Ilhan Omar: If Democrats want to win, focus on nonvoters

[brooklynite]

Washington Post

President Trump went after me yet again this week: “How about Omar?” he said at a rally in Pennsylvania. “We’re going to win the state of Minnesota because of her.” He then launched into a xenophobic, false attack implying I wasn’t American. “She’s telling us how to run our country. How did you do where you came from?” he asked the crowd. (For the record, I fled civil war when I was 8 years old and am a naturalized U.S. citizen who serves our nation in Congress.)

As offensive as his remarks are, I have seen the media and even Democrats fall for his argument. We need to win over former Trump voters, the thinking goes, and we can’t do that if we embrace progressive leaders and policies. But while winning swing voters is important, there is a key constituency Democrats need in November that is almost entirely left out of the conversation: nonvoters.
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In 2016, 6 million people who voted for President Barack Obama in 2012 supported Trump. Yet an even greater proportion of Obama supporters — 6.7 million — didn’t vote at all or voted for third-party candidates. Evidence shows these voters are more persuadable than those we lost to Trump. They hold views that are similar to those of consistent Democratic voters and are more likely to support progressive policies.

They’re also more likely to be working class, immigrants and people of color. In 2016, just 28 percent of voters had an income under $30,000, compared with more than half of nonvoters. Of nonvoters, according to the New York Times, 52 percent were non-White, compared with 35 percent of Hillary Clinton voters and just 16 percent of Trump voters.

Response: No. If non-voters aren't engaged enough to vote by now, they won't get turned around in six weeks.

[redstatebluegirl]

1. Almost to late for them to register.

I have zero sympathy for non voters, even more so than Trump voters. If you don't vote, don't gripe about the outcome and how it impacts you, especially young people, this supreme court is going to make your lives miserable.

[dsc]

2. not in MN which does same day registration

[lapucelle]

3. Then hopefully Rep Omar is engaing them

Because Rep. Omar is a Democrat, perhaps she can try to engage Nina Turner and Bribri Grey as well.

[Caliman73]

6. Turner and Grey are not non voters. They are nihilists.

I am sure that Omar is doing outreach.

The only complaint I have against what Omar is saying is that it is a "Captain Obvious" statement. It should have been the focus of the Democrats for months, if not longer.

46% of eligible voters did not show up last Presidential election. Almost half of the voting eligible public. They do have to be engaged.

[cbdo2007]

4. This is correct. We should easily be winning in many close states with only 70% of people

of voting age actually voting.

May be too late this year, but we need to start hard core campaigns to get people registered and voting, especially the younger generation.

[marble falls]

5. We'll never peel away Trumps loyal core. Trump might be the only candidate they ever voted for ...

We have to spark those who have been discouraged from voting.

[Rice4VP]

7. That's what I tell the Biden campaign every time

that they text or email me. I told them that I’ve voted in every election since I was 19 and I already early voted for Biden/Harris. Harass the people who didn’t vote in 2016 and 2018

[theaocp]

8. Response: Yes. We want people to vote for us.

That's called campaigning. Is the campaign over or something?