Ohioans Trending Blue

The Gallup Poll has released a study of partisan identication in 2006 polls, concluding that:

Democrats averaged a nearly four point advantage over the Republicans on national party identification and an even larger 10-point advantage when independents' partisan "leanings" are taken into account. ... Democratic strength in the United States has grown in each of the last three years. The trends are fueled more by movement away from the Republican Party and into independent status than by movement toward the Democratic Party.

In Ohio, the results for 2006 are 53% Democratic or leaning Demoratic, 8% independent (not leaning either way), and 39% Republican or leaning Republican. That's a 15 point spread in favor of the Democrats, significantly higher than the national margin.

The report also has a chart showing party orientation by state over the last five years. Ohio was deemed Republican in 2002, "competitive" in 2003, and Democratic in each of the last three years.