… It turns out that a great many of those who call themselves independents at first blush nonetheless feel closer to one party or the other (a group we affectionately call “leaners”), leaving a small group of true independents.
Of course, the critical question about leaners is not their self-identification but rather their behavior. Despite their attempt to adopt the independent label, leaners vote very much like partisans, giving the vast majority of their support to the party to which they feel closer. …
This seemingly arcane debate has implications for Pew’s recent study of political generations, particularly millennials. CONT.
Mark Mellman (Mellman Group), The Hill