“like in the case of Ohio, the “missing” GOP vote is under 15,000; while Obama lost 300K plus, but it only reduced his margin of victory to 50.1% instead of the 2008 figure of 52.3% - a very blue state, with enough blues to spare that even a low turnout does not knock the Dim candidate out
so, yes we need to understand the MAJOR GOP no shows, but in doing so we need to concentrate and WHERE they are...”
Just a thought here.
Obviously, most Freepers would encourage conservatives in a deep-blue state such as Illinois to move to a more conservative state for a better future.
But what about conservatives in a battleground rust-belt state such as Ohio?
Let’s say conservative Ohioans start moving out for greener pastures and better opportunities in solidly-red states.
Over time, this is going to have the effect of making Ohio a “bluer” state, and will seal its tilt to the left.
Same thing in a state like Virginia. Only an hour ago, I read a thread here on FR from a Freeper in Northern Virginia, contemplating a move to “redder pastures”, and asking other Freepers for advice. If there are many more like him, and they relocate en masse, VA will soon become “forever blue”.
The only way to reverse this would be for conservatives to start moving in the opposite direction into battleground states, with the intent of “taking them over” for conservatism. I just don’t foresee that happening. If anything, we are seeing liberals flee from the ultra-blue states like New York, New Jersey and California into purple states such as Colorado, North/South Carolina, and Florida. And as they arrive, they will bring their liberalism with them. Thus, in this election (as in 2008), we saw the purple states vote blue. I think it’s almost time to move [formerly designated] battleground states such as Colorado, Virginia and Florida OUT of “battleground” status and into the “leans blue” category.
You may be in one of those states, and you may disagree, but that’s how I see it.
I personally believe it’s going to be a long shot to coax Ohio to vote Republican in a presidential contest again. And we all know what that means...
everyone can definitely or just possibly have personal limitations to your idea
and the moves that need to take place, within a state in particular, are moves by like-minded but essentiall “non-activist” people, so it’s hard to mobilize
and in or out of state, it essentially, for the most part, happens by randam personal choice, which is the case with millions that have left California
now then
the kinds of moves that could be helpful, within a state, would be moves to make a district more “red”, one that is only marginally a “blue” majority
another kind of move is not a “move” at all
it is to recognize that some states have more unregistered voters than it does the numbers of votes by which the GOP loses an election (New Jersey’s unregistered voters are 200-300% of the margin by which Kerry won the state over Bush in 2004)
but there has never been any huge official or unofficial organized attempt to go after THAT untaped demographic, anywhere (as Acorn did in 2008 - not that I am supporting HOW they did it or why, but the GOP had, and has never had a counter movement; even the TeaParty is primarily a venue FOR activists, not for creating more out of the unregistered
all of us need to find out everything the GOP in West Virginia has been doing; they have been growing the GOP in their state; a state that has been a nearly one party Democratic state for decades; obviously they have been finding ways to break an engrained political mindset among forever Democrat families
then again
some of the worst blue states are OUR best example, of what NOT to do, and they are slowly diminishing their electoral college impact; New York and California have net out-migration greater than in state population growth, or at least growth at a extremely slower and lower rate trending to population decline
GOP governors are doing a good job of some of the moves that are helping - attracting businesses to move from other states, which attracts people to follow to where the jobs are
maybe someone could get a job with the RNC writing a complete comprehensive approach
I’m out of any more thoughts on it
“I personally believe it’s going to be a long shot to coax Ohio to vote Republican in a presidential contest again. And we all know what that means...”
it might mean that, like Illinois, Ohio quits growing, or has some population decline, and some of it’s jobs, and its workers move to places like Indiana, or Wisconsin; eventually making it less important electorally and strengthening how red other states are