Younger voters are also more likely to take another look at the Republican Party when they feel the full impact of government spending once they’re working full-time, purchasing homes and raising families.

“Some minds might be changed when they start paying taxes and other things that don’t directly affect us right now,” she said.

A Democratic assist?

Area Republicans expect to have a key ally in their political resurgence — Democrats. Relying on the other side to screw up might not be the preferred strategy, but Bade expects it to happen.

Bade considers Obama’s rise to be similar to that of Adolph Hitler’s in the 1930s, and he believes there’s an outside chance that America is headed for a dictatorship. More likely is a slide to socialism or, perhaps, just an inept presidency, he said.

“I’m almost expecting the Obama administration to make a botch of things,” Bade said. “They’re too ideologically socialist, and a lot of their ideas are impractical. They just don’t add up.”

Day thinks there may be a backlash when the cost of Obama’s spending proposals begin to add up. At the same time, he doesn’t rule out the possibility that Democrats — with universal health care, tax cuts and programs aimed at helping the middle class, more regulation on corporate America — are offering what voters genuinely want.

“Maybe people want more government,” Day said. “I could be on the wrong side. I’m smart enough to realize it.”

But Day, who’s been running for office — and mostly winning — for nearly three decades, sees the ebb and flow of party politics.

“Hey, we got a new group,” he said. “They’ll take over for a few years, and we’ll see how that goes.”