WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA?

“He’s going to put in more New Deal policies, disincentivizing self-reliance.”
Laura Kotelman, 36, practice development at global law firm

“He will push the green initiative too far.”
Kathy Thomas, 49, financial consultant

“His dealings with Iran. I am worried he is going to legitimize the regime.”
Nicholas G. Hahn III, 21, student

“He might sell out, and we couldn’t face another attack on our soil.”
Robert Gordon, 57, legal assistant

“His socialistic views about everyone being equal, because then there is no incentive for anyone to excel or to achieve.”
Jessica Jagielnik, 50s, marketing and development officer (3)

“The dollar is going to spin out of control.”
Galen W. Burghardt, 24, student (7)

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY?

“We are close-minded hatemongers.”
Laura Kotelman

“We’re all stuffy old white men. People think of a bald guy out in the boonies with a gun.”
Elisabeth Leicht, 24, account manager (1)

“We’re churchgoing illiterate hicks.”
Gregg Katz, 26, associate director of financial services (2)

“We’re hardhearted; that we don’t care for the little guy.”
Larry LaVanway, 34, attorney

“We’re a bunch of people who want to keep our money.”
Mark Aguilera, 32, business analyst (4)

SUMMARIZE YOUR PARTY’S SLOGAN IN A BUMPER STICKER:

“Yes, we can (do it better).”
Rick Veenstra, 31, attorney (5)

“Less government equals more freedom.”
Kathy Layng, early 40s, writer/editor

“Hollywood is enlightened, but we’re right.”
Elissa Pancoe, 23, freelance esthetician

“We’ll be back.”
Kyle Stone, 26, prosecutor for the City of Chicago (6)

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE RUN IN 2012?

Bobby Jindal: 10
Not sure: 1
Mitt Romney: 4
Mike Huckabee: 2
Bob Barr, Jeb Bush, Hillary Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, John Kasich, Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Mark Sanford: 1 each

WOULD YOU EVER DATE OR MARRY A DEMOCRAT?

Yes: 70%
No: 17%
Maybe: 13%

Sampling: out of 30 guests polled

Photography: Kendall Karmanian