Moderates Vote. Moderates Decide Many Elections. Talk to Them
Note: I turned this post, which was a reply in another thread into this OP, with minor changes. I don't want to detract from the other thread and encourage everyone to participate in it at the link below:http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024957365
Neither party can count on the moderates to vote reliably for that party's candidates. They make up about one-third of voters. That one-third of voters actually do vote, most of the time, and they actually decide most elections.
I'm not a moderate, but I know a lot of moderates. I talk to them during GOTV efforts, and work hard to convince them to vote for Democrats, using actual information about candidates and their positions. Moderates will listen to what I have to say and, if I'm knowledgeable and can address their specific concerns on specific issues, they will vote for the candidate I'm supporting.
Moderates are suspicious of extreme positions on either side of any question. They don't like teabaggers and they don't much like people they think of as leftists. They want their lives to continue without interruption and without hassle. They're often concerned about issues but often also believe that those issues will not be resolved through elections, but will only be resolved over time.
Moderates are in no way revolutionaries. They're often pretty well-informed about issues and are pretty sure to go to the polls and vote, although their votes can't be counted on by either party. A lot of them read the local newspaper and watch the evening news, usually on one of the three major, long-lived networks. They have a good idea of what's going on, but try not to stress too much about it.
Their concerns are many, though, and those concerns are both economic and social in nature. When an issue is current, they tend to see it as important, but pay attention to both sides of the situation. In Minnesota, for example, medical marijuana is a current issue. Moderates tend to think it should be allowed, but worry about their kids smoking it more if it's not controlled well. Minnesota is a state full of moderates. In 2010, they elected a Republican majority in both houses of the state legislature. In 2012, they elected a Democratic majority after the Republicans went over the top on things like marriage equality, voting rights, and other issues. The moderates decided both elections, because they showed up and voted, as they do in most elections.
Moderates should never be ignored, because they often end up deciding who wins elections. Instead, they should be talked to by articulate GOTV activists who are armed with accurate information about candidates and who can show the moderates that their individual interests will be best served by the Democratic candidates. If you ask them what their individual issues are, they will tell you. Then, it's up to you to help them understand where the candidates you support stand. They will listen. They will go to the polls, reliably, and they will vote as they see fit. It's up to us to help them decide to vote for the candidates we support.
Moderates tend to take a long view of most important issues, but look at both positive and negative aspects of most positions.
Moderates think. Moderates listen. Moderates vote. If you're involved with GOTV activism, you can get them to vote your way if you're informed and articulate.
GOTV 2014 and Beyond!
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Living in California, I know that the vast majority of Latinos and Latinas are Moderates. I don't know a single Latino or Latina who can be considered a Liberal Leftist or a Rightwing Teabagger. I also know plenty of Republicans who are Moderates. I know zero Teabaggers and zero "Leftists". Liberals? Yes. Progressives? Yes. Republicans? Yes. "Leftists" and Teabaggers? No.
For the record, I consider myself a Liberal Democrat; a dedicated Democrat who is to the left of most Democrats regarding social policies and more moderate when it comes to national security. Some call me a pragmatic Progressive because I understand the political realities of this country and human nature in general, so I don't bother with idealistic daydreaming.
The beauty of Moderates (some are pretty a-political and, unfortunately, tend to believe lying political ads 
) is that I can talk to them, present the facts (with urls so they can look up the stuff themselves), and then sit back and watch as the light in their eyes brighten. The beauty of Moderates is, their minds are never set in stone. And yes, they're the ones who actually win elections for one Party or the other. Schwarzenegger's two gubernatorial wins in California proves that Latinos and Latinas are Moderates by nature since they make up the largest and fastest growing voting bloc in our golden State and they helped get him elected.
Politicians who want to win elections know that in order to win, they'll have to convince Moderates to vote for them. They know that better than Teabaggers or "Leftists" do, that's why they garner the wrath of both extremes who don't believe they're pure enough or are "too this" or "not enough of that". But you know what? They still win their elections because of the Moderate vote.
Thank you for your post, MineralMan.
