NY Times' Brooks falsely asserted “Democrats do as well among top earners as Republicans”

Written by Kathleen Henehan

Published

In an October 30 column, New York Times columnist David Brooks wrote: "[D]on't expect people to cast votes according to their income. Democrats do as well among top earners as Republicans." However, as Media Matters for America has documented, Brooks' suggestion that “top earners” are as likely to vote Democratic as Republican is contradicted by CNN exit polls from the 2006 congressional elections, the 2004 presidential election, the 2004 congressional elections, and the 2000 presidential election, which show that voters with annual incomes of more than $100,000 are more likely to vote for Republican candidates, not Democratic candidates.

As Media Matters noted, MSNBC's Tucker Carlson recently made a claim similar to Brooks', asserting on the October 16 edition of his show Tucker: "[H]ere's the fact that nobody ever, ever mentions -- Democrats win rich people." He continued: “Over 100,000 in income, you are likely more than not to vote for Democrats. People never point that out. Rich people vote liberal. I don't know what that's all about.” Carlson had previously claimed during the July 5 edition of his show: “I'll never forget that in 2000, exit polls showed that [former Vice President] Al Gore won the over-$100,000 income bracket. Rich people are liberal. Rich people vote Democratic.” In fact, the CNN exit polls for the 2000 presidential election found that nationally, 54 percent of respondents with an income above $100,000 voted for George W. Bush, a Republican, compared with 43 percent who voted for Gore, a Democrat.

  • According to CNN exit polls from the 2006 congressional elections, 47 percent of voters with incomes of $100,000 or more supported a Democratic candidate for the House, while 52 percent of such voters supported a Republican candidate for the House. Additionally, 45 percent of voters with incomes of $200,000 or more supported a Democratic candidate, while 53 percent of such voters supported a Republican candidate.
  • According to CNN exit polls from the 2004 presidential election, 41 percent of voters with incomes of $100,000 or more voted for Democratic candidate John Kerry, while 58 percent of such voters cast their ballots for Bush. Additionally, 35 percent of voters with incomes of $200,000 or more voted for Kerry, while 63 percent of such voters supported Bush.
  • According to CNN exit polls from the 2004 congressional elections, 42 percent of voters with incomes of $100,000 or more supported a Democratic candidate for the House of Representatives, while 57 percent of such voters supported a Republican candidate for the House. Additionally, 36 percent of voters with incomes of $200,000 or more supported a Democratic candidate while 62 percent of such voters supported a Republican candidate.

According to CNN's website, “Due to problems at Voter News Service, exit polls were not available for the 2002 [congressional] election."