Strickland Could Learn A Few Things from Clair McCaskill

[OzarkDem]

I saw this great article about McCaskill in USA Today this week and her strategy keeps coming back to me as the most sensible Dem campaign strategy for red states I've seen all summer.

At a time when Ted Strickland's campaign against Ken Blackwell for Ohio governor seems to have drifted into the ridiculous


Strickland Begins Airing Ads on Religious Stations

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/071106strickland.html

Candidates Tout Religious Values

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060711/NEWS01/607110384


Clair McCaskill is talking common sense

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — State auditor Claire McCaskill was here recently talking hogs, ethanol and corporate farming to a handful of supporters sitting at the edge of a soybean field.

Southwest Missouri, the state's reddest bastion, gave McCaskill less than one in four votes in her unsuccessful bid for governor two years ago. The Democratic candidate, who is trying to unseat U.S. Sen. Jim Talent, admits she was "flat wrong" then to focus on getting Kansas City and St. Louis votes.

She notes rural voters are just as concerned about high prices for gas, health care and college tuition, as well as the war in Iraq. "Democrats allowed the conversation in rural America to be about social wedge issues," says McCaskill, 52, daughter of a feed store owner. "I've got to convince people in my own party that maybe the position they've taken is not the best for people who live here."



http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-07-12-missouri-election_x.htm

Dem candidates can win in red states by ignoring the wedge issues and focusing on basic stuff. Unfortunately for Ted, he's spent too much time lately talking to Obama and campaigning on religion, but not talking about the important issues like health care, jobs, education, Ohio's economy.

[skipos]

1. Schweitzer of MT did the same thing McCaskill is doing.

I just read that McCaskill is coming out strong for stem cells while Talent is against. Apparently 2/3rds of MO support stem cell research, so I hope that is the nail in Talents coffin.

[OzarkDem]

2. Good to hear, it makes sense

Rural and conservative supporters are ripe for converting to Dem support as long as Dems focus on the issues that are their strength and that have real meaning in the lives of these people. Trying to run GOP-lite on wedge issues is never a good idea. It doesn't define you to voters.

I'm beginning to worry that Strickland could lose support with this strategy. His lead against Blackwell is already starting to shrink.

[skipos]

3. What makes you think Strickland's lead is shrinking?

Obviously we want as big of a margin as possible but look at the Rasmussen data...

Surveys Strickland Blackwell
Jun 20 50% 37%
May 8 52% 36%
Apr 19 52% 35%
Mar 28 50% 40%
Feb 16 47% 35%
Jan 3 44% 40%
Nov 14 42% 36%

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/June%202006/ohioGovernor.htm

[OzarkDem]

6. Let's just say its flattening out

As much as I'd like to go pull up the other polling data for you, I have some laundry and errands to do.

Strickland can't continue to capitalize on Blackwell's weaknesses. He has to start defining himself, hopefully without quoting pages and pages of Biblican scripture.

Tell us what you're going to do about jobs in Ohio, and health care.

[gulliver]

4. Heard her on the radio. She is something else.

Focused. Whip smart. A bottom-line type. She's up against the Bush rubber stamp, Jim Talent. I really want to win this one.

[OzarkDem]

5. I hope she does win, he's a snake

He tries to make himself seem like a nice guy, who is bipartisan on issues, but he's phony.

Idiot wants to brag about voting to light up the Gateway Arch in pink to help breast cancer patients, when he won't support giving them health care. He should stick his pink light bulbs where the sun doesn't shine.