Bush Loosing Southern Support

It appears that the solid South might be beginning to crack. A new poll from Elon University in Burlington shows decline of support for the President in a region that has been instrumental in his electoral victories.

All five of the states polled - North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida - went to Bush in the 2004 presidential election by margins ranging from 58 percent in South Carolina and Georgia to 52 percent in Florida. Less than 18 months later, Bush isn't even close to majority approval in any of those states. "For him not to even break (50 percent), not to even approach it, says all you need to say," said Hunter Bacot, who teaches political science at Elon and is the director of the poll. "In five 'red' states that have been ardent supporters of Bush, he can't even approach 50 percent."

It has been hard to avoid headlines about Bush’s falling national approval ratings. It is notable; however, that the trend is appearing within the South. Even in military-friendly states like North and South Carolina, it appears that Iraq is beginning to have an impact on Southern voters. While no poll should be taken too seriously, this trend may prove to be a serious factor come next election.

Of those polled, 46 percent said they voted Republican in the 2004 presidential election, while 42 percent said they voted Democratic. When asked which party they will support this year, 33 percent said Democrats and 27 percent said Republicans.