Which Party Won Moderate Voters?

by: mooncat

Thu Nov 04, 2010 at 19:22:05 PM CDT

Let's explode the myth that Democrats have moved too far left and somehow lost the moderate vote. House Democrats won moderates (39% of the electorate) by a 55% to 42% margin. Republicans just have a double strength, triple cylinder, titanium clad lock on conservative voters who were extremely fired up for the midterm. These graphics, courtesy of Jed Lewison at DKos, are based on CNN national exit polls of House races.

Party coalitions, 2010

Other interesting items from the exit polling, Dems have a problem with white voters of both genders (losing them 37% to 60%), do well with young voters (winning 18 to 29 year olds 57% to 40%) and the working class (we're 53% to 44% in the under $50K income range) but lose $100K and over earners by 40% to 58%.

Know who the heck your base is and know what they need -- something otherwise known as representation. Right now, they need jobs, housing and an improving economy. As Matt Stoller tweeted yesterday:

Don't foreclose on your voters. #2010lessons

mooncat :: Which Party Won Moderate Voters?

Tags: Election 2010, Moderate Voters, Democratic Party, (All Tags)

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Which Party Won Moderate Voters? | 5 comments

The Narrowing National/State Divide? (4.00 / 2)

Interesting data! However, I recall reading on election day somewhere that nobody was doing major exit-polling in Alabama this year.

I feel like the state party has been far too dependent on yellow dog conservative democrats, who are literally a dying breed.

Between the data and my own suspicions, I suspect far fewer voters who identify with Republicans nationally are willing to vote for state and local Democrats, regardless of how conservative.

On the flip side, it looks like there are plenty of people who are not as far right as the Republicans who'd like someone more [relatively] liberal and might even like the national Democrats but have no one like that to vote for here.

by: AllesKlaar @ Fri Nov 05, 2010 at 00:45:57 AM UTC

Right on all counts! (4.00 / 2)

No exit polling in Alabama has yet come to light and there probably isn't any. Face it, we aren't that interesting to the rest of the country except as a source of wacky political ads.

Those traditional yellow-dog Dems are aging and slipping off the voter rolls faster and faster.

The Republicans have a vertically integrated message machine from consultants to candidates to Fox/right wing talk radio straight to the brain cells of voters. Is it any wonder folks who've been conditioned to say "Evil!" whenever someone says "Democrat" can no longer bring themselves to vote for a Democrat even if it's a local person they know?

And you absolutely nailed the last point. There are a lot of non-radical voters who would like some choice slightly to the left of Roy Moore, but between actual Republicans and Democrats who are doing their best to sound like Republicans, they have no acceptable choice on Election Day. So they don't vote at all or they don't vote in all races and they can't vote a straight ticket.

Many Democrats are now decrying the number of Republicans vs. Dems who voted straight party on Tuesday. Well, it isn't the voters' fault if some of the choices on the Democratic ticket were just impossible to swallow. Don't blame the voters for your failure.

Work harder and work smarter!

by: mooncat @ Fri Nov 05, 2010 at 01:36:51 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Again on thinking for oneself... (4.00 / 3)

I just commented a few moments ago about the lack of raising children in this state to think intelligently for themselves. The worst example of buying crap from either party hook, line, and sinker has got to be straight ticket voting. While it can benefit the candidates we like, I really, really wish straight ticket voting would disappear. Crappy candidates should not get a free ride from the good candidates. Even if you staunchly support a party, in the long run, keeping undesirables out of office is better for the long term health of the party than a better chance at a total takeover.

Therefore, I don't think the number of straight ticket voters is a measure we want to go for anyway.

by: AllesKlaar @ Fri Nov 05, 2010 at 01:44:39 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

In the future (4.00 / 2)

I might not vote a straight Democratic ticket, but since the year 2000, I just could not vote for any Republican, I even voted for Sparks. I do visit other blogs and I do read comments. Perhaps that is the reason.

I did have a semi-combative back-and-forth with one conservative. I did tell him it was a stimulating conservation. I lied. It wasn't.

by: Socrates @ Sat Nov 06, 2010 at 00:16:21 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I know that feeling (4.00 / 1)

Along about 1998 I decided that a vote for any Republican, even in a minor, local office, would strengthen and enable the corrupt and opportunist forces that had taken control of that party at a national level. I detest liars, crooks and corrupt public officials.

I still think the Republicans are morally bankrupt at the national level -- they have an unbelievable capacity for hypocrisy when principle stands in the way of anything they want to do. However, in the last 3 years I've been paying much closer attention to state-level politics and I have to admit there has been a certain amount of lying, cheating and corruption on the Dem side here in Alabama and I can't support or enable that either. I'm not interested in enabling the bad apples in my own party, either, so some Dems didn't get my vote. We have to police ourselves and weed out the bad apples or they'll make a mess of our Party.

Work harder and work smarter!

by: mooncat @ Sat Nov 06, 2010 at 00:55:09 AM UTC

[ Parent ]