Another Important Lesson From the Hackett Race

[QC]

We see a lot of misdirected anger at "rednecks" here at DU, where they are blamed for pretty much everything that's wrong with the world, but the rural counties in OH-02 supported Hackett.

Who supported the vile Schmidt most strongly? Who saved her ass? Who responded most positively to her vicious, empty campaign?

White, middle-class suburbanites. Another stereotype bites the dust.

[WLKjr]

1. I am glad to finally see someone who understands this

The thought that all red-necks are repukes is ridiculous! Most republicans I know are white men with money and a big house.

[Tigress DEM]

15. Also, if Republican's bailed on their repuke girl it was...

because she was stupid enough to attack a Marine whose ass was out there on the line protecting her lily white one.

His thoughts on how to successfully train the Iraqi's was a good one.

At least he had a plan and didn't just say, "Stay the course."

I wonder if that's how Moses got stuck in the desert for 40 years... just stay the course....

[PATRICK]

2. Isn't (white suburbanites)

the core swing group that the DLC claims to court while putting the rurals second and the working poor in the dustbin?

Gee maybe Hackett would have won if he appealed to that group. Heavy sarcasm intended.

[QC]

4. Yep, the DLC has been pursuing them for years.

Frankly, I don't think we can count on the support of people who consider tax cuts and keeping little Brytneigh and Dakota in lily-white schools the most important things in the world.

[WildEyedLiberal]

16. Hahahhaaha

Brytneigh. I almost :spray: all over my computer. How true that is though.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

6. Not all suburbs are created equal...

The notorious conservatism and prudishness of Cincinnati (where the Mapplethorpe trial took place, remember) has migrated to the suburban counties. I think there are opportunities among this group, but not likely in this part of the world.

[Inland]

18. Wait, needing white surb. might be true AND the OP be true..........

White surbanites are a really big group.

You need a good chunk of white surburbanites to win elections.

Schmidt won with white surbanites, so they are to blame.

Hackett lost with rural votes, so they aren't to blame.

None of that is inconsistent with another.

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. I'm surrounded by upper middle-class suburbanites

About the only thing that saved us here in Illinois going for Kerry was Chicago. Though I was surprised at the fierceness and activism on the Democrats' part out here in southwestern DuPage. It was nothing short of inspiring and motivating. We even had Democrats running on the ballot this year! (That's no small thing out here!)

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

5. A point that I saw elsewhere...

Don't have a link, but trust me. A blogger was pointing out the evils of gerrymandering, noting that the Ohio 2nd CD forms a "U" that purposely excludes Highland County -- which Bush carried by only two points. The blogger's point being that if Highland County had been party of the District, Hackett would have won.

Point here is that Highland County is another rural county that didn't go head-over-heels for Bush the last time. Once Democrats develop a better ear for talking with rural voters (full disclosure: I grew up on a farm in Illinois), I think they could become a part of our base.

I know that it sounds far-fetched that Ma & Pa Kettle would be in the same political party as, say, Rupaul. But consider that farmers are currntly in the same political party as the big corporations and the big banks -- farmers traditionally hate banks. It's a "Great Depression Thing" that they never got past. Anyway, the point is that stranger things have happened.

[skids]

7. Recommended.

This is not getting enough attention.

[QC]

8. Thanks! n/t

[theHandpuppet]

10. I'll second that!

Thanks for the post. Glad to see some folks speaking out on this issue.

[QC]

11. And thanks to you, too!

I expect this thread to drop like a rock, though, as always happens to anything even remotely class-related here.

[QC]

12. Like I said.... n/t

[Talismom]

9. These stereotypes are really so ignorant and show a lack of

historical perspective. Anyone who would put down "rednecks" is forgeting that the democratic party became powerful and revered when it was seen as being the party that backed the working people (read UNIONS) and farmers and out-of-work people during and after the great depression.

The repukes and the DLC are appealing to the middle class and upper middle class who have "bourgeoisie", "We're more classy than them!" kinds of illusions. The joke is really on this latter group, because the neocons will chew them up and spit them out like the rest of us, given a chance! The sooner those of us who are not part of the group making the top 5% of the incomes recognize that we are in the same boat the sooner we can prevent the neocon goal from being achieved. Their plan is to bring back the guilded age by cutting back civil liberties so they can "give us" back 12-16hr work days and child labor.

They can only achieve this with divide and conquer tactics which we must avoid buying into! That means joining with people of good will and all racial, ethnic, religious groups, and any other kind of grouping and thereby waking up the "sleeping Tiger" that scares these repukes to death!

[havocmom]

20. "Their plan is to bring back the guilded age" while painting us as elitist

to the working class and rural populations.

The Democratic Party needs to take a MAJOR turn back to its populist roots and base.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

13. Kick!

Very true. The poor and working class are the only groups that voted majority for Kerry.

[Tigress DEM]

14. Well, I'm all for letting rednecks off the hook, but ...

I have a feeling that the computer crashing with about 5,800 more votes to go and with Schmidt in the lead by 800 had something to do with it.

Again, it isn't enough to vote. We must stand over the vote counters and make sure they get it right.

[theHandpuppet]

17. Tigress, you are aware of voting patterns in Clermont & Warren Counties?

If so, you know that the fact that Hackett even made it a race there is astounding.

I'm all for intense scrutiny of any vote in those counties, which have a history of inexplicable glitches that "just happen" on election day, but the fact remains that these two counties, which are basically Cincy 'burbs, historically vote overwhelmingly in the red column. Evenso, the vote in these counties must be carefully scrutinized; I'm only surprised that after the shady dealings in the 2004 elections (especially in Warren) that some independent monitoring group wasn't there in force to insure that this time, at least, there would be no doubt that the elections were conducted fairly.

That being said, whether Clermont and Warren voted Schmidt because they were 'burbanites or some numbers were fudged, it was not "rednecks" who perpetrated a Schmidt win. The fact remains that the poorer, rural counties to the east went for Hackett by substantial margins.

[blondeatlast]

19. Their issues are what the Dems once were about. When we abandoned them,

they naturally abandoned us.

We can bring them back with an appeal to traditional Dem values.

[KaliTracy]

21. I drive through Warren county to get to my son's pre-school -- Hackett

signs were visible -- not a lot -- but around 20 or so. Only one large Schmidt sign. Farther into Warren -- a mix of both.

Hamilton County (Cincinnati) -- many, many Hackett signs. For an "off" or special election I was surprised. I'm in district 8 -- (Butler) -- definitely more of your suburban republicans in this area. But I have to say I was happy while driving through District 2 that hadn't had a dem in congress for decades to see so many dem signs.

[blue neen]

22. Hamilton County was pretty close.

I think it was 51% Schmidt to 49% Hackett. We were still canvassing in Hamilton County on Tuesday, the day of the election. I believe there were canvassers in Clermont County that day also. Warren County--I'm not sure about, so I don't want to speculate.

[KaliTracy]

23. well, let's just say I was quite surprised to see so many signs. it's a

very "red" area -- all the areas around me where I live are red.

edit: clarity