Posted on 02/23/2005 6:28:48 PM PST by NCjim
RENO, Nev. (AP) - Sen. John Kerry lost the presidential election partly because Democrats "neglected rural America," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday.
"I think around the country people just thought they could win in the cities," the Nevada Democrat told The Associated Press.
Reid said he expects new Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean to help reverse that trend, especially in the South and West, and he predicted Democrats will close the gap Republicans hold in the Senate in the off-year elections.
"We are going to pick up Senate seats in 2006, it's only a question of how many," Reid said at a Reno news conference before his scheduled address to the Nevada Legislature in Carson City.
"First of all, history is on our side. Secondly, George Bush is on our side," he said.
"I don't like to give grades to the president. It's kind of early in the term, but it certainly wouldn't be a good grade at this stage," Reid said.
Democrats lost three seats in the U.S. Senate in November and gained 76 among the 3,000 state legislative seats across the nation, Reid said.
But in the presidential race, Nevada was representative of what happened nationally as President Bush carried the state even though he lost the two urban counties that have 91 percent of the voters - Clark County surrounding Las Vegas and Washoe County surrounding Reno.
Kerry carried the urban counties "certainly by enough to win the election, everybody thought," Reid said. But the 9 percent of voters in Nevada's 15 rural counties "was absolutely dramatic in Nevada and around the country."
Douglas County turned out 94 percent of its registered voters and voted heavily against Kerry, he said.
"There is not one of those 15 counties that had a voter turnout less than 84 percent. Think about that. They went heavily against John Kerry and as a result of that, Kerry lost the state by 2 percent," Reid said.
"Same in Ohio. Same all over the country. We neglected rural America."
How do Democrats change that?
"All we have to do is be there and let them know we care," Reid said in an interview after the news conference.
"In the farm programs, we are the ones who support the farmers, (Republicans) support the bankers," he said.
"In the Medicare bill, that is Democrat stuff in there related to helping rural hospitals," he said.
Reid said he questioned during the campaign why Vice President Dick Cheney took time to make a personal appearance in Elko in rural northeast Nevada.
"Well, he got the last laugh on that one," Reid said, "He was gathering votes. They did a good job in rural America, we didn't."
Republican Rep. Jim Gibbons, who won a fifth term in Nevada's sprawling 2nd District, offered a similar analysis immediately after the election.
"I believe rural Nevada carried President Bush to victory," Gibbons said.
One of Kerry's worst showings was in Elko County, where 54 percent of the registered voters are Republican, 26 percent Democrat and 20 percent independent or third party. Bush won there with nearly 80 percent of the vote.
Cheney's visit to Elko - the first by a sitting vice president since Richard Nixon in 1958 - was tremendously important, Gibbons said.
"It showed the people of Elko County that this administration was serious about everybody's vote, every state, every county," the congressman said.
Reid, who said he talks with Dean regularly, expects him to help win the party votes in rural areas. Dean plans a visit to Nevada on Monday.
Reid said he told Dean that he was not his first choice for party chairman. Reid backed Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack early on.
"But I'm so impressed how he has taken the darts that were thrown at him," Reid said.
"Say what you want about Gov. Dean, he is an organizer. In the state of Vermont, they know what kind of person he is. He is not some wild-eyed, left-wing nut," he said.
"Gov. Dean balanced the budgets of the state of Vermont. He's been supported by the National Rifle Association in eight successive elections. He handled the same-sex marriage thing as well as has been handled any place in the country. ... with civil unions."
"We're off and running."
Neglected rural America, no. Constitantly insulted rural America, yes.
Reid got himself reelected in Nevada by selling his rural roots and "independent" attitude. What a joke.
Wrong, Harry! Kerry lost because America got the message.
(It's a good thing the Democrats didn't let Harry Reid get their message out. He'd have put everybody to sleep before they got the message, and Kerry's chances would have been better.)
I have long held that most Hispanics, in the Estados Unitos, are conservative in values, thoughts and deeds. It is just unfortunate that they do not vote that way in greater numbers.
'xactly. Just like the Dems want to try and start to talk about values - without that bothersome step of actually acquiring any.
Reid won't survive reelection (albeit a long way off). Heretofore he existed under the radar screen. Now the fine citizens of Nevada are now seeing him as a Daschle-like far left obstructionist, not the moderate dem they thought they had elected.
Harry got his own a$$ stomped in rural Nevada. Outside of Vegas and Reno/Sparks I don't think he won any counties.
Reid: Democrats failed to take message to rural America, Nevada.
Are you nuts Senator? Thats why the Democrats lost. Rural America heard your message and it was rejected. Typical liberal ego lacking in logic.
Their message of slamming Christians, promoting the vile lifestyle of homosexuals, celebrating the murder of children waiting to be born, insisting the USA is second-rate and downright evil...I think that message made it to the boondocks.
I cannot imagine a political party so lost within itself that it still thinks it's "message" not being heard is their problem. Until they realize the message IS THE PROBLEM and go ahead and commit mass suicide to rid the earth of vermin like themselves, they will remain a bunch of laughingstocks and losers.
Reid: Democrats failed to take message to rural America, Nevada.
Are you nuts Senator? Thats why the Democrats lost. Rural America heard your message and it was rejected. Typical liberal ego lacking in logic.
Sounds like McAuliffe !
Sorry about the double post. Careless of me.
That is the plan. :)
Now the fine citizens of Nevada are now seeing him as a Daschle-like far left obstructionist, not the moderate dem they thought they had elected.
Same problem here as in many states..we have about two counties with 90% of the population.
Guess which way they vote.
Too many "immigrants", if ya know what i mean.
LVM
Keep on keepin' on Harry. Your "message" gets through loud and clear.
I was unaware that when one party lost Senate seats, that the losing party was responsible for moving them to the other side of the aisle. I think this display of good sportsmanship should be noted and applauded in the MSM. I look forward to it.
Really,
I live in Kansas, I got the message. My sons in the Marine Corps got the message. My very large family got the message. We all voted Republican. I believe the Democrats have reached perfection. All though if they want to keep polishing the message, rave on. Just my thoughts
best regards
Reid is too stupid to understand that their message is the reason they lost the rural vote. Reid and Dean are two of the best assets the Republicans could have when it comes to the next election.
Should do great!
"Democrats failed to take message to rural America"
I think their problem is that their message got out loud and clear.
I had the pleasure of living in Elko and workin in Carlin for several years in the 1980's. My current USA home is in Douglas County (Roseburg), Oregon. Roseburg is by far the largest community I have lived in. I would be totally amazed if a liberal Democrat won in either place. In fact, I am somewhat suprised that Bush only won by 80% in Elko!
I think their message got through to rural America just fine.
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