Abstract
In recent years, the Republican party has sharply narrowed the Democratic edge in overall party identification. Using New York Times/CBS News surveys (1980–1986) and earlier NES/CPS surveys, this analysis probes several explanations for that partisan change: generational replacement, conversion, and mobilization. The findings rule out conversion, give some support to mobilization, but emphasize the historically unique surge toward the GOP among the young since 1980. This break with the parental partisan legacy signals the prospect of a party realignment through generational replacement.

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