Anybody following a US presidential election is likely to be hit with a blizzard of figures: polling numbers, economic growth statistics, projected budget deficits and the like. But, to my mind, some of the most interesting figures are demographic and generational.

This blog post, by the excellent Thomas Edsall, makes some very interesting points about the make-up of the Republican electorate. In the GOP’s South Carolina primary, 98% of those who voted were white: this in a state where nearly 28% of the population is black. Republican voters are also relatively old: 72% in South Carolina were over the age of 45. Read more