Wed
Nov 15 2006
11:56 am
Facing South update...
By: R. Neal

Chris Kromm's excellent response to those who would abandon Southern Democrats:

There are many other reasons for the Democratic Party not to write off the South. For any major party to pull up stakes in the fastest-growing region in the country is clearly a bid for political suicide.

Chris has lots of analysis and numbers to back up his assertion, so read the whole thing.

Topics:
Eleanor A's picture

I've already taken the

Submitted by Eleanor A on Wed, 2006/11/15 - 12:22pm.

I've already taken the liberty of cutting and pasting big chunks of this in several spots on the blogosphere. With the correct attribution and links, of course.

Chris kicks ass, but it's kind of a longish story as to how I know that. ;)

R. Neal's picture

Do tell! Anyway, my favorite

Submitted by R. Neal on Wed, 2006/11/15 - 12:52pm.

Do tell!

Anyway, my favorite part is this:

It would also put Democrats at odds with their self-image and raison d'etre. For Democrats to turn their backs on a region that half of all African-Americans and a growing number of Latinos and Asian-Americans call home, a place devastated by Hurricane Katrina, plant closings, poverty, and other indignities – in short, for “progressives” to give up on the very place where they could argue they are needed most – would rightfully be viewed as a historic retreat from the party’s commitment to justice for all.

Paul Witt's picture

I agree with his argument

Submitted by Paul Witt on Wed, 2006/11/15 - 4:28pm.

I agree with his argument but he's missing a piece.  He doesn't talk about the issues that southern voters tend to focus on. 

While it would be nice to find a Democratic candidate that would appeal to southern voters, it would probably be a better strategy to find a midwestern or mountain west moderate/populist.

For example, someone like Tom Vilsack (who is NOT my first choice) might be the perfect choice.  Northeastern, west coast and mountain west voters don't look down their nose at Iowans simply because they're not from their region.  He's moderate and from a rural states so voters in rural OH and PA will relate to him.  He could win every state that Kerry won plus OH and a couple of mountain west states, not have to craft a specific message for southern voters and win in '08.

In short, the only people that really appeal to southerners are other southerners.  And even then, they have to speak the language without coming across as pandering.  Other than John Edwards, nobody I can think of fits that description.

So yea, if we don't nominate a southern Democrat, the south should be ignored.

Andy Axel's picture

Vilsack has some credibility

Submitted by Andy Axel on Wed, 2006/11/15 - 4:37pm.

Vilsack has some credibility issues with netroots types. (Admittedly, some of these are the same netroots pushing the meme of "f*** the south," but I digress.) Being in a leadership position at the DLC doesn't win many fans among Northern progressives.

I suspect Evan Bayh would face this same challenge.

____________________________

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bizgrrl's picture

Great info, some of which I

Submitted by bizgrrl on Wed, 2006/11/15 - 12:31pm.

Great info, some of which I was totally unaware.

Southern married women were the staunchest GOP supporters in 2006, with only 40% voting for Democrats

What's that about?

Socialist With A Gold Card's picture

I think that's what the

Submitted by Socialist With ... on Wed, 2006/11/15 - 12:34pm.

I think that's what the SBC meant by "submitting graciously."

--Socialist With A Gold Card

"I'm a socialist with a gold card. I firmly believe we need a revolution; I'm just concerned that I won't be able to get good moisturizer afterwards." --Brett Butler

 

Mark Siegel's picture

I don't know what the deal is with married women

Submitted by Mark Siegel on Thu, 2006/11/16 - 9:33am.

But I did notice in the exit polling from the Ford-Corker race on CNN that Ford got shellacked by married women.

Married women voted for Corker 55% to 44% for Ford. In fact, all other voters, (men and unmarried women) voted for Ford 50% to 49%.

I had thought that this was a result peculiar to the Ford-Corker race, because Ford was unmarried and Corker played up the "I have a family" thing and the Playboy party thing so much.

If only 40% of Southern married women voted for Democrats, however, Ford did a little better than the norm.

Sven's picture

Fantastic. For those like me

Submitted by Sven on Wed, 2006/11/15 - 12:38pm.

Fantastic. For those like me who have a hard time visualizing numbers, here's a fun toy.

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