In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here.To many conservatives, New York looks like the culmination of progressive politics: a city governed by the Left and pushing steadily further in that direction. A new poll of the city’s own Democrats suggests a more complicated reality. New York is one of the places in America that looks like a one-party state: Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans roughly 6 to 1 as of late 2024, and the Democratic primary, not the general election in November, is where power actually changes hands. Yet that lopsided advantage may say more about the rules than about any genuine partisan loyalty.A survey commissioned this month by the reform groups Open Primaries and the Independent Voter Project found that only 40% of New York City’s registered Democrats describe themselves as proud members of the party. Nearly as many, 39%, say they are actually independents who registered as Democrats for one reason: In a city with closed primaries, it is the only way to cast a meaningful vote. Among Latino Democrats, only about 1 in 3 still consider themselves Democrats at all, the survey found, the lowest figure of any group surveyed.