MD: Dissatisfied Voters Will Continue to Declare their Independence

From the Capital Hometown Annapolis:

Only 42 percent of those polled view the GOP favorably, compared to 41 percent for the Democrats - in essence, a tie . . .  With this kind of widespread dissatisfaction, is it any surprise that voters are shunning party politics? Independents have increased from 28 percent of the voters in 2000 to 32 percent in 2007. In some states, like New Hampshire and Massachusetts, voters who call themselves independent outnumber those who claim affiliation to a party. Although this would seem to be promising for such groups as the Tea Party movement and the Green Party, it reflects a growing distaste for the whole idea of political association. Voters are just looking for sanctuary from the nasty world of politics. We suspect that the ranks of uncommitted voters will grow and that this will continue to play a significant role in elections.