for him because he's black. I hope the Republican party keeps believing this in the future. We did vote on the issues. We voted against 22 of the last 30 years of bad economic policies. We voted against these pointless and expensive wars. We voted against Palin. We voted against the extreme Christian right. We voted against the smears and scare tactics that your party seems to think are “the issues”. Maybe if your candidate actually talked about the issues instead of trying to make us scared of the other guy we would have listened more. We didn't vote for Obama because he was cool, we voted against you.
1 December 2008
at 10:32 a.m.

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kanshawk (Anonymous) says…

frankwiles said it perfectly. they didn't vote for obama! they voted against the republican party. It sad you can't claim to have Voted FOR a canidate, but instead you voted against the other party. Its ironic how BOTH parties can make claims that the other is idealistic and ignores the issues when they both do it. It was easy for Obama to point out flaws with our current situation and the republican party, because right now things are pretty crappy. McCain couldn't do that considering Obama ran on idealistic change that sounds really good but outside of a few issues, extremely un-realistic. I hope people can start trying to be realistic instead of focusing solely on the facts that make their opinion/canidate sound good. anyone who claims obama didn't get cool votes or fad votes is blind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyvqhd…
1 December 2008
at 10:47 a.m.

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BigAl (Anonymous) says…

Great post foodboy.
1 December 2008
at 10:52 a.m.

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kidicarus (Anonymous) says…

“invictus (Anonymous) says… Give them a few years, let them marry and work and have chidren then most will come back to reality.”Thanks Invictus, for once again asserting our ignorance. Those of us who were turning 18 around 2000 are now pushing 30, and a good number of us have jobs, families, etc. It's amazing that you think that anyone who disagrees with you is simply yet to be enlightened.
1 December 2008
at 10:53 a.m.

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kidicarus (Anonymous) says…

“kanshawk (Anonymous) says… frankwiles said it perfectly. they didn't vote for obama! they voted against the republican party. It sad you can't claim to have Voted FOR a canidate, but instead you voted against the other party.”Ummm, I for one voted for Obama. Sweeping generalizations are best avoided, Kanshawk.
1 December 2008
at 11:20 a.m.

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kugraddc (Anonymous) says…

Situveux1 makes an excellent point. A two-point difference among a subset of voters is well within the margin of error for both the entire exit poll and the subgroup of 18-29 year olds (which comprised 19% of all interviews). 19%=152 interviews conducted in KS among 18-29 year olds. Margin of error for that subgroup is close to 8%.
1 December 2008
at 11:41 a.m.

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texburgh (Anonymous) says…

“If I believed for a second that the youth vote went for Obama based on the issues I would be worried — but that isn’t the case,” Morgan said. “The youth vote went toward Obama, barely in Kansas, based off of the ‘coolness’ factor, not issues.”Grand analysis, Mr. Morgan. Apparently you have never spoken to a young voter.They youth vote went to Obama because they are watching job opportunities dry up thanks to Republican support for businesses that ship jobs overseas - even jobs like engineering. The youth vote went to Obama because they know people killed or injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. The youth vote went to Obama precisely because of the issues. But you go ahead with the “cool factor,” Christian. You keep believing that. You'll turn Kansas blue yet!
1 December 2008
at 11:43 a.m.

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FMT6488 (Anonymous) says…

“If I believed for a second that the youth vote went for Obama based on the issues I would be worried — but that isn’t the case,” Morgan said. “The youth vote went toward Obama, barely in Kansas, based off of the ‘coolness’ factor, not issues.” - Christian Morgan, executive director of the state Republican Party. This only serves as proof as to how the Republican Party views young voters - without thought and only concerned about image(“coolness”). Kinda reflects badly on the GOP, in my opinion. ––––––––––––––––––– “kanshawk (Anonymous) says…frankwiles said it perfectly. they didn't vote for obama! they voted against the republican party. It sad you can't claim to have Voted FOR a canidate, but instead you voted against the other party. Actually, I did BOTH. I voted against McCain because if he were to become incapacitated while in office, Palin would become Prez - and THAT really spooked me. I voted for Obama because he seemed to realize that some changes would be needed to prevent further economic problems - something McCain was never too clear about in any of his speeches or interviews(I'll leave Palin's ideas for this alone - she seemed more confused than Dubya would have been after a roofie).

1 December 2008
at 11:44 a.m.

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kusp8 (Anonymous) says…

Because clearly young adults can't decide who to vote for on the issues and simply do it based off of who is “cool”. Yup, that hassss to be it. I wonder how much more arrogant the Republican Party in Kansas can become?
1 December 2008
at 11:51 a.m.

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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

Now, if we could just get the old racists out of the way, then this state has a chance.
1 December 2008
at 11:52 a.m.

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Keith (Anonymous) says…

“invictus (Anonymous) says…The truth is evangelicals are more educated than the average American. I think you are having trouble distinguishing between indoctrination and education. Don’t worry, you will figure it out eventually.”Funniest thing I've read so far today!
1 December 2008
at 11:54 a.m.

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kidicarus (Anonymous) says…

“invictus (Anonymous) says… anxiousatheist You are right, all those Obama voting welfare moms and their illegitimate offspring tend to be highly educated.”“invictus (Anonymous) says… The truth is evangelicals are more educated than the average American. I think you are having trouble distinguishing between indoctrination and education. Don’t worry, you will figure it out eventually.”Reading these two posts back to back almost killed me.
1 December 2008
at 11:58 a.m.

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autie (Anonymous) says…

I think this is only a piece of the puzzle. My mother in law is 94, never voted for a democrat in her life…voted for Obama. My dad is 84 and thought Bush had it together..voted for Obama..both of them exclaiming they had enough of the Repbublican BS policies that have just flat burned out most Americans with empty rhetoric and false ideas.
1 December 2008
at 12:26 p.m.

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alm77 (Anonymous) says…

invictus, I'm both educated and a Christian (believing the in a Bible with Absolute Authority), I'm neither single or on welfare, but I am a mom. I voted for Obama. AND I voted for him based on issues. The only thing I didn't agree with Obama on is abortion. But I've voted pro-life for 12 years and haven't seen any results on that issue, so not voting pro-life hasn't bothered my conscience a bit. What has bothered my conscience is that while voting “pro-life”, I also voted for war (in which I lost a friend) and I voted for bad economic policies (in which I've seen my friends and family lose their jobs) and I voted for general incompetence (which none of us can deny). So, you can take your theories and *gross* generalizations and go *educate* yourself.
1 December 2008
at 12:27 p.m.

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TomShewmon (Tom Shewmon) says…

Another reason to question BO on the whole, although the spread is pretty small.
1 December 2008
at 12:27 p.m.

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dannylandulf (Anonymous) says…

“invictus (Anonymous) says…The truth is evangelicals are more educated than the average American. I think you are having trouble distinguishing between indoctrination and education. Don’t worry, you will figure it out eventually.”Care to back up that claim with actual data? If you look at exit polls the more education you've had the more likely you were to vote for Obama…What was the last grade of school you completed?Category Obama McCain % Total Did not complete high school 63 35 4 High school graduate 52 46 20 Some college 51 47 31 College graduate 50 48 28 Postgraduate study 58 40 17 Yet McCain won Evangelicals by a HUGE margin:White Evangelical/Born-again ChristiansCategory Obama McCain % Total White Evangelical/Born-again Christians 24 74 26 All others 62 36 74 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26843704/

1 December 2008
at 12:30 p.m.

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Danimal (Anonymous) says…

Young voters don't know what they're doing. I'll admit I'm only 25, but my years of service overseas in the Marines taught me a lot about life and how to observe world events. Most “kids” don't get this and think that taxing the rich is a great idea until they get a job and start trying to ascend into the upper classes of society.Long and the short of it is that both parties disdain the “common man” and it's just a different group of elites getting a handout while they violently take you from behind.
1 December 2008
at 12:49 p.m.

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dannylandulf (Anonymous) says…

actually…evangelicals lag behind national percentages in education:Educational Distribution of Members of Evangelical Protestant Churches16% Less than high school40%High school graduate24%Some college13%College graduate7%Post-graduatehttp://religions.pewforum.org/portraitsNational:In 2007, 86 percent of all adults 25 and older reported they had completed at least high school and 29 percent at least a bachelor's degree.http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011196.htmlSo 29 percent of the entire population has graduted college, while only 20 percent of evangelicals have…
1 December 2008
at 12:55 p.m.

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dannylandulf (Anonymous) says…

I never made any claims about any groups of people, only debunked your false claim that evangelicals are more educated than average. My 'claims' as you call them are cold hard fact. The more education you had, the more likely you were to vote for Obama. That is a broad nationwide trend…but there will always be certain groups that go against the trend.
1 December 2008
at 1:17 p.m.

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dannylandulf (Anonymous) says…

Larry Larry Larry…You don't get to just make up stuff.”He would add certainty and stability to the tax code by making the 2009 estate tax parameters permanent, exempting estates of up to $7 million for a married couple,” Mr. Furman says. The Obama plan “retains the estate tax for the top 0.3% of estates in order to restore fairness to the tax system, helping to pay for a tax cut for 95% of workers and their familieshttp://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2008/07/wsj-mccain-obam.htmlHow many people do YOU know with houses or farms worth over 7 million dollars? And further, how many of those people do you think are actually struggling to pay their taxes?
1 December 2008
at 1:18 p.m.

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cdc (Anonymous) says…

Christian Morgan should be FIRED. But first, I'll be generous and give you a little hint: You don't win people's votes by insulting them, Mr. Morgan.He is quoted as saying, “If I believed for a second that the youth vote went for Obama based on the issues I would be worried — but that isn’t the case,” Morgan said. “The youth vote went toward Obama, barely in Kansas, based off of the ‘coolness’ factor, not issues.”ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Seriously?!?! I'm a youth and NONE of my votes for any candidate or ballot measure were based on any so-called “coolness” factor. I voted for candidates because of the issues. This is absolutely infuriating. If this is truly the Republican Party's belief, that the youth are mindless voters who vote based on which candidate is cooler, they can say goodbye to the Youth vote for the foreseeable future. Grr.
1 December 2008
at 1:20 p.m.

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kidicarus (Anonymous) says…

“Danimal (Anonymous) says… Young voters don't know what they're doing. I'll admit I'm only 25, but my years of service overseas in the Marines taught me a lot about life and how to observe world events. Most “kids” don't get this and think that taxing the rich is a great idea until they get a job and start trying to ascend into the upper classes of society.”Danimal - your service is commendable. Your generalizations are not. What “kids” are you referring to? I fall into the group this article talks about, and I “get it”. That's why I voted for Obama.
1 December 2008
at 2:07 p.m.

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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

invictus (Anonymous) says… “I agree well educated whites voted for Obama for there self interest.”Obviously, the dumb whites voted for McCain for “there” self interest.
1 December 2008
at 2:08 p.m.

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autie (Anonymous) says…

so who is the bigger, big fat liar? Christian Morgan or Alan Cobb??

1 December 2008
at 2:38 p.m.

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Left_handed (Anonymous) says…

kidicarus,Winston Churchill once said that when you're twenty, if you have a heart you're a liberal; and when you're forty, if you have a brain, you're a conservative. How old are you?
1 December 2008
at 3:24 p.m.

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kidicarus (Anonymous) says…

I'm right in between, Left_handed, and I prefer to think for myself. Are we really going to start basing our arguments on old philosophical quotes?
1 December 2008
at 3:34 p.m.

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Danimal (Anonymous) says…

Guess what kidicarus, Obama's not going to tax his rich friends, just like McCain wouldn't have taxed his rich friends. It's just different groups of rich friends. Republicans have the energy and mineral concerns while Democrats will end up protecting unionized labor and manufacturing. If you doubt that Obama is a member of the elite you need to wake up. The guy never attended a public school from elementary school through law school at Harvard. He was a community activist after he got to Chicago, probably some attempt to connect with the average person, but I don't buy for a second that he has my best interests in mind. I think that everyone is going to be shocked when we get a lot of more of the same from a slightly different angle. I do like that fact that he made Gen. Jones his National Security Advisor though, I've met Gen. Jones and he's awesome. When is spell check going to learn that “Barack” and “Obama” aren't misspellings?
1 December 2008
at 3:39 p.m.

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Danimal (Anonymous) says…

Anxiousatheist, “Let me get this straight conservatives, while you are out voting against gays and their happiness, while you vote for war instead of peace…”Really? I don't think that you can generally blame Republicans for the war and Prop. 8. Remember, almost everyone voted in favor of the wars and California is probably the most socially liberal state in the Union - and the state that overwhelmingly voted for Obama - still voted to ban gay marriage.
1 December 2008
at 3:48 p.m.

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cthulhu_4_president (Anonymous) says…

invictus:”The truth is evangelicals are more educated than the average American. I think you are having trouble distinguishing between indoctrination and education. Don’t worry, you will figure it out eventually.”+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Proof, please? This is true comedy.invictus:”The stats also show that Hispanics and African Americans overwhelmingly voted for Obama. These two ethnic groups are the lowest educated in America. How do you reconcile this to your claims?”++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Any well educated evangelical should know that correlation does not equal causation. Why I read somewhere that %100 of Obama supporters consume water with their diet and %100 of McCain supporters wear socks sometimes. Darn water-loving lefties and sock-wearing neo-cons.
1 December 2008
at 3:56 p.m.

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cthulhu_4_president (Anonymous) says…

Hold on, Invictus, I can play too! Check this out!”Conservatives have to blame the liberals or they will have to look closer at the members of their own coalition. You see they have little in common except the hatred for non-white non-Christian Americans.”Not bad, eh? I know it's my first piece of untrue, insulting, unsubstantiated falsehoods but if I read more of your posts I know I can get better.
1 December 2008
at 4 p.m.

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texburgh (Anonymous) says…

Autie:”so who is the bigger, big fat liar? Christian Morgan or Alan Cobb??”I have to go with Christian Morgan. Alan Cobb is a brainless shill barking the opinions of the Koch Brothers and Grover Norquist. Christian Morgan writes and speaks for the Kansas Republican Party. He clearly wins the liar title.
1 December 2008
at 4:55 p.m.

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dandelion (Anonymous) says…

“Liberals play with identity politics; it is like playing with fire.”You are seriously confused. It was Obama talking the issues, and McCain playing identity politics. He was trying to define Obama by the people he worked with in the past. I've worked with druggies before, but I don't do drugs. I worked with a guy who was beating his wife, but, although I'm not married, I would never hit a woman. Twisting the truth doesn't help your cause. Talk about the issues, not personal attacks. That was McCain and his campaign organizers mistakes. That's what he gets for hiring a Rumsfeld trainee who worked for Cheney. Both of whom should leave the country soon. Maybe they can finally be charged for treason.

1 December 2008
at 5 p.m.

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dannylandulf (Anonymous) says…

Notice how invictus never answers questions directly or admits when he's wrong…just deflects deflects deflects.I sincerely hope the republicans keep trying those tactics for the foreseeable future.
1 December 2008
at 5:21 p.m.

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dandelion (Anonymous) says…

Oh brother, Invictus, you think you are the only person with a job, but as much as you post here, you are either not doing your job, or you're without a job. Thus you are living off the government, your parents, or your wife, or wasting your employer's time. In psychological terms this is called reflection. I've seen some welfare people who criticize others for being on welfare.
1 December 2008
at 5:29 p.m.

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TomShewmon (Tom Shewmon) says…

Being elected much in the same way that someone wins American Idol otta raise some eyebrows. This is where America is.
1 December 2008
at 5:33 p.m.

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Kryptenx (Anonymous) says…

So, anyone care to post some contact info for Morgan? It wouldn't be a bad idea at all to give his office a call and let them know how we feel about their condescending and ignorant remarks. If anything, he is going to make damn sure the youth actively attempt to destroy his party.
1 December 2008
at 5:51 p.m.

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beatrice (Anonymous) says…

So young people voted for Obama because he is “cool,” but Republicans voted on issues. Umm … sure they did. I guess this would explain why so many Republicans went crazy for Sarah Palin, because she is so atop of the issues. Young people beware — Republicans hate you!
1 December 2008
at 5:55 p.m.

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dandelion (Anonymous) says…

If you don't agree with the rightie, you are either not Christian enough, not mature enough, live on welfare, or are into celebrities. Keep alienating people.
1 December 2008
at 8:18 p.m.

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TomShewmon (Tom Shewmon) says…

Is there any correlation with the blue skewing amongst youngsters, as Scottie Rothschild puts it?http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/m/med_mental_health?site=dcusn&section=home&template=default
1 December 2008
at 8:20 p.m.

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TomShewmon (Tom Shewmon) says…

Is there any correlation with the blue skewing amongst youngsters, as Scottie Rothschild puts it?**maybe this link will work** http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/arti…