Is the Republic Party retreating into the South?

[Ikonoklast]

With the effectiveness of the 50 state strategy helping to start turn the west purple, at least, which used to be conceded by the Democrats, and the northeast and midwest rejecting Republic candidates across the board, is the last refuge of their party going to be a racist, fundamentalist southern base?

It would seem that the Republic Party now has a choice to make as to which direction they will head: become more moderate (as the rest of our country has moved to the left) and repudiate the politics of division, or stay the course and be beholden to the extremists that currently control Republic policy.

If their party continues the alliance with only the extreme religious right, pander to socially conservative lower-middle class white voters, and the xenophobes, are they just charting a path to a permanent minority status?

It would seem that all the talk I hear from "true" conservatives is how they have been abandoned by the current Neocon Republic leadership.

I see Republic circular firing squads forming ranks now.

[whistle]

1. Scary thought for Florida

[ieoeja]

16. Flash back two years.

On edit: sorry, should have been reply to message below this one.

The Democratic party is no longer a "national party" said Sen Zell Miller (D-GA) after the Republics swept the presidency and both houses of congress for the second time in three election cycles.


And lets face it, the biggest bashers of southern dems are ... southern dems. Time and again southern dems on this board insist that we must nominate a southerner for president because southerners are too bigoted to vote for anyone outside their region. You will have to excuse the rest of us for calling that what it is: whiney and bigoted.

[Dawgs]

2. Ah, another ignorant 'republican south' thread.

Uh, a lot of us live in the south, and it's not that divided.

Come on people.

[TransitJohn]

8. Yeah, I get a LOT of that too

being from and loving living in Wyoming. Sucks but there is so much stereotyping around here.

[Ikonoklast]

10. How is this "ignorant"?

You realize that the re-energization of the Republic party was their so-called 'Southern Srategy'?

This is not a knock on the South, we have many loyal Democrats in the South that should be energized by the recent Democratic gains.

[featherman]

3. Our duty to continue to define it as a narrow, regional party

rather than a true national party.
Kind of a modern version of the Dixiecrats or George Wallace's

[Bridget Burke]

5. I notice California re-elected it's Republican Governor!

Congrats...

[featherman]

7. California re-elected a celebrity, who is incidently a rather moderate

Republican. Dianne Feinstein's chief of staff was Arnold's co-campaign manager if THAT gives you any indication how little chance Angelides had against Mr. Star Power.

[Bridget Burke]

9. Oh, so Arnie is a GOOD Republican!

I thought you Californians were more advanced than us dumb Texas hicks.

[architect359]

12. Nobody said anything about Texans!

Texans are neither dumb nor hick-like.

[featherman]

14. He's a celebrity with a strong appeal to normally DEM Hispanics

It's reality politics. As he moved to moderate positions the stronger opposition to him dissapated. It should be noted that in California (as in Texas, I hear) the Governor is not a particularly powerful executive post. The real power resides in the Assembly.

But, hey, if you just want to throw cute, shallow barbs... go ahead. Politics is politics... we worked hard and got the rest of the slate elected (maybe you didn't notice) but Arnold himself was unbeatable this year due to his star power and move back to the center.

[Vektor]

13. Eeewwww. Yeah.

I, for one, did not vote for the fool.

But, yeah. WOW.


WTF? I swear, it's a bunch of star-struck "morans" who liked the "Conan" and "Terminator" movies who are voting on the image of the Hollywood star, and not even THINKING about actual politics. They just think it's funny and cool to say "My Governor can kick your Governor's ass..."

Maddening, I tell ya.

[featherman]

6. This thread is about the narrowness of the GOP, not a slam at the South

[Ikonoklast]

11. Thank you, you get it

I refuse to slam any region of the country.

I am a Buckeye, and took my share of abuse in '04.

[Bridget Burke]

4. Which "South"?

Warning for GOP in Harris County
Election results show Dems could prevail here as soon as 2008

By DAN FELDSTEIN and CHASE DAVIS
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

"Believe me, it's being discussed," said Republican Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt, a conservative leader.

"It's an amazing wake-up call," said Republican County Commissioner Steve Radack.

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chronicle/4321931.html

Here's the news from DALLAS! (Yes, we Houstonions love to rag on the Metroplex.)

Democrats turn Dallas County a shade of blue
Republicans lose 42 judgeships, the DA's office and county judge post

By THOMAS KOROSEC
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Dallas Bureau

DALLAS — The home of glitzy restaurants, million-dollar condos and six-figure Neiman Marcus holiday baubles has a new distinction that has nothing to do with its oversupply of Hummers and BMWs.

Dallas County still calls its historic courthouse Old Red, but on Tuesday it went "blue."

A national wave of Democratic voting and changing demographics swept Republicans out of power in the county as the GOP surrendered 42 judgeships, the district's attorney office and the county judge's seat.

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/4321790.html

Rick Perry will remain Governor--but he only got 39% of the vote.

And remember Nick Lampson--the Democrat who won DeLay's old seat!

[Barack_America]

15. Are we talking about the stereotypical Southern mentality...

...or the physical South? Thanks in advance for the clarification!

[Ikonoklast]

19. As another poster noted above

Becoming a minority party with a southern base, see 'Dixiecrats'. It is unfortunate, but that is who they pander to, and it happens to be in the South.

It would appear that they will lose the more traditional conservatives (smaller gov't, fiscal conservatism, etc.) if they continue allying themselves with religious extremists and use race as a dividing tactic.

[Odin2005]

17. The "Red South" is a myth.

The reddest part of the country is the southern plains states

[Clark2008]

20. BINGO!

:applause:

[Clark2008]

18. Why would they - the mid-west is way more red than the South.

We may not have an Dem US Senators, but we have far more Dem governors, state houses and US congressmen than the mid-West.

[Odin2005]

21. *KICK*