Total turnout in the Democrat presidential primary in 2008 was 1.11 million.
The question this year is whether Bernie Sanders will drive Democrat turnout there to a similar conclusion, or will Democrats cross over in large numbers to vote for Trump. The primary is open.
It would seem Sanders' natural voters are not the working class, in which case Democrats crossing over for Trump would come from Hillary's voters. It could be both: enthusiasm for Bernie among the young and far left boosting his turnout, and enthusiasm for Trump from the blue collars boosting Trump's. In which case Hillary and Cruz might be disappointed today in Wisconsin.
Fewer than 403,000 votes were cast in the Republican presidential primary in 2008, which was won by McCain with 225,000 votes. Huckabee ran second, and won in the western and central part of the state where Trump is supposed to be strong in 2016. Pretty odd. The ARG poll had picked McCain to win Wisconsin by 8, who won it by 17.8. This time around ARG is picking Trump by 10 against six recent polls showing Cruz by an average of 6.5.
ARG is also showing Hillary by 1 as polls open this morning. The Real Clear Politics poll average has Sanders ahead by 2.6.
Long lines of enthusiastic Wisconsinites at all Trump venues in recent days, despite the gaffes which upset polite society political correctness, argue for a stronger showing by Trump today than the consensus would suggest.
