I was initially a Clinton Democrat, then a Dole Republican, and then a Libertarian/Centrist/Demo-Publican. I was fairly consistently aligned with Republicans on economics and with Democrats on social issues.
My economics views changed considerably in the early 2000s, as did my views on American exceptionalism and our foreign policy. All of this is to say that I’m pretty solidly left now. I can’t actually recall for sure, but I don’t think I officially registered as a Democrat until around 2010 or 2012, though. But I’ve only supported one Republican in the last 20 years (Bobby Jindal) and had buyer’s remorse almost immediately.
I’ve voted for all three of the main UK parties at various points in the past 30 years, as they have all seemed to zoom about the political canvas pretty wildly at different times.
Right now, I personally feel like there’s nothing very fresh on the menu, so my vote tends to be more ‘enemy-of-my-enemy’ (although that’s a weird way to say it now I read it back).
I guess it’s worth noting that our three parties, from Left to Right: Labour, Lib-Dem and Conservative - do not map directly to the Left and Right of US politics, and probably never have; the UK Conservative party is only slightly to the right of the US Democrats (although UK Con does seem to be pushing further rightward)
When I was eight years old, I came home from school with a “Nixon/Agnew” sticker on my lunchbox (not sure where I got it). Mrs. Smith, the Democratic ward leader who lived a few doors down from us, saw me walking by and ran out to give me a Humphrey/Muskie sticker to cover the Nixon sticker.
That’s my party switch. Other than a dumb-ass vote for John Anderson in 1980 and a vote for John McCain for Senate in the mid-90s (during my first residency in AZ) I’ve been a reliable Democratic vote in all major elections.
I never registered officially under any party. From my first presidential election in 1996 I voted Republican in every election until 2016. I could not hold my nose and vote for Trump so I cast my lot in with Hillary instead. It was my fervent hope that by 2020 the Republican party would come to their senses and I could go back voting for them. I still held out hope when I voted for Biden but after the events of January 6 I have decided I will never vote Republican unless they fix the party. I will elect Democrats rather than a party that supports insurrection.
I liked being an oblivious dumbass who believed that all I and anyone else had to do was work hard and that the invisible hand would reward me for being a good little slave, er, working class 'Merikun. So in my younger days, I attended the Republican party, where lots of kool aid was drunk by all.
I have never voted for anyone in the US who didn’t have a D next to his name. My parents were staunch Roosevelt Democrats and I guess I inherited it from them. Although they were fairly conservative as Democrats. After my father died and my mother married his brother they almost divorced after he voted for Reagan. Ironically, he was a strong union man. I have no idea how he reacted to Reagan’s war on unions.
Now a Canadian citizen, I have voted Liberal so far. But I will not vote Liberal in the next provincial system. The previous Liberal government just about destroyed the Medical system. Ironically, both the premier and the health minister were physicians. But my personal GP is about to retire and they reduced the supply so much that I simply cannot, at age 84, get a new one.
Fifty six years ago I registered as a Republican. At that time, they were more respectful of other races, and in general were overall much more liberal than they are today. Today they seem to be most interested in voter suppression, advocating anti people of color, and pro big business. The concept of truth, facts, and reality seem to be of no concern to them. I could go on and on.
Over the years, the Republicans moved right and left me! I also became more liberal, and so I matched up with Democrats much better in the last 30 years.
I switched R to D in 2000, because I couldn’t believe they could nominate that cretin Shrub for president. Events showed I was right. Never looked back. I was even a conservative back in the 70s, but that is right wing Democrat today. Hell, John Birchers were moderates compared to mainstream Republicans today.
So what you are suggesting @voyager is that not only are demographics are tending against GOP, but the GOP itself it tendiing away from its historical base, in effect they are losing support in two fundamental ways, and that is not even beginning to consider changes in economics or a reaction against sedition.
That sort of suggest the Democrat strategy is to move into previous Republican territory, or do you think that since their own poltical centre is being undercut - the Republicans have decided there is no choice but to go all out for emotional and non-policy based argument?
I am not a member of any organized political party — I am a Democrat.
As a young boy, I didn’t know a Republican from a Democrat, only in one way: If some man or bunch of men rode up to the ranch to sit or stay all night, and my Father set me to watching 'em all the time they was there – what they did and what they carried off – I learned they were Republicans.