Gallup: Record-High 42% Identify as Independents, do you?

Republican identification lowest in at least 25 years

republican numbers are going down while dems are holding steady.

The Tea Party has been devastating to the party. Hope they realize it before they go the way of the wigs.

You see that's the problem with the notion of professing to political independence in today's world. It appears that a large portion of any given population identifies as independent, which suggests that many people are discontent with how things are in their respective states or they adhere to a political ideology with no embodying/representing party on the ground because otherwise they wouldn't refrain from identifying themselves with an existing political party. Yet those independent hold little to no influence in public life, why is that? Is independent synonymous with apathetic or politically illiterate these days? Because unless those political independents have a weight in policy making and in shaping and influencing public life, I'm not sure "independent" should be looked at as a good thing at all.

I would say I'm leaning that way. Neither of the two parties really encompasses my political beliefs, and both are far, far too deep into the pockets of corporations and lobbyists to really represent the people anymore.

Most independents end up voting for a Republican or a Democrat candidate in any given election. There are a number of reasons for this, but it's probably not worth listing them. The bottom line is that being an independent doesn't obligate you to vote for whatever independent/third party candidate appears in the election. The term means you aren't tied a party, not that you will vote for anyone outside of the two major parties.

Independents actually do hold a fair amount of sway over politicians in the general election. It's why you often see candidates pivot toward the middle during general elections after the primaries are over.

The ideological base has control over the primaries. The independents are key to the general election.

i'm independant in that i'm not registered w/ either major party

never voted R/D i have voted libertarian, independent, and green. i cannot justify endorsing more evil.

this is bad for republicans and means the dems will continue holding power.

I'll have a drink of box wine to that my good sir

I feel like I have little choice, but to vote democrat. Once your party plays the part of obstructionist for five plus years, constantly brings the government to the brink of default and or actually closing it down how do you turn to me and ask for my vote?

The sad part is most of the republicans I actually do find to be decent aren't in my state and thus can't vote for. Same goes with the cross party group known as No Labels in Washington (though there is one guy in it from my state who will be receiving my vote) who I can only support in spirit.

I don't. The Republicans have been obsolete for years.

lol as if voting for Ron Paul isn't the same type of 'evil' as a main stream candidate.

I'm not an independent per se but I'm willing to vote for Democrats and outright condemn Republicans if I have to. Perfect example were those tools that were saying "legitimate" rape doesn't get a woman pregnant.

I even voted for Cuomo, but that won't happen again.