Marine Corps officers and election 2000: new praetorians or loyal centurions?

Abstract

This study examines the voting behavior of Marine Corps officers during the presidential election of 2000. The study determines which candidate Marine officers favored and explores some of the factors that influenced their choice. A survey was distributed to Marine Corps officers at the Naval Postgraduate School in August 2001. Frequencies and cross tabulations were used to analyze responses to the survey. The results show that the majority of Marine officers are Republican and favored George W. Bush in the election of 2000. However, Marine officers do not appear to be politically active beyond voting, and their voting choice is motivated by more than just party identification. It is recommended that standards of professionalism and rules regarding political activities continue to be enforced.