an average of 4.4% per annum since 1948. (The Republican record: a 2.7% average gain.)

Why it Pays to Elect a Republican

Since 1901, the Dow Jones has risen in 11 of the 14 presidential election years when a Republican was elected. (It rose in just 7 of the 12 years when a Democrat won the vote.)

Stocks have risen in the latter half of an election year 13 of the 14 times that Republicans have won. The average six-month gain: 11.8%. (The market rose in the second half of 8 of the 12 years when a Democrat won. The average gain in those years was just 6.3%.)

See the following table for a few additional figures you can use to liven up a dinner conversation in the weeks to come.

And finally, since 1901, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen an average 8.9% during the last half of an election year. If that holds true in 2008, the Dow, which closed at 11350 at the end of June, can be expected to rise to 12360 by New Year's, leaving the index with a 6.8% loss for the year. But, as the industry saying goes, "Past performance does not predict future performance," and, I'd add, voters should have greater concerns than stock market results in mind when casting their vote for president.

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