What I think the Democrats need.

[coloradodem2005]

It is not so much about finding liberal vs. centrist candidates who can run for offices, it is about finding candidates that can resonate with the people in the area they are being elected in. Whether is is a state, part of a state or the whole country is someone who resonates with people. We also need candidates with clear messages. Clear, concise and willing to speak their mind. Someone who, whenever negative attacks come his/her way, is ready to smack them down.

Let me tell you, Ken Salazar won the senate race. He is a moderate. The important thing is though is that he resonates with the people of Colorado. This is why a Democrat like him wone in this state. In Illinois, Barack Obama won his election. Yes, he won because he had a psycho opponent. But I would venture to say that if Jack Ryan hadn't been so stupid and wound up still the nominee that Obama still would have won. The margin of victory would not have been as wide but I believe that Obama would have won, because he resonates. He is more liberal than Ken Salazar, but he resonates with the people of Illinos. Evan Bayh is a Democratic senator in a very Republican state of Indiana. He was considered a safe seat so he easily won re-election. Feingold won re-election. These people stand on their principles. They have teeth. But they resonate with people. My point is that it is not about needing to go with all liberal candidates, or all centrist candidates, it is about teeth. It is about finding people that resonate in a positive way with the people.

[SeanQ]

1. Exactly!

[aldian159]

2. No doubt about it

If you stand up for what you believe in, you'll do okay. Feingold is a great example. He stood up for his beliefs, and won easily in a state Kerry barely took.

[earthside]

3. Wrong, Wrong, Wrong

Each of the winning candidates mentioned were successful for reasons specific to their contests.

Ken Salazar is no liberal. He won because he was personable, had integrity, a history in Colorado politically and socially ... and because Pete Coors was a last gasp GOP candidate - and Coors was terrible as a campaigner.

Obama had no opposition ... really.

Evan Bayh is a Republican for all intents and purposes.

The only interesting winner listed is Feingold. He did stand on principle and made a virtue of his stands. And that may be the real lesson here.

Looking for "good" candidates as the salvation of the progressive cause is not, in the end, a winning strategy. Look at the horrible radical Republican candidates that won -- Coburn, Bunning, DeMint. They won because they articulated the same message formulated by KKKarl Rove, a consistent, simple, message.

So the hope for liberals and progressives is the values and ideas behind the Green Party. The Democrats need to find and articulate genuine values of poor and middle class Americans. The message matters more than the candidate.

But if the Democratic Party, out of short-term fear, cannot cut the corporate contributions apron strings and become again the party of unions and working folks ... then they'll just fail once more.