GOP Dominated By White Conservatives: Gallup Poll

As the GOP struggles to define itself in the face of its own considerable image problems, a new poll indicates that the Republican party's base fundamentally lacks diversity.

The poll, released today by Gallup, shows that a staggering 89% of the GOP is white, and that 63% identify as conservatives. It is, in the words of the poll's author, "first and foremost a political entity dominated by white Americans."

In contrast, the poll found that around 36% of Democrats are non-white. Of the 64% of Democrats who are white, the poll found that about half lean toward a moderate or liberal ideological position.

The poll also suggests that Republicans are more religious than either Democrats or Independents, with about half of those polled identifying as "strongly religious."

The poll is particularly significant given the increasingly weak position of the GOP itself. As the author writes:

A great deal of attention has been paid to the plight of Republicans who at this juncture in history find themselves not controlling the presidency, the House, or the Senate....

The data reviewed here highlight an essential dilemma the Republicans face as they ponder their future. The Republican Party's constituency is overwhelmingly white -- and the significant majority of those whites are ideologically conservative, while a majority are highly religious, as defined by church attendance...

Does the Republican Party in essence "stick to the knitting" and cling to its core conservative principles? Or should the Republicans make an effort to expand their base -- among whites who are moderate or less religious, and/or the various nonwhite groups who to this point are largely ignoring the Republican Party in favor of the Democrats? The decision the party makes in response to this question could be pivotal in helping determine its future.

Republican Pat Buchanan acknowledged recently that there is a "real demographic problem with the Republican Party. It is a heavily white party."

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Comments

[igorz]

All Poodles are dogs but not all dogs are Poodles.

And, speaking from personal experience, not all older white males are Republicans

[SweetBabu]

Did someone get paid to do this poll? Seriously, I coulda told Gallup that without the bother of making all those phone calls. What a waste of time/money/effort.

[frantaylor]

People in the GOP will not admit that up is up and down is down unless there is a poll that confirms it.

[militarymomforobama]

Newest Gallup Poll...

Most bears cr@p in the woods.

[Bama-Bumaye]

DERRRRR!!!! (duh)

[EndangeredJackalope]

duh

[Bama-Bumaye]

EXAAAAAACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!

[SimJack]

What a unique place we occupy in history, the discovery of a new species, Neoconderthal Man, and his timely demise, right before our eyes! Now tell me evolution is just a theory. Another soon to be dead limb on the great tree of life.

[nowRnever]

Surely you jest!

[cinesimon]

Clinging to their core principle implies that they have been.

[Deb413]

As many have asked: What is surprising about this? Of course, they are of that demographic and that is what angers them so much, because they feel their opinions are becoming insignificant. But what IS surprising is that this article has allowed "church attendance" to signify "highly religious." I don't believe that is the case at all.

I am white, used to attend church a lot, but got tired of hypocrisy, and don't attend any longer. Does that make me become "non religious"? I don't think so., My beliefs are no different than they ever were. In fact, one of the things that has turned me away from "church attendance" has been the ideas that are preached, the political, social, and financial issues that are done "as religious advice," Too many churches preach selfishness, prosperity gospel (cloaked superiority), and hate or hatefulness.

I've always been about as "goodie-two-shoes" as you can get, but, really, I have reached a point where I have lost respect for so many "religious" people who make claims about politics that are purely hurtful to so many others. I think many people will eventually find out just how wrong they have been.

I attended an Obama rally and was not sure what it would occur. I found it to be a group of really nice, hopeful people who were tired of the past 8 years, but friendly and not one bit nasty or bitter. So, I wound up voting for Obama.

[FearlessFraz]

Amen to that! I Agree with your well stated position.

[SweetBabu]

Thank you for that, and thank you for having an open mind. Dare I say--welcome to the Democratic Party!

[Whinger]

Never was so much demanded by so few from so many!

[NoSillyName]

Really?!

[mad1nola]

Did Gallup really need to do a poll to find this out? All they had to do was take a look at who attending those teabagging parties.

[R8RBOB]

Go back to the Republican National Convention and remember how the camera kept repeatly zooming in on the few Black folks in the crowd. In a sea of White, the Republicans were looking for Black faces to show that the GOP is diversed.

The GOP is what it is. Boss Limbaugh, Hannirat, Beck speak to their base and you better believe it is not Black, Latinos, Asian, etc......

[miketothad]

To my Republican friends, this remains a non-issue.
And they actually ACTUALLY think Obama and the DNC want to appoint Sotomayor so he can win the next election. Issues, people... ISSUES!
We believe in MORE than just winning elections!

[LMPE]

I could have guessed this.