The idea that the conservatives stayed home in the elections
of 2006 and 2008 is contradicted by the numbers. Here is the turnout rate for
all of the most recent elections. Note that the overall turnout was higher for
the election of 2006, when the GOP lost congress, than 2002, when the GOP made substantial
gains. Also, turnout went up between 2004, when bush won re-election, and 2008,
when Obama won. AND the percentage of voters who called themselves “conservative"
(according to exit polls) was identical (34% in both elections). This means
a higher number of conservatives voted in 2008 than in 2004. Obama won because
he took big majorities of moderates.
2002: 39.5%
2004: 60.1%
2006: 40.4%
2008: 61.6%
SOURCE: The United States Elections Project
(http://elections.gmu.edu/index.html)