Scaling Party Identification. One of the most important aggregate measures discussed and investigated by political scientists is Party Identification. In the past there were more Democrats than Republicans. This is still true today, although the number of Independents is growing. Cross sectional data reveal that the number of Democrats has declined, while the number of independents has increased.
Republican identification is roughly stable.
DOES NOT indicated that existing partisan attachments are weakening. Voters who do identify with a party become more reliable partisans over time. Republican Presidential candidates have enjoyed a slight advantage since social characteristics of Republican voters are associated with turnout.