Election 2010: Polls show that more voters consider themselves conservative

From Krissah Thompson of The Washington Post on Nov. 3:

As politicians and commentators debate the meaning of Tuesday's elections, one thing is clear: Conservatives are back.

Exit polls showed a surge of voters identifying themselves as conservative. Nationally, the electorate was more conservative than in 2006 by nine percentage points and more so than in 2008 by seven points. Poll findings in swing states mirrored those numbers, with Ohio showing an 11-point rise in conservative voters and Wisconsin a 10-point increase.

Pollsters had been predicting stronger enthusiasm on the right than on the left for much of the year, and the conservative base did not disappoint.

"I'm not surprised that the center wouldn't have turned out in this election," said Andra Gillespie, a professor of political science at Emory University. "All of the rhetoric and the tone indicated this was a race where they would not be engaged."

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