Pollsters have been on the lookout for shifts in national party identification after the 2000 presidential election. But so far, there have been no major shifts in the Washington Post-ABC News poll party trend. These splits fall in the range found during the first half of last year. This relative stability is not surprising, Yale political scientist Donald Green said. He went back to John F. Kennedy's 1960 election searching for the rumored postelection boost enjoyed by the party of the winning candidate, and came up empty-handed.
Savvy politicos watch party perceptions as well as party affiliation.
In the latest Post-ABC poll, Democrats held an advantage as the party better able to handle Social Security and education, while Republicans dominated on taxes, and the two parties were close to parity on the economy. AP Wire Email newsletters Sign up to receive breaking news alerts, delivered to your inbox free whenever big news happens.