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2016 Postmortem
Showing Original Post only (View all)Rural Democrats: Party Ignored Us, Suffered the Consequences [View all]
Rural Democrats: Party Ignored Us, Suffered the Consequences
Strategists say candidates need to emphasize broadband internet for all, consider advertising in rural newspapers, radio
Posted Nov 29, 2016 5:00 AM
Alex Roarty
http://twitter.com/Alex_Roarty
Democrats in rural America have a blunt message for the rest of their party: We saw the electoral disaster coming and its your fault. ... Strategists and party officials say their warnings about the partys lackluster outreach to rural voters went unheeded by Democratic leaders for years, culminating in this months shock defeat to Donald Trump. A presidential candidate who actually performed poorly in many cities and suburbs nonetheless scored an upset victory because of a surge in support from small towns and rural areas.
To these old Democratic political hands many of whom hail from well outside the cities where most party professionals live the outcome would have been preventable if the party had developed and sustained an effort to win over these voters. Instead, they say a Democratic Party that focused on only the urban and suburban vote either ignored rural America entirely or badly mishandled the outreach it did undertake.
The Democratic Party ceded rural America to the Republicans quite some time ago, said Vickie Rock, a member of the Nevada State Democratic Central Committee from rural Humboldt County. They invested nothing, they built no bench. They dont even send out signs anymore, which is a staple of rural politics. ... All Trump had to do was peel off a small percentage of urban votes, and he was going to win, Rock said. Because he already had, in his back pocket, rural America.
Most of these rural strategists are now hatching plans to undo the damage, convinced that a handful of simple steps would go a long way toward winning votes. One longtime rural Democratic strategist from Massachusetts, Matt Barron, is trying to organize a conference call with New York Sen. Charles E. Schumer, the incoming Senate Democratic leader, to talk about outreach strategies.
Strategists say candidates need to emphasize broadband internet for all, consider advertising in rural newspapers, radio
Posted Nov 29, 2016 5:00 AM
Alex Roarty
http://twitter.com/Alex_Roarty
Democrats in rural America have a blunt message for the rest of their party: We saw the electoral disaster coming and its your fault. ... Strategists and party officials say their warnings about the partys lackluster outreach to rural voters went unheeded by Democratic leaders for years, culminating in this months shock defeat to Donald Trump. A presidential candidate who actually performed poorly in many cities and suburbs nonetheless scored an upset victory because of a surge in support from small towns and rural areas.
To these old Democratic political hands many of whom hail from well outside the cities where most party professionals live the outcome would have been preventable if the party had developed and sustained an effort to win over these voters. Instead, they say a Democratic Party that focused on only the urban and suburban vote either ignored rural America entirely or badly mishandled the outreach it did undertake.
The Democratic Party ceded rural America to the Republicans quite some time ago, said Vickie Rock, a member of the Nevada State Democratic Central Committee from rural Humboldt County. They invested nothing, they built no bench. They dont even send out signs anymore, which is a staple of rural politics. ... All Trump had to do was peel off a small percentage of urban votes, and he was going to win, Rock said. Because he already had, in his back pocket, rural America.
Most of these rural strategists are now hatching plans to undo the damage, convinced that a handful of simple steps would go a long way toward winning votes. One longtime rural Democratic strategist from Massachusetts, Matt Barron, is trying to organize a conference call with New York Sen. Charles E. Schumer, the incoming Senate Democratic leader, to talk about outreach strategies.
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Rural Democrats: Party Ignored Us, Suffered the Consequences [View all]
mahatmakanejeeves
Nov 2016
OP
Rural voters are more likely to listen to whoever actually takes the time to come talk to them
NoGoodNamesLeft
Nov 2016
#17
Yes, he listened to them. That doesn't mean he cared or intends to do for them..
NoGoodNamesLeft
Nov 2016
#53
I dare them to switch out "rural" for the word black, Mexican, muslim or gay
NoGoodNamesLeft
Nov 2016
#71
Believe what you want to believe. Trump didn't start leading in his primary until he called for
Hoyt
Nov 2016
#70
How is stereotyping rural Americans different from stereotyping any other group?
NoGoodNamesLeft
Nov 2016
#74
You expressed your exasperation earlier. Here's mine -- in the past 8 years, I've probably had 100
Hoyt
Nov 2016
#86
Are you an "ignorant white wing racist." If not, I am not talking about you. Should be obvious.
Hoyt
Nov 2016
#106
My post stated what I believe Trump did going to "rural" areas. I still believe I'm right
Hoyt
Nov 2016
#116
What you said operates on the unfair and false assumption that white voters in the rust belt
NoGoodNamesLeft
Nov 2016
#117
Do you honestly believe his strategy was other than to appeal to ignorant white wing racists?
Hoyt
Nov 2016
#118
Once again...this is NOT about Trump's strategy because this thread is about VOTERS
NoGoodNamesLeft
Nov 2016
#121
Not sure it was really so much about any connection as it was that because he showed up
NoGoodNamesLeft
Nov 2016
#77
No candidate had to show up in rural areas to win. They connected or not by what was said.
Sunlei
Nov 2016
#83
If you don't like what's happening at the DNC, take over. It's not impossible.
Buzz Clik
Nov 2016
#52
Equally if the DNC can't be bothered to woo voters anymore, the party will also be a spectator.
Kentonio
Nov 2016
#72
Or maybe we're just flinging shit in random fashion trying to assign blame where it doesn't belong.
Buzz Clik
Nov 2016
#89
Your simplistic choice is one of the most "bless your little heart" things I've read this week
LanternWaste
Nov 2016
#134
Nothing like that was posted in the OP. Why are you projecting such nasty rhetoric on someone
KittyWampus
Nov 2016
#12
He did and he helped Hillary change a lot but there wasn't enough time or change from 'status quo D.
Sunlei
Nov 2016
#91
Sort of like, love it or leave it. How about you move out of the city and repopulate the rural areas
KittyWampus
Nov 2016
#10
And societies change. Your attitude and comment is disgusting. Trash Democrats living in rural areas
KittyWampus
Nov 2016
#14
It is a flat out lie to say Obama and the Democrats have ignored rural America for eight years.
LonePirate
Nov 2016
#30
Are you suggesting they got the resources they needed from the DNC and Clinton Campaign?
KittyWampus
Nov 2016
#31
Where does it say the writer voted for Trump? You are blaming Democrats who need support
KittyWampus
Nov 2016
#16
I am blaming people who think voting for trump is going to help them in any way shape form
onecaliberal
Nov 2016
#108
Where does it say these rural Democrats voted Trump? The commentary in this thread is DISGUSTING
KittyWampus
Nov 2016
#15
I think these are the voices that need to be heard and the Democrats who need to step up.
KittyWampus
Nov 2016
#9
I don't live in a rural area. Despite that, I'm not going to make the mistake of...
Buckeye_Democrat
Nov 2016
#23
As Roosevelt himself said, "If those country bumpkins want electricity, they can move to the city."
mahatmakanejeeves
Nov 2016
#62
Jesus, the Democrats you live turned GOPer because they felt "Democrats are for minorities only."
Hoyt
Nov 2016
#111
It was the 22 states and rustbelt areas I meant. I know the 2 million less than 300k a year "rural f
Sunlei
Nov 2016
#84
That article makes more sense than DU's popular "working class whites" narrative.
Garrett78
Nov 2016
#63
and many are sick of the post that justify rural area cutting off their noses to spite their faces..
uponit7771
Nov 2016
#128