Centerfield

I'll start things off. I'm an independent. I was a Democrat in the 1980's and a Republican in the 1990's, but now I find that I don't fit into either party.

I'm an independent, currently registered Republican. I've never felt any real party affiliation, although now and then I feel a great anti-affiliation for one or the other of the two ruling parties.

I am a registered independent. I started as a Republican (Ford, Rockefeller) and when Reaganites took control of the party, my allegiance left.

In my state of Maryland, the state Democrats are too corrupt to be worthy of my registration. The election of a Republican Governor in 2002 took them down a peg or two but they still don’t get it.

We don't register in Virginia, but I am a Republican who votes for Democrats about 35-40% of the time. I personally have always felt that on the issues that matter (economics and foreign policy) the Republicans have always been just a little bit better. However, George W. Bush has done a good job of testing my allegiance (deficits, bad war planning, too much ideology not enough common sense), and I have been very impressed with the direction some Democrats seem to want to take their party post the 2004 election.

EG,

I would be interested in what your thoughts are on Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley. He has done a bang up job with reviving the city and I am willing to bet he is going to run for Governor. I like what little I have seen of him.

I am registered Indie, & voted Dems. At the recent elections, a guy behind me commented "I must be proud to be an Independent"! Well, I just my tongue would have loved to "off-load"..SOME ARE JUST BORN TO BE SHEEP AND SOME ARE BORN TO SHEPERD! eh,..But who cares?!?

I am an independent with libertarian leanings. I have never registered with any party.

I am a registered Democrat. I was told that I needed to declare Dem or Rep in order to vote in the primaries in the state of Texas.

I'm not strongly wedded to any party. I lean liberal, but, not militantly so. It's hard for me to judge what's right for others. Minding my own business is a full time job.

Mathew,

I haven't paid much notice of him or Doug Duncan, the other popular contender. I'm afraid that a Democratic Governor at this time will return Maryland back to the days of status quo.

Right now, Goernor Erhlich want the state delegates to return to tackle medical malpractive insurance. And the Democrats are attempting to make this a political issue.

Independent

Moderate Democrat. I could and have voted for moderate Republicans (e.g., Connie Morella in MD), but the national Republican Party (or at least the southern segment) scares the hell out of me.

Born and raised GOP. I started to change around 5 years ago and am now registered with no affiliation.

My leaving the GOP probably corresponds to the time I was majoring in Political Science. And it wasn't so much anti-GOP but more Anti Two Party system.

Neither party cares about the common person; but, about their own power. CLinton was just as much pro business as the GOP. And he bombed Iraq in 1998.

The GOP in COngress just passed a budget bill with 14,000 earmarks. So much for fiscal conservatives.

Both parties will say and do anything to win an election. The sad part is, the voters fall for it every time.

I am a registered Democrat but slightly left of center

no party ID in Virginia - I was once a loyal Dem, now vote Dem part of the time, Reep part of the time. Voted for Bush the last 2 elections, for Dole before that, Clinton before that. Mark Warner for gov. The Dems don't seem serious about national defense. On the other hand, I favor abortion on demand. So, no real party home.

I'm a registered Democrat. The last election was the first time I've ever voted outside of the party. That said, I'm getting very, very tired of the partisan bickering and am finding myself listening more closely to the moderate voices of both the Republican and Democratic party, so I'm learning to open up my mind to good ideas no matter which party they come from.

I'm a member of the Libertarian Party(feel free to laugh about it, I do). I got involved with the leadership of the state party the last two years and it has been a chore...which is why I'm quiting the party, they are hopelessly extreme and unrealistic. Anyway, I'll probably join the GOP. I live in Madison, WI where the local GOP is both socially tolerant and fiscally responsible.

Registered Republican. Have been since 78. I no longer even recognize my own party, but I cling to the hope that they will come back to policies of fiscal conservatism, states rights, smaller government, and renewed respect for personal privacy. I voted for Kerry, but I didn't like him. He was just "better than Bush" but my dog would have been also. I would love to see a true centrist party.

Independent. Vote Republican at federal level. I often vote Democrat for state offices, as the Reps have run hacks.
In the last election I voted for Bush for Pres and Schweitzer for governor. This is a college town, so the view of active Democrats is the Michael Moore, moonbat variety. To get beyond that here I actually meet the Democrats like Schweitzer and Baucus to assure myself they are sane.

Bozeman, MT

Registered Republican. Probably belong to the tradition "Limited Government" faction. Have very little for the right wing types currently in the party. Have been known to vote for Green or Libertarian candidates that I thought were closer to the ideal of small government Republicanism.

I'm registered in my state as "non affiliated" but I vote Democrat about 98% of the time.

I consider myself a Liberal.

Registered Independent, recently voted mostly Democratic.

I'm one of those Scoop Jackson Democrats you hear about but so rarely see.

Texas Democrat who used to be a California Republican. Socially progressive, fiscally pragmatic.

Democrat. I'll remain one as long as I have the recollection that it was our party that has historically staked its claim in the Vital Center of American politics and if I have to occassionally drag what little of it I can, kicking and screaming, so be it. A few votes off the plantation here and there when it's warranted.

I consider myself an independent, and if I could vote I would probablly vote Republican most of the time. The GOP has strayed somewhat from it's roots of fiscal disipline and securing our borders. But I see a far greater problem in the Democratic party, where many of the realists in the party are shunned like Joe Lieberman. The party hates Bush, but is equally divided about how extreme they will tilt. Like an earlier commenter said, they haven't shown me that they are dead serious about fighting terror. Nor do they have any backbone, as nearly every issue is becoming a political wedge, not a conviction (ie. Abortion, Social Security, Judicial Nominees). And I think a stronger third party could really help this country.

I didn't explain my political leanings above, but they are pretty close to Willis', aside from voting Republican most/all of the time. In my book, a vote for the Democrats is only a vote against the modern conservative movement. Dems are in the wilderness today not because of Howard Dean or Joe Lieberman but people like John Kerry and other Democrats equivocate and have little backbone.

Independent now, but I was a registered Republican up until recently. I find the Republican party far too right-wing and arrogant to be a part of it anymore.

I thought the way they went after Clinton was dispicable, and the current regime has done nothing but drive me farther left.

Registered as independant, vote about 50% republican, 25% libertarian, 25% constitution.

Independent now -- have recently voted for Republicans & Democrats (usually while holding my nose) -- but was one of the original Greens. And prior to that I was basically a small-c communist. Life is very long & gives us all the lessons we need in order to grow.

Moderate Democrat (fiscally conservative, pro-tolerance), Austin, TX. Recently, I've been annoyed at the TX GOP for their abuses of power in redistricting, and for being generally politically small.

It's ironic that the current TX GOP has come to power on Bush' coattails, 'cause sometimes I think the first team is in DC.

I mean, in the same summer sessions that the GOP used to get around the 2/3 majority rules, we were promised "real school finance reform." IMHO, we got a plan which was only distinguished in being worse than what it was supposed to reform. Somebody was talking out their hats....

Until 1994 was an independant. Became a registered Republican then. Key reason, Arizona has a 1 1/2 party system. In many local and state elections the real election is the Republican primary (i.e. no Democratic opponent in the general election). The only way to "have a say" in, for example, a primary between a very conservative Republican and a moderate was to be a registered Republican and vote in the primary.

I still enjoy splitting my ticket.

Thanks for sharing, and welcome to all the new commenters.

By my quick count, I get 13 independents, 9 Democrats and 5 Republicans.

Independents are the plurality, but not the majority.

I took a Logic course in college that taught us how to identify a fallacious argument. It nearly ruined me for politics. I am completely turned off by both the Republican and Democratic Parties, but there are individuals from both camps that I respect. I guess that makes me an independent. George Washington warned us about political parties (based on what he saw in England), but did we listen?

If the Dems ever rise to power again in Kansas I'll become a registered Democrat. I always register so as to be able to vote in the majority party's primary. That's where you can do the most damage! (And the most good.)

I'm registered republican, but when asked what I am (politically), I always say "I think what I think." So, I guess independent by definition, but I'd rather not have a label of any sort. As I see it, when you start labelling, people start bunching together and looking out for their group's best interests; what really needs to be done if for everyone to try to look out for EVERYONE's best interests, whatever you think that may be.

I consider myself Independent, since my ego won't let me be totally Democrat (Scorpio rebellious streik). I believe in controlled growth, lots of green zones, pro-abortion, pro- cheap birth control, rise in minimum wage and an expansion of the Medicare system to all people at the poverty level as well as the handicapped and elderly.
However, I am not happy with the current arrogance of the Democratics and liberals. They sound no different than the sour-graping Clinton Republicans.
also I have many conservative friends whom I get along with very well, especially when we talk about politics.

Social Progressive. Lean Communitarian for spending on Schools, Police, Firedepartments, and Local Community. Lean Fiscal Conservative for Federal Spending. Party independent, would love to support a third party, but my experience working for the Reform Party right before Pat Buchanan hijacked it has left me somewhat cynical.

Independent, but I do vote for Democrats more often than not. I've been to precinct caucuses here in Minnesota for both major parties (Republican in 2000 to support McCain), and I must say I found the Republicans much more relaxed, inviting, and interesting to talk to (but then I live in Minneapolis, where there are maybe 10 Republicans altogether). The social conservatives are a big stumbling block for me, though. Meanwhile, the Democrats struck me as quite humorless in their commitment to ideological purity; I half expected them to start "self-criticism" sessions.

My views are basically of the Lieberman-McCain mold. Strong defense, strong public education but with *local* control, pro-globalization, favor continuing to reform the social safety net to reward work and personal responsibility, blah blah blah.

Back to lurking.

Registered Democrat, but not your standard liberal. I support most Democratic intiatives, but I'm not afraid to disagree. Used to be a registered Republican in the mid-90s, but things, and people, change.

Registered Republican with libertarian leanings

(i.e. I support gay marriage and drug legalization but I oppose affirmitive action and social security)

I'm a registered Democrat, but I'm planning to change to Republican -- but either way, I've voted for both. At the state and local level, I vote Democrat, but our Democrats are everyone else's Republicans. And our Reublicans are very, very, very conservative.

I'm pretty much a utilitarian at heart. At the national level, I voted for Kerry, primarily for two reasons -- First, I thought he would be more effective than the Bush administration in protecting us from terrorism (particularly with things like proliferation of weapons and protection of ports), controlling the deficit, handling Iraq (though I don't think there are any good, easy answers), addressing problems with health care and education. And less likely to invade another Middle Eastern nation. Generally, I thought the benefits of Kerry exceeded the costs, relative to Bush. And second, I thought that the current administration has a terrible track record for predicting the future. It's just disturbing to me that there expectations about a lot of things -- Iraq, the deficit, the cost of prescription drug reform (well, they probably knew they were wrong on that one) -- just turned out to be flat-out wrong. As a pragmatist, I would feel a lot better about this administration -- even if I disagreed with them about a lot of stuff -- if I thought they had a handle on predicting the future. That's the way I felt about the first Bush administration -- I thought they were obnoxious, and I disagreed with some of what they did, but I did think they were pretty competent, and a better choice than Dukakis.

Similarly, I'd be pretty happy to vote for John McCain or Chuck Hagel in 2008. I like Joe Biden, too, for the same sort of pragmatic reasons. I just want someone who is *realistic*. One can always hope. :)