maybe i should clarify in specific language: the clark swing was a hidden movement from conservatives to liberals, on the behest of joe clark, and in reaction to stephen harper, that allowed the liberals to hold on to power under paul martin, despite substantial losses to the ndp on their left. this was self-defeating to the right, as the conservatives would have won in 2004 had it not been for the clark swing keeping the liberals in place.

the red tory is similar to the liberal republican. they don't like social conservatism, they don't like wars of aggression and they were concerned about harper's apparent desire to emulate american conservative politics. the whole evangelical thing has never done well here. the clark swing allowed them to define themselves to around 8%. please understand that clark was very aggressive in his endorsement, and that it was acknowledged at the time that he moved older tory voters.

older tory voters. in 2004.

it took harper until 2011 to finally consolidate the red tories, and only in the face of michael ignatieff, who represented everything they feared from harper.

there was a roughly 8% shift from the conservatives to the liberals in the 2015 election.

but, this was always generational. these proportions are bound to shift.

how about i put it to you like this: you don't want to project the clark swing past the life of the man, himself. in fact, his voters are older than him. it will almost certainly pass before he does.

joe clark is 77 years old.