An escalating number of voters registering as Democrats is providing evidence that the 2008 election could produce a wave of support ... trigger[ing] a decades-long shift of party allegiance that could effect elections for a generation.
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Democrats have posted even greater gains statewide, up 106,508 voters from January through May, compared with 16,686 for the Republicans.

"I'm excited to vote for whoever is running for the Democrats," he said.  "I don't have much of a choice.  I don't really like the other party."

Michael Martinez, an associate professor of political science at the University of Florida, said there aren't many people shifting from the Republicans to the Democrats.  But the allegiance of first-time voters is significant.

"New voters tend to identify with the hot party at the time.  In the 1980s, a lot of new voters were identifying with Reagan, because he was sort of the hot commodity," Martinez said.