They generally believe big government should perform active social engineering through regulation and income redistribution between social groups. Dems favor high taxes, centralized control from Washington, socialized medicine, abortion and gun control, oppose state's rights, and hate smokers. Italians and Irish, once Democratic stalwarts, long ago decamped to the Republicans. Blacks and union members provide the party's foot soldiers. Gays, and young women who are deeply influenced by Hollywood TV sitcoms and talk shows, vote strongly Democratic.
Republicans are the party of taxpayers and investors.
White men and a majority of married women vote Republican. Republicans favor less and smaller government, political decentralization to local levels, lower taxes, less regulations, the free market, and decisions made by citizens rather than bureaucrats. An equal amount will be spent on the Senate and House races. TV stations are growing rich on political advertising. Hispanics, America's fastest growing ethnic group, have voted Democratic in the past.