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Who knew your DNA could turn you red or blue?

When it comes to winning the presidency, the deciding factor may be much smaller than either candidate suspects. DNA small. Just ask Rice University political scientist John Alford, whose research into behavioral genetics has shown that an individual’s political beliefs are shaped by more than just personal views and experiences. Turns out, biology plays a role, too. Alford and his team analyzed the political opinions of thousands of twins and found that identical twins were more likely than fraternal twins to agree on political issues. “These views are deep-seated and built into our brains,” he said. “Trying to persuade someone not to be liberal is like trying to persuade someone not to have brown eyes.” Bottom line, the really important acronym in this election may not be RNC or DNC — but rather DNA.