Realignment and Party Sorting in the 2008 US Presidential Election

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Electoral Studies Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 130 - 140
• Main Author: NISHIKAWA, Masaru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japanese Association of Electoral Studies 2009
• ISSN: 0912-3512; 1884-0353
• DOI: 10.14854/jaes.25.1_130

From the 1970s, “party sorting”— the process by which a tighter fit is brought about between political ideology and party affiliation — has occurred within a narrow political class. This article offers a detailed examination of some aspects of the 2008 election which may contribute to the developing or testing of how the realignment related to changes in party structure that in turn triggered the party sorting. First, Chris Shays, the last House Republican in New England was voted out of office in the 2008 election. This extinction of moderate New England Republicans will possibly encourage further party sorting; the Republican Party will likely become a more conservatively cohesive party without its moderator. Second, McCain “sorted out” moderate constituents and tied the Republican Party to cultural conservatives. On the other hand, Obama was successful in enabling the Democratic Party to attract not only liberals, but also diverse groups and different ideologies who seek “change” or “hope.” As a result of these realignments and related changes in the structure of parties, we are now witnessing a deeper and insurmountable partisanship between Democrats and Republicans. Although President Obama is calling for bipartisanship, bipartisan cooperation will seldom, if ever, happen in the 111th Congress.