Political-Independents-Sept-2010.zip

Political Context - The 2010 Wave Election: This survey was fielded just two months before the November 2010 midterms, which were defined by the rise of the Tea Party movement, high unemployment following the Great Recession, and strong backlash against President Obama's agenda (e.g., the Affordable Care Act). Independents were the key swing voting bloc that determined the size of the Republican victory.

Key Finding - The "Hidden Partisans": A seminal finding from this era of Pew's research is that many self-described independents consistently "lean" toward one party. While they may reject the label, their voting behavior is often as partisan as straight Republicans or Democrats. This survey would deeply analyze these "leaners" versus truly ambivalent voters.

Core Topics Explored:

Political Alienation: Measuring distrust in government, dissatisfaction with both major parties, and feelings of political efficacy.

Issue Priorities: The top concerns for independents (e.g., economy, healthcare, deficit) compared to partisans.

Ideology: Unpacking the policy preferences of independents to see if they are truly moderate or if they hold a mix of conservative and liberal views.

The Tea Party: Analyzing support for and opposition to the nascent Tea Party movement within the independent electorate.

Significance: This data is essential for understanding American political behavior. It helps strategists, journalists, and scholars understand the forces that drive electoral change and the true nature of the "swing voter."

Access: The full report, data set, and toplines are archived on the Pew Research Center's website. Searching for "September 2010 Political Independents Survey" will yield the correct results. It is typically categorized under their U.S. Politics & Policy research.