Independents Likely to Play Major Role in November Elections

By Samantha Hayes, CNN|News9.com Contributor

WASHINGTON -- Some recent polls suggest as many as 40 percent of registered voters in the United States are registered as Independents. Now more so than any other election, candidates are focusing their efforts on the independents.

"We have never been just a collection of individuals and red states and blue states. We have been and always will be the United States of America," said President Obama back in November 2008.

That's one of the messages that clinched the key independent votes and decided the 2008 presidential election. Independent voters latched on to Barack Obama's promise to mend the deep divide between parties in Washington.

The independents proved to be a political entity not to be ignored, and they're still growing in numbers, according to Independent blogger and CNN contributor John Avlon of the Daily Beast.

"The parties think they can gain them every election cycle, and then ignore them in governing. I think they're going to find out that's no longer true," Avlon said.

But times have changed and independents are no longer as likely to show the same support for the Democratic Party.

Earlier this year in Massachusetts, it was Independent voters who helped get Republican Scott Brown elected to the U.S. Senate. A recent CNN/opinion research poll of registered Independent voters found 62 percent would vote for a Republican congressional candidate, compared to 30 percent who would vote for a Democrat.

"It's not a vote for Republicans. It's really a vote for checks and balances," Avlon said.

With the primary season over, the candidates' focus shifts once again to those key Independent voters. However, at this point in the election cycle, Nathan Gonzalez with the non partisan Rothenberg Political Report said there are few truly Independent voters who are still up for grabs.

"A large number of people who say they are Independent and register as Independents are really leaning to one party or the other, so when you are talking about making a difference in a race you are talking about a very small number of swing and undecided voters," Gonzalez said

Earlier this month, Independent candidate for Oklahoma's District 5 seat Dave White dropped out of the race saying he didn't want to take away any votes from Republican opponent James Lankford.

Several other Independent candidates are also running for office in Oklahoma.

Meet Oklahoma's Candidates | Voting 101: Election Guide 

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