In a recent New York Times article, Thomas Edsall documents the extent to which Democrats and Republicans differ not only in their political views, but also their day-to-day lifestyles—the cars they drive, the restaurants they frequent, and even the beers they drink.  But do these differences reflect politically-motivated consumer decisions?  In other words, are Republicans more likely than Democrats to drink Coors Light because the Coors Corporation donates to Republican candidates and causes?  We asked a sample of 1000 YouGov respondents about the influence of politics on their buying habits.  When asked about the various factors influencing their purchasing decisions, ... read more

Much has been made of the GOP’s recent “enthusiasm” problem.  According to a Politico news story earlier this week, “Democrats currently are more excited about voting this fall than Republicans are, a sign that doesn’t bode well for the GOP effort to reclaim the White House.” Turnout has indeed been dismal in the most recent primaries and caucuses –although there are many other factors that could be at play, including the spread out primary calendar and lack of a competitive Democratic contest. And polls are now finding that Republicans report being less enthusiastic about voting in the November presidential election ... read more