Democrats hit skids with NASCAR dads

[Township75]

Apparently, there is a race between Repubs and Dems to close their own gender gaps...Repubs with women, and Dems with men. Who ever closes first will have a HUGE strategic advantage for elections. Below is an article on our struggle....

LAKEVILLE, Conn. -- The smell of burnt rubber filled Lime Rock Park on a brilliant fall day this weekend as three dozen stock cars thundered around the track hitting speeds of 140 mph along the straightaways. On the grassy hills overlooking the track some 15,000 to 18,000 fans, mostly middle-aged white men with their sons in tow, spread out in canvas sport chairs with coolers at their sides, their minds on racing and most certainly not on politics.

A lot of Democratic political operatives have been thinking about them, though -- and advising their party's presidential candidates to spend more time working the crowds at races like this one, especially in the South, seeking the votes of "NASCAR dads." The phrase was coined by pollsters to describe middle-aged white men who lean Republican but might be potential swing voters.

http://www.post-gazette.com/election/20031013whitemales400elect3p3.asp

[cap]

1. dont try "NASCAR" dads...but try white males who got burned

by Bush economics. Those guys are ready to listen.

[Larkspur]

4. Yep, that's right

The leading NASCAR types are jingoistic and will blinding follow Bush to oblivion, but the middle and lower middle class types who care about their families and communities will be open to a progressive message that clearly tells them how Bush is swindling this country.

[Davis_X_Machina]

6. No, they're not.

Never were. The 'NASCAR dads' never did vote their economic self-interest, nor did the 'Reagan Democrats' before them.

They voted for Perot in '92, not for Clinton, though they enjoyed the subesquent recovery enough.

God, gays and guns will keep the race close enough to steal.

[vi5]

2. That's what we are up against overall....

People who even though they are not happy with bush*, are also not going to vote for a democratic candidate. If people don't realize this then we are fooling ourselves.

I'm not a fan of the DLC/DNC but they are right in that if we don't make some overtures to change the image of dems overall then we are going to continue to get spanked.

[Township75]

3. I agree...

this race towards closing the gender gap is going to spoil the winnner and crush the loser.

[KaraokeKarlton]

5. Guys who love fast cars usually love guns too

Up here the Nascar fans love sledding (snowmobiling) and hunting too. I think Dean has the best shot with these guys because he understands that different places have different gun control needs.

[Kolesar]

7. and ripping up the countryside in All Terrain Vehicles

Burn that Iraqi crude oil! It is the white man's birthright.

[diamondsoul]

8. Well there are some incredible generalizations here.

Yeesh, people, I understand the stereotype but come on now! There are LOTS of well nformed NASCAR fans, men and women alike.

This'll blow your minds, about half of my Kucinich volunteers are NASCAR fans! That's why I don't think this is such a bad idea as everyone else seems to. It looks to me like everyone here is folowing the stereotype, when there may be a larger group up for grabs than you suspect.

[JohnKleeb]

9. I am not a NASCAR fan myself and thats interesting about the others

[cindyw]

10. I posted this on another thread

These are the same kind of people who voted for Arnold here. They have this idea this that Dems are free-lovin' hippie wimps. Why did some of them vote for Clinton (even if they won't admit it)? Clinton was a man's man. Very alpha male.

Here's how you win the Nascar dads.

1. Don't show up as a fan to a Nascar race. They will boo you and think you are pandering. They know you don't watch racing and they will not accept you there. Graham's sponsorship was accepted because it gave a ride to a good driver and the car won.

2. Get in a car and race. These people respond to sheer guts. Seeing a candidate get in a car and risk his life will change their view of Dems forever. (do we have a daredevil candidate?)

3. Do not appeal to the worst in the bunch to win them over. Don't waive a gun around and say you are for "families". The left will hate you for it and then the whole idea was worthless.

4. Appeal to their lives. Their children's health, their loss of jobs, their parents care.

Obviously some of them can't do it, but a couple could. I also wasn't suggesting they show up at a Winston cup race. Start with a small local race where people may or may not recognize you. At least one of the candidates quietly gets involved in sport activities. If you read what I'm saying you will also note that I am not advocating an entourage and camera to accompany the candidate.

Also, NASCAR dads is a misleading title. There are many Democrats in this crowd. I also said that we should not pander to the Repubs in this crowd to win them over. Appeal the democrat in them. I grew up in racing and the group is not a lost cause. There are reasonable people in there, lost in a sea of repub propaganda. NASCAR represents the whole all American, flag waving, military scene. Ignoring them is failing to "take back our flag" for Americans instead of a party.