Not to be Missed in Alabama Senate Race: Independents (21% of electorate) Backed Jones

Not to be Missed in Alabama Senate Race: Independents (21% of electorate) Backed Jones

Not to be missed in the Alabama Senate race…independents were 21% of the electorate and broke for Doug Jones 51% to 43%. Moreover, exit polling conducted by Edison Research of 2,387Ā voters showed that among self-identified independents, independent women (8% of the electorate) differed significantly from their male co-hort voting decisively for Jones 57% to 37% while independent menĀ (12% of the electorate) split their vote with 48% backing Moore and 47% Jones. Voters under the age of 40 (25% of electorate) also supported Jones by a significant margin. Among 30 – 39 year olds, 66% supported Jones and 32% Moore.Ā  African American voters came out in strong numbers as reported by Vann R. Newkirk for the AtlanticĀ among others, reversing a trend seen in the 2016 presidential election, comprising 29% of the electorate and backingĀ Jones 96% toĀ 4%. African American women (17% of the total electorate), like independent women, backed Jones more strongly giving himĀ 98% support while 94% of African American men (11% of the electorate) votedĀ for Jones. “In Alabama yesterday voters showed the power of a political coalition that unites independents, African Americans and millennials,” said Jackie Salit, President of Independent Voting. “This force, sometimes called the Black and Independent Alliance, puts the peopleā€™s interests above party interest and has a deep commitment to fairness. Can it grow and mature? Independents think so, even though it was abandoned after it got Obama elected. Time to get it going again.”