Memo to Democrats: Look to the Southwest and Southeast, Not Midwest

[Skinner]

Hidden in the wreckage of the election there may be some good news. But I must admit I'm skeptical. I'm not sure if the places we improved our margins are specific to 2016 or if they indicate a longer-term trend. Still, an interesting perspective...

A common lesson drawn from this November’s presidential elections is that to win the presidency, the Democratic Party has to start paying much closer attention to white working-class voters in the Midwest states who delivered the Electoral College majority to Republican Donald J. Trump.

Three weeks after election day, and the once-renowned “blue wall” of Democratic states in the Midwest is in shambles — Trump is the first Republican nominee since the 1980s to win either Michigan, Wisconsin or Pennsylvania, and not since Ronald Reagan’s reelection campaign has a Republican won all three.

But Trump’s Midwestern victories shouldn’t have shocked anyone. Democrats have been struggling there for a generation. Wisconsin has elected Democrats in just two of their last eight gubernatorial elections, and the GOP has held a state assembly majority for 19 of the last 21 years. In Michigan, Republicans have won five of the last seven gubernatorial races, and have held an uninterrupted state senate majority for more than 30 years. Even in Minnesota, which Clinton won, Democrats have won just two of the last seven gubernatorial elections.

The Midwest isn’t safe Democratic territory, but truth be told, the hand-wringing about the Democrats’ woes misses a larger truth. Lost in much of the analyses this year is just how significantly the Trump-Pence ticket underperformed among many traditionally Republican-leaning groups and in some GOP-dominant areas — and of what this possibly portends in future elections. Voting trends suggest a possible realigning of the electorate at work that can bring back the big prize to the Democrats despite their increasingly difficult Electoral College status.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/11/democrats-electoral-map-midwest-southwest-southeast-demographics-214489

[geek tragedy]

1. Here's an idea--look in all places where there are American voters.

Democrats tend to tank in areas we ignore. So stop ignoring entire regions and areas within those regions.

Wisconsin has Ron Johnson, but also has Tammy Baldwin. Michigan has two Democratic Senators.

Mind-boggling that we're seeing people advocate surrender for states because we lost the Presidential election there, once!

[muntrv]

3. 50 state strategy. DNC should bring back Howard Dean.

[BlueMTexpat]

4. Dean is running for the job!

He wants it and he knows what to do.

[BeyondGeography]

2. Can we at least keep Pennsylvania?

Valid points re. AZ and GA (but, Texas? Still a million votes to climb there), but I'm sure the strategy will be to build on our new momentum in a couple of purple states and rebuild the blue wall, or at least most of it. The wall is getting older and whiter and that isn't great for us, so I understand the need to find some new states to win.

[Garrett78]

7. Dems should absolutely try to win (back) PA, MI, WI and OH. As well as AZ, GA, TX, NC and FL.

And maybe MO.

That said, calls for Dems to spend significant time and money in all 50 states isn't realistic or sensible. No candidate from either party can or will do that.

[Moostache]

5. Why do these states keep voting for GOP?

They are suffering economic depression and supposedly angry about it...yet, they have GOP governors and legislatures and control...

So riddle me this Batman...if the GOP "ideas" are so awesome, WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE ANGRY?

[mcar]

6. K&R