We’ve heard talk over the last few campaigns about how the US electorate seems to be a bit bipolar, swinging from one extreme to the other.
But a chart I came across on wikipedia really seems to demonstrate just how wild the swings have been.
In the 2006 election we saw the Democrats go from controlling 47% of the lower houses to 61% (a 14 point swing) and from 49% to 57% of the upper houses (an 8 point swing).
In 2008 the swing continues, going from 61% to 67% in the lower houses (the upper houses stayed the same).
So that is a swing of 20 points in the lower houses and 12 points in the lower in 2 elections.
But 2010 is even wilder with a 28 points swing in the lower houses and 16 points in the upper.
I don’t know that the 2012 elections will be as big of a swing since many of the changes in 2010 were in southern states where the swingback is not likely.
But it is a pretty wild swing.