The Enthusiasm Gap

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/07/chuck-todd-republican-voters_n_1946586.html

NBC News’ Chuck Todd, appearing on “Meet the Press” Sunday, talked about a trend in polling that has perhaps been overlooked a bit.

Republicans have an “across the board” enthusiasm advantage over Democrats in NBC's polls that is the opposite of how the electorate looked four years ago.

Seventy-nine percent of Republican voters are “extremely interested” in the election, compared to 73 percent of Democrats. In 2008, Democrats led in this measurement by 13 points, Todd said.

The GOP advantage spans all the key voting constituencies. In terms of seniors, a strong group for Republican nominee Mitt Romney, 87 percent of voters are enthusiastic, up six points from 2008. Two key groups for Obama, young voters and Latinos, are showing less interest: 52 percent of 18-to-34 year olds are “extremely interested,” down 20 points from 2008, and 59 percent of Latinos, down 18 points.

“So even though [Obama’s] going to get more Hispanics, if less of them turn out, it’s a net zero. And yet, you look at Republican enthusiasm, up, senior enthusiasm, up,” Todd said.

“It’s a huge problem,” he said. “And by the way, all of this, pre-debate.”