Project New America

Trends to Watch in the Arizona Republican Primary

2012-02-28T17:00:00.007-07:00

1) Turnout in the Arizona primaries will be an important indicator for the general election. In Colorado, we saw a low turnout for the recent caucuses, particularly in wealthier suburban and exurban counties where Republicans tend to be more moderate. Turnout stayed pretty steady, or even jumped, in the most conservative parts of Colorado, which suggests that the candidates' efforts to play

Beyond the Enthusiasm Gap: What the Caucuses Tells Us About the Political Environment in Colorado

2012-02-21T11:02:00.001-07:00

In the wake of Tuesday night's surprising Colorado caucus results, many are wondering whether frigid temperatures should be blamed for a lower-than-expected turnout. However, taking a look at the numbers behind Rick Santorum's victory in Colorado, it becomes clear that the results actually reflect moderate Republican voters cooling on the Republican field, and that bodes poorly for the GOP

Winning the Conservative Battle, Losing the West: Mitt's Quandary

2012-01-11T15:19:00.002-07:00

Despite eeking out the narrowest of victories in Iowa last week, GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney still appears unable to rally the Republican electorate behind him. Polls continue to show the former Massachusetts governor garnering about a quarter of the vote nationally, while his more conservative rivals hover in striking distance despite comparatively fewer resources and smaller name ID. One of the

Is Newt Gingrich Really Better Than Mitt Romney Among Hispanic Voters?

2011-12-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

Newt Gingrich's recent rise in the polls has been accompanied by a lot of chatter about the implications of his potential nomination on the general election.Gingrich's slightly more reasonable stance on immigration (which would spare law-abiding immigrants who have been in the country for 20 years from deportation, but wouldn't offer a pathway to citizenship) has some analysts arguing that he

Lessons from Mississippi

2011-11-11T13:02:00.003-07:00

Advocates for a common-sense approach to reproductive health policy are rightfully taking pride in the defeat of the Personhood amendment in Mississippi this week. As we celebrate the defeat of this extremist legislation, it's important to remember the lessons of Mississippi going forward: that Personhood lost--in large part--due to highly effective messaging that framed the measure as what it

Romney Repeating Ken Buck's Errors on Personhood

2011-11-04T09:22:00.000-06:00

As Mississippi Republicans back away from the controversial personhood ballot initiative that would restrict reproductive rights in the state, Project New West's polling shows GOP presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney's position on this national issue looks increasingly out-of-touch with a majority of voters. The Mississippi personhood initiative, which has been overwhelmingly turned down in

There's Nothing "Western" About Being Extreme

2011-08-02T11:00:00.004-06:00

A report from the Western Rural Development Center at Utah State University shows that the rapid population growth in the West is driven by people in metropolitan areas. In key suburban swing counties, two demographic groups are fueling Democratic success: college educated voters and Hispanics. These key suburban counties that

Post 2010: West Even More Important to Democrats

2010-10-26T21:14:00.002-06:00

Ten years ago, Karl Rove and George W. Bush put together a blueprint for a winning path for the Republican Party for years to come. Their plan was to reach out to “compassionate conservatives,” Hispanics, and Independents and bring them in under their “big tent.” But, the conservative, dominant wing of the Republican Party alienated many of these voters in the West over the past decade as