Ring out the Old, Bring in the Young

Analysis: Youth, minorities join to form new U.S. majority

By Paul West | paul.west@baltsun.com

WASHINGTON - America turned a page Tuesday.

Barack Obama broke through the racial barrier to the Oval Office, becoming the first African-American to gain the presidency. And his electoral landslide delivered a powerful message about a new generation of American leadership.

The young and minority voters who helped lift the 47-year-old Democrat to the White House are now the foundation of a new majority in U.S. politics. Their emergence likely brings to a close the era of conservative dominance that began with Ronald Reagan's election almost three decades ago.