That's why Republican strategist Michael Dawidziak sees no impending collapse of Republican control. But if California leads the country in that kind of thing, Nassau will be the last bastion of party control, if not Chicago. More significant for Democrats are the 408,000 Long Island voters not affiliated with either major party, a group that has grown 40 percent in the past 10 years. On Long Island, he said, that means a Democrat. But Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello disagreed, saying that to maintain its dominance, his organization would show the next generation and emerging immigrant groups that it represents the average person, and is the place where they can advance.
Experts say the drift away from parties is a national trend.
Two-thirds never voted for the other party. Now only one-third say that. Voter disaffection with major parties also has spawned several new minor parties, which appear poised to become a counterbalance to the Conservative and Right to Life Parties, which are largely aligned to Republicans on Long Island and often give GOP candidates their margin of victory. The Independence Party, which grew out of upstate businessman Thomas Golisano's gubernatorial runs in 1994 and 1998 and Ross Perot's presidential candidacies in 1992 and 1996, may have only 18,887 registered members on Long Island, but the party's statewide polling success has garnered them Row C on the ballot, displacing the Conservative Party, which has 31,600 members locally. He also said the party is exploring forming fusion tickets with other minor parties when their interests merge.