For your consideration: how Democrats *win* in red states and counties

[Cuban_Liberal]

I almost posted this yesterday, but I thought the atmosphere was still a little volatile, so I waited until today. This past Tuesday, little victories like this happened all over that huge red smear across the South and Midwest, but most people haven't stopped to notice them.

My county went 65.27% for Bush/Cheney-- it wasn't even close. We're rural, religious and Republican. Despite that fact, our candidate for State's Attorney won convincingly--- she racked up 56% of the vote, and won an office no Democrat has held since the Great Depression. How did she win, you ask? Read on...

First, she's a damned fine lawyer, not some willing 'empty suit/sacrificial lamb'; she's the retired head of the AG's Appellate Prosecutor's Division. In other words, she was WELL-qualified.

The second thing she did was talk to the voters here about things that matter to them, not to the DNC or DLC. I'll quote you a Q/A passage from one of her leaflets:

Q: Where do you stand on gun control?

A: I believe in the right of all law-abiding citizens to own firearms. Guns are not the problem in our society, it's criminals who use guns in the commission of a crime that are the problem. Ordinary citizens owning firearms are not to blame for the increase in violent crime we have seen in this county in recent years. Criminals using guns are.

...

Q: What do you believe that you can do to improve the lives of the voters of this county?

A: I believe that the State's Attorney should be in the forefront on such issues as domestic violence; no one has a right to beat their spouse, child or other family member, and as States' Attorney I will aggressively prosecute individuals charged with this crime.

I also believe that the States' Attorney's office must immediately increase its efforts to collect delinquent child support and spousal support. A lack of aggressive prosecution in these areas is one reason that most women and children who live in poverty do so, and that's just plain wrong. As State's Attorney, I will bring these 'deadbeat' spouses into court and force them to support their children and spouses, just as our courts have ordered them to do.

... (more)

Do y'all see something here? This fine lady was elected a.) because she was well-qualified, and b.) because she talked to the voters about things that mattered to them in plain language they could understand. She wasn't elected with just Democratic votes, folks--- there aren't nearly enough of us here to have done that.

Fellow Democrats, :think: about it!

Peace.

:hi:

[Child_Of_Isis]

1. Elections are not about winning anymore.

They are all about stealing.

[Cuban_Liberal]

4. No, no, no!

People actually CARE-- most people, any way--- and what they want are candidates who talk to them about things that matter in their day-to-day lives.

:hi:

[vickie]

2. This is great, where are you from?

[Cuban_Liberal]

3. Central Illinois.

It can be done, and she's proof.

:hi:

[central scrutinizer]

5. Here's another example

Peter DeFazio, the US representative from Oregon's fourth Congressional District, usually wins with at least 60% of the vote. Most of the district is rural and conservative. It also includes Eugene and the University of Oregon, so a Democrat would usually rack up a lot of support there. But he is an unapologetic liberal and doesn't try to be Republican Lite. He also works hard for his constituents and has great support among the veterans and military community because he shakes money out of the VA for veterans that are being screwed by Bushco. People respect his honesty and hard work and this has worked for 18 years. This year was one of his closest races and he still won 59-41 against a well-funded, Gulf War vet who was also an FBI agent.

[sandnsea]

8. Nobody knows his record

And he runs as an independent person, not a liberal. I talked to Republicans who have absolutely no idea what Pete's record is. He voted for the AWB, but people think he's pro-gun. He voted against the war and patriot act, but Bushies either ignored it or didn't believe Feldkamp. He voted for healthy forests, but environmentalists love him. I love DeFazio and he's usually right where I'm at politically, but he doesn't win being an unabashed liberal, he wins because he's an incumbent, good with people, and smart as hell.

[CottonBear]

14. Here's yet another example from Georgia:

Democrat John Barrow won the 12th district seat by defeating one-term Republican, Max Burns. The 12th district stretches from Athens-Clarke County in Northeast GA down to Statesboro and then to Savannah. The district was crafted when we still had a Democratic Governor and legislature. Athens is surrounded by Republican counties so it was decided there would not be an Athens-centered district. Unfortunately, the candidate, Charles Walker, Jr. (son of a prominent black legislator) was the worst possible choice. Corruption and business scandals brought him down and Burns won.

John is from an old Athens family (generations of Barrows have lived, worked and served in elective offices in Athens.) John's father was the revered Judge Barrow. His mother, Phyllis, is a stalwart of the Democratic party. John, a graduate of Harvard Law school, is an Athens attorney and a current Athens-Clarke County Commissioner.

John spent the last year traveling all over this huge district. (It can take more than 4 hours to drive directly from Athens to Savannah.)
He met with as many people as possible. He talked to rural folks, black & white folks, poor people, the elderly, college students, small business men and urban professionals. Health care and education were his main issues.

Burns was exposed as a liar. We didn't have to work to smear him. He did it on his own. Like, for example, his mailing that said he helped to create the Dept. of homeland Security. He was not in office at that time. He also put out incorrect job creation/loss numbers. Tom Delay's funny money went to Burns. I think he came to Athens two or three times in 2 years.
The economy and massive University System budget cuts (Georgia Southern is in Statesboro, Burns home and UGA is in Athens) did not help his situation.

To conclude, it was good, old-fashioned get out and meet the people campaigning that won the day!

[Droopy]

6. I think Kerry was well qualified

and talked about things that matter to people. Things like jobs, health care, and the war. I think he broke it down to terms that people can easily understand. What went wrong there?

[mahina]

7. 'the agressor defines the context of the battle" = gay marriage, etc

we were defined by our opponents.
Please call or email or write letters to your newspapers that supported Kerry but failed to do their job during the last 4 years.
I will do so here.

[sandnsea]

10. big government & taxes

Rural voters are more against liberals and big government than anything else and will vote against that perception every time. Even the ones who can't get by without those programs. In Iowa, he was inspiring when he talked about his vision for America; Bob Shrum must have thought it sounded too elitist and cut it all out so Kerry ended up sounding like nothing but a big program liberal. Or the Clintons did it, not sure which. Did Bill Clinton really tell Kerry to say he approved of states banning gay marriage? You can't go back on 20 years of values and expect to win the rural vote.

[Droopy]

12. Then rural voters are dumbasses

Bush has done nothing to shrink the size of government. It has expanded under his administration, despite the tax cuts. And poor rural voters voting against their own interests is even more stupid. I think it has to do with the perception that Bush is a "good Christian man."

[sandnsea]

15. I think that doesn't help

First, most poor rural voters went for Kerry. If anybody bothered to check the exit polls for each state. 25% of evangelical/born agains went for Kerry, if anybody bothered to check the exit polls. 90% of white protestant christians went for Bush, and the wealthier people got, the more they went for Bush. In other words, the WASP country club set. We've been targeting the wrong people for the wrong reasons. But I suppose it's easier to just call everybody stupid.

[Cuban_Liberal]

19. He never got the message across.

He did not speak in what most of America would consider 'plain English'; you've got to remember that we're talking to the 'sound bite' crowd these days. If it won't fit on a 3" x 5" index crad, double-spaced, it isn't worth saying, because most voters aren't going to listen.

Bush and Rove understood that, and Kerry and Cahill never did.

:shrug:

[crispini]

9. I agree!

Dallas county elected an OPENLY GAY Hispanic female Sheriff.

She was AMAZINGLY well qualified, charismatic, and well-spoken.

We also elected three Democratic judges. A civil court candidate with a background in corporate finance, a criminal court candidate who was a judge in another county, and a family court candidate who had a resume as long as your arm in her field.

Only thing I can't understand is the tax assessor candidate's loss, because she was also really well qualified. I think I'm chalking that one up to name recognition.

[demodonkey]

11. I Own a Gun Myself...

The quote below is exactly the way I feel myself. And I believe the way John Kerry feels, but the Repugs defined it for him!

Anyway I'm not running for anything -- right now at least ;-) -- but I take every opportunity to TELL these asshole this myself -- "I'm a BIG Democrat and I own a gun..." If they see "normal" Democrats who share (at least) some "values" with them, it might make it easier to vote for a Dem (any office from Dog Catcher to President.)


<<A: I believe in the right of all law-abiding citizens to own firearms. Guns are not the problem in our society, it's criminals who use guns in the commission of a crime that are the problem. Ordinary citizens owning firearms are not to blame for the increase in violent crime we have seen in this county in recent years. Criminals using guns are.>>

[democratreformed]

13. John Kerry also said that people should be allowed to own guns.

Why did they not listen to him? You know why? Because they were more concerned about gays getting any rights and protecting fertilized eggs that anything else. In the long run, that's what did it.

[Cuban_Liberal]

16. We let them define the terms of that debate.

We let them do that to us, and we suffer, as a result. How about next time WE define the terms of debate?

:hi:

[democratreformed]

17. I would really like for someone to try and explain how to do that.

Damn, I thought we did everything we could to bring the really important issues before the people.

[Cuban_Liberal]

18. Do a little 'pre-emption' of our own.

Why do we always let them get the first shot off?

:think:

[Cuban_Liberal]

20. Kick

:dem: