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[VendettaRed07]

How? What is the evidence?

Evidence is that the current strategy isn't working? Doesn't lead to wins? Try rebranding the party with new ideas and strategies and see if that works?

If we aren't going to run Dixiecrat anti-choice candidates like we used to in order to win southern seats we need to do something else. See if a new approach actually works. Other wise i don't know what to say

 

[shinra-bansho]

We have STUFF tho! Weed! Single payer! Loan forgiveness and college!

USE IT.

All four members of the stoner eight year for-profit liberal arts pottery majors now in the bag. We did it.

 

[Bonen no Max'd]

This race was more expensive than the entire British election, disgusting.

 

[B-Dubs]

Tulsi Gabbard would be a good choice if she wasn't a fucking Islamophobic zealot

Tulsi Gabbard is literally everything people said Clinton was: corrupt, conniving, racist, she changes her opinions based on the wind, and she's incredibly conservative. Even if she wasn't a bigot, she's incredibly conservative and has the record to back it up.

 

[Diablos]

Is anyone really going to give a fuck about this race in a year? 6 months? 3?
No.

It was a 5 point gap right? Didn't Price beat his Democratic opponent by like 20+ points last year? So Ossoff definitely closed the gap by a lot, I don't think tonight means the House is unwinnable or 2018 is going to suck. But fucking hell, it probably will anyway.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

Something they do in the U.K. that is interesting is that the party actually puts out a manifesto they run on. There's much more party discipline there, but having something to run ON to supplement Trump's numbers that we can use is a good thing.

Isn't that a party platform essentially?

 

[Autodidact]

I will keep these messages in mind when I (hopefully) intern with the Democrats next year.

 

[Carpe Libertatem]

Tulsi Gabbard would be a good choice if she wasn't a fucking Islamophobic zealot

Weird how you'd want a centrist to run for president as a Democrat.

Explain Huey Long and Edwin Edwards. I don't think the Democrats should throw hundreds of million dollars at Southern progressives, but it's dangerous to write-off an entire region of the country an unreachable. Alternative strategies through new and regionally-tailored platforms can make a 2018 majority more plausible.

I've already explained this exact thing to you before, so I don't intend on doing it again. Keep thinking you can win Southern Whites I guess.

 

[Vixdean]

Democrats need to find an Anthony Weiner who hasn't been caught sexting teenagers. Fuck civility, time to start running straight up assholes.

 

[Box of Kittens]

Nate Silver's point that GA-06 hasn't moved to the left quite as much as we thought (yet), while other districts like SC-05, KS-04, etc also haven't moved as much to the right as we thought is important, I think. The movement is clearly somewhere in between

Certainly means we shouldn't write off the rust belt yet

This is correct. People got very excited because Trump barely won the district, but you also have to remember that Romney won it by 23 points. While it is moving in our direction, part of the issue is that they like generic Republican a lot more than they like Trump, and they don't see the GOP as being Trump's party yet. This is why we can't put all our eggs in the suburban Sun Belt basket. Yes, these districts present opportunities, but there are winnable districts all over the country that we also need to put resources into.

 

[shinra-bansho]

Liberal Icon for House Leader to replace Nancy Shillosi.

 

[PBY]

All four members of the stoner eight year for-profit liberal arts pottery majors now in the bag. We did it.

Laugh - but I haven't heard a better message in this thread. What do you propose?

Also that stuff ACTUALLY HELPS PEOPLE.

 

[whyamihere]

Isn't that a party platform essentially?

Yes but they actually run on it versus something that gets dumped in the trash after the convention.

I guess it's sort of like the Better Way thing Ryan tried to do if Trump wasn't around.

 

[royalan]

Mark my words, Democrats will find their fortunes in women.

If we pay attention, really look at what's happening in the grassroots, it's all women. At the forefront of every movement. Black Lives Matter, the Women's March, The Mothers of the Movement, etc. It's all women. Pissed off women who aren't afraid to speak their minds. That is heart of this moment on the Left.

Hillary Clinton wasn't enough to tap into this moment, but her loss helped ignite it.

 

[PBY]

Mark my words, Democrats will find their fortunes in women.

If we pay attention, really look at what's happening in the grassroots, it's all women. At the forefront of every movement. Black Lives Matter, the Women's March, The Mothers of the Movement, etc. It's all women. Pissed off women who aren't afraid to speak their minds. That is heart of this moment on the Left.

Hillary Clinton wasn't enough to tap into this moment, but her loss helped ignite it.

Actually extremely agree with this.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Mark my words, Democrats will find their fortunes in women.

If we pay attention, really look at what's happening in the grassroots, it's all women. At the forefront of every movement. Black Lives Matter, the Women's March, The Mothers of the Movement, etc. It's all women. Pissed off women who aren't afraid to speak their minds. That is heart of this moment on the Left.

Hillary Clinton wasn't enough to tap into this moment, but her loss helped ignite it.

I mean aren't black women some of the most politically active/vote in high numbers? Too bad black people (and specifically black women) are so reviled in this country :/

 

[TestOfTide]

Honestly, tonight just further proves that the biggest problem with the Democrats' approach is this "Lets focus on the HIGH PROFILE RACES" approach. It's stupid, it's counter productive, and it's not even helpful in terms of creating a long term strategy.

DNC, DCCC, and DSCC need to rebuild their system so that local and state candidates are encouraged to promote each other instead of the shit Osoff did where he's sending 3 million emails asking his donors to help him get another 3 million dollars all raised for himself. Ossof could have been helping other candidates who are also running this year and next year raise some much needed money.

Ossof went with the approach of one big basket when what the Dems need to do is go with the approach of a bunch of low profile webs that all support the nearby webs. And it shouldn't involve focusing too much on which places are the most competitive. It should instead focus on the old catchphrase "If you build it they will come" when it comes to a voting base.

And this requires Dems to stop with this whole "well this race is really competitive, so we need to add another $10million to this ONE race" approach and instead think of it more like "how many different candidates can I significantly boost with $10 million?"


EDIT: And remember that woman who dropped out of challenging Steve King due to death threats? Well I'm sure it couldn't be THAT expensive to pay for a couple of body guards to convince her to go back into running, right. And yes I know that King would probably still win, but I guarantee you that the margins would end up much closer than expected so long as King's opponent doesn't try to go high profile with the race. Point is it would create a democratic voting base in Steve King's district, which would help us do much better both in Iowa and in King's district.

 

[NeoXChaos]

I kinda wonder which state will give us the first black woman as Governor?

 

[Loxley]

Mark my words, Democrats will find their fortunes in women.

If we pay attention, really look at what's happening in the grassroots, it's all women. At the forefront of every movement. Black Lives Matter, the Women's March, The Mothers of the Movement, etc. It's all women. Pissed off women who aren't afraid to speak their minds. That is heart of this moment on the Left.

Hillary Clinton wasn't enough to tap into this moment, but her loss helped ignite it.

Completely agree.

 

[Bam Bam Baklava]

To see people go from the ridiculous hubris of Democrats will never lose because of magical demographics to Republicans will never lose because of whatever in less than a year is very trying as someone who doesn't see things in such narrow reactionary ways.

 

[Bishman]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powe...5fd8e0c288f_story.html?utm_term=.b34ff8f26f20

Echoes the feeling that we may need candidates that are harsher and play the game better.

I've been hesitant about her chances, but I think Harris can do this.

I agree. Bookmark this post. Kamala Harris wins the Democratic primary.

 

[RastaMentality]

I kinda wonder which state will give us the first black woman as Governor?

illinois gave us the first black woman senator and california the second so either of those two maybe.
----
Woman of color are the future. I'm glad everyone's catching on because WOC are getting the people going now.

 

[Box of Kittens]

Is anyone really going to give a fuck about this race in a year? 6 months? 3?
No.

It was a 5 point gap right? Didn't Price beat his Democratic opponent by like 20+ points last year? So Ossoff definitely closed the gap by a lot, I don't think tonight means the House is unwinnable or 2018 is going to suck. But fucking hell, it probably will anyway.

People like to dismiss the Price results because of incumbency, weak and unsupported opponents and the like. And sure, the baseline should not have been set at matching that performance. But the baseline also should not have been set at matching Clinton's performance because that also wasn't perfectly representative of the district given they like the GOP a lot better than they like Trump, and they haven't yet figured out that the GOP is Trump's party now.

 

[BlackClouds]

Just tuning in. A disaster just like I thought. I'm never confident when POC turnout is low when it comes to Democrats. That's the beginning and end of it.

 

[Plinko]

Mark my words, Democrats will find their fortunes in women.

If we pay attention, really look at what's happening in the grassroots, it's all women. At the forefront of every movement. Black Lives Matter, the Women's March, The Mothers of the Movement, etc. It's all women. Pissed off women who aren't afraid to speak their minds. That is heart of this moment on the Left.

Hillary Clinton wasn't enough to tap into this moment, but her loss helped ignite it.

Good thing democrats have some potential stars in that realm.

 

[Tarydax]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powe...5fd8e0c288f_story.html?utm_term=.b34ff8f26f20

Echoes the feeling that we may need candidates that are harsher and play the game better.

I've been hesitant about her chances, but I think Harris can do this.

Yes, please.

 

[Bonen no Max'd]

I kinda wonder which state will give us the first black woman as Governor?

maybe Donna Edwards if she runs next year

 

[The Technomancer]

To see people go from the ridiculous hubris of Democrats will never lose because of magical demographics to Republicans will never lose because of whatever in less than a year is very trying as someone who doesn't see things in such narrow reactionary ways.

I underestimated the actual popularity of the GOP when it comes to what matters, voting.

Never again

 

[neurosisxeno]

Just for you Royalan;

Moreover, Ossoff’s loss raises real concerns about the continued potency of Republican attacks against Democrats by tying them to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). The anti-Ossoff campaign seemed to veer from issue to issue given the week, but the one constant thread over the last four months has been linking him to Pelosi.

According to one Republican involved in the effort, the Democratic leader had a name identification of 98 percent among voters in the Georgia district, and her disapproval ratings were 35 percentage points higher than her approval numbers.

 

[Bishman]

Mark my words, Democrats will find their fortunes in women.

If we pay attention, really look at what's happening in the grassroots, it's all women. At the forefront of every movement. Black Lives Matter, the Women's March, The Mothers of the Movement, etc. It's all women. Pissed off women who aren't afraid to speak their minds. That is heart of this moment on the Left.

Hillary Clinton wasn't enough to tap into this moment, but her loss helped ignite it.

 

[kess]

The looming automation of the trucking industry is going to massively displace the rural South, so there has to be an interesting economic angle to play there besides "helping the truckers."

Democrats need to be visceral to win Southern House seats.

 

[Plinko]

Just for you Royalan;

Again: I like Pelosi, but this is exactly what I've been bringing up. I don't think it cost Ossoff, but it doesn't help at all. 35-point gap in disapproval is gargantuan and a massive millstone to overcome.

 

[Kusagari]

I agree. Bookmark this post. Kamala Harris wins the Democratic primary.

The way Kamala reacts and talks does feel real in a way that most politicians don't.

But I also worry a lot about it coming off as "angry black woman" once you get into a national election where you need to flip the Rust Belt back.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Our turnout is good so I don't think we really need to be more visceral or anything...

Republicans came out to vote tonight which generally hasn't happened in the prior special elections.

 

[Dr. Worm]

Democrats need to find an Anthony Weiner who hasn't been caught sexting teenagers. Fuck civility, time to start running straight up assholes.

Alan Grayson?

 

[Plinko]

Our turnout is good so I don't think we really need to be more visceral or anything...

Republicans came out to vote tonight which generally hasn't happened in the prior special elections.

The problem, though, is that with Trump, they ARE voting.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Alan Grayson?

Alan Grayson should be in prison, not running for office.

The problem, though, is that with Trump, they ARE voting.

???????

No Republican voted in South Carolina tonight. Republican turnout in 2017 has been abysmal other than tonight in GA-6 and that needed $20m in ad spending.

 

[Box of Kittens]

How much impact does the amount of money poured into a race actually have?

I'm thinking that if we're seeing diminishing returns, or tipping points where pouring money into a race draws too much national attention, we probably should be spreading that money out to multiple races rather than stockpiling everything on one guy. While there's no guarantee that any of the other losers who ran in special elections would've won with more money, I'm questioning whether or not it's worth taking more chances anyway.

...Of course, if they all lose, then you get people whining that we should've just dumped all the money into the race that came closest. Nonetheless, I think VendettaRed has a point.

Dumping tons of money into a race isn't really all that effective. You hit diminishing returns pretty quickly, so yes, it is better to spread your resources out more.

 

[Bishman]

The way Kamala reacts and talks does feel real in a way that most politicians don't.

But I also worry a lot about it coming off as "angry black woman" once you get into a national election where you need to flip the Rust Belt back.

We need to throw the old playbook out. Everyone thought similar tactics would work against Obama and it didn't. Kamala Harris should just be authentic and fight for what she believes in. That is what people respond to... look at Trump.

 

[Slizeezyc]

Alan Grayson?

Ha, uh, didn't he beat his wife or ex-girlfriend or something? Ya know, on top of being a general asshole and dirtbag?

 

[Valhelm]

Alan Grayson?

Disgusting domestic abuser.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

The looming automation of the trucking industry is going to massively displace the rural South, so there has to be an interesting economic angle to play there besides "helping the truckers."

Democrats need to be visceral to win Southern House seats.

I think about the automation of the trucking industry and the more I do the more I begin to think it'll be the defining turning point for the country and whether we ease into it or if people stick their fingers in their ears and ignore the problem until things turn violent.

 

[B-Dubs]

We need to throw the old playbook out. Everyone thought similar tactics would work against Obama and it didn't. Kamala Harris should just be authentic and fight for what she believes in. That is what people respond to... look at Trump.

Trump won because of racism and the fact he's a con man who told people what they wanted to hear, not because he believes in stuff. As someone who has had Trump in the local papers my entire life, I can tell you that he doesn't believe in shit outside his own hype.

I think about the automation of the trucking industry and the more I do the more I begin to think it'll be the defining turning point for the country and whether we ease into it or if people stick their fingers in their ears and ignore the problem until things turn violent.

Considering history tends to repeat itself, it's going to get violent.

 

[Drkirby]

The looming automation of the trucking industry is going to massively displace the rural South, so there has to be an interesting economic angle to play there besides "helping the truckers."

Democrats need to be visceral to win Southern House seats.

The south isn't the only one, Trucking is the most common job in the nation. It is going to be huge, and we are going to see anti-automation laws passed in a bunch of States to try and slow it down once it starts picking up steam in a few years.

 

[dakini]

So, I have a dumb question. Say tomorrow Nancy Pelosi steps down and someone else takes her place in leadership. Does that end all negative ads tying Democrats to Pelosi? Wouldn't they just continue to do it despite her no longer being in a leadership position?

 

[Dr. Worm]

Alan Grayson should be in prison, not running for office.

Ha, uh, didn't he beat his wife or ex-girlfriend or something? Ya know, on top of being a general asshole and dirtbag?

Yeah, he's an example of a straight up asshole.

 

[FyreWulff]

So, I have a dumb question. Say tomorrow Nancy Pelosi steps down and someone else takes her place in leadership. Does that end all negative ads tying Democrats to Pelosi? Wouldn't they just continue to do it despite her no longer being in a leadership position?

they would just find the new scarecrow to point at

 

[Plinko]

So, I have a dumb question. Say tomorrow Nancy Pelosi steps down and someone else takes her place in leadership. Does that end all negative ads tying Democrats to Pelosi? Wouldn't they just continue to do it despite her no longer being in a leadership position?

To less effect.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

This has told me that 50 State Strategy + sneak up on your opponents would have helped. He was seen coming, which let the foghorns of The Usual Phantom Fears blare for months energizing the rank and file GOP. It was a race they knew they had to win, so they acted accordingly.

On the other side of the Savannah, some guy, I think his name is Parnell P) got within spitting distance himself, nearly BY himself.

This isn't so much of a plan for 2018 as it was a post-mortem but in combination with the advice given above my post and my own contribution of 50 State, this can counter the self-defeating bet-hedging that crippled the left for 4 election cycles.

- I think the Impeach Trump stuff is actually a bigger cloud over a lot of this than people are giving it credit for and maybe something that also fires up the GOP base in ways that are counter productive.

A good point, at least until the cuffs start getting slapped on. Then, and only then, can that be a major factor, and voters will bring that themselves.

This is my big fear.

I think it's really naive to think that nationalizing this race means only Democrats were tuning in. Republicans are going to turn 2018 as a do-or-die moment for all Republicans.

And we've seen the BAD choices that leads to. All of this has stemmed from that doubling-down and turning a blind eye.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Trump won because he supported Social Security and Medicare.

Trump has kind of shown that being an asshole as a boss is terrible as a president because then every embarrassing detail about the White House leaks. Kamala is a huge asshole as a boss. Not sure I love it.

But I do think she could inspire black turnout and black turnout in 2016 was bad because young black people thought Hillary was too racist.

But then again, the GOP is going to hate Kamala as much as they hated Hillary. Republican Senators openly disrespect her already.