Women, Independents Leaning Left

Analysts -- and polling data -- suggest that two core groups of voters are looking left more than right as 7 November approaches.

October data from the Pew Research Center in Washington "had 55 percent of women voters expressing support for the Democratic Party as opposed to 34 percent for the Republican Party," according to AFP. "Four years ago Republicans were running about even with Democrats among women, but now you see a big gain for the Democrats among women." (tip)

Voice of America reports that 59 percent of independents plan to vote Democratic in two weeks.

AFP reports that Carrie Luka, vice president of the Independent Women's Forum, a conservative advocacy group in Washington, said, "This election has become more of a referendum on the administration or on Congress itself and that definitely has the Republicans nervous."

Both articles suggest that voters believe the war in Iraq is the most important issue -- validating the belief that this election is a referendum on the Presidency. This could explain both the change in "stay the course" rhetoric as well as the fevered pitch of a GOP terrorism ad.