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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsStacey Abrams' Roadmap for Red State Elections
Abrams really showed us how to do it. I wish this article went into more depth on her actual campaign strategies and tactics. I heard her interviewed the other day and was simply aghast at how smart and how hard they worked. But it's got some good info in it anyway.
Time to get rid of those old playbooks! We've seen decades of running Republican Lite fail, and it's time for a new way forward.
Stacey Abrams Campaign Is A Road Map For Democrats In Red States
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-anoa-stacey-abrams_us_5b05c7b2e4b05f0fc8444251
On Tuesday night, former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams became the Democratic nominee for governor, defeating her primary opponent Stacey Evans by over 50 points, claiming victories in urban and rural counties alike and far exceeding even the most generous poll predictions. If Abrams goes on to win the general election in November, she would become the first African-American woman to become governor in any state.
Yet Abrams win should not be limited only to conversations about historical firsts. The success of Abrams campaign should be a mandate for the future of Democratic politics and campaigns.
Given the choice between the same failing Democratic playbook of trying to win over moderate conservatives and a bold vision grounded in building a new winning coalition, voters overwhelmingly chose the latter. And by both mobilizing the existing base of the Democratic party and expanding on that coalition by engaging new voters, Abrams reduced the turnout gap between Republican and Democratic voters to just 54,000 votes ― compared to nearly 300,000 the last time both primaries were contested, in 2010.
Sixteen years ago, Republicans dealt a historic blow to Democratic control in Georgia, unseating Sen. Max Cleland and Gov. Roy Barnes, the first time the Democrats had lost that position in more than a century. Since then, Democrats have been trying to win back the voters who left the party in the 1990s. Candidates such as Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter sought to appeal to moderate Republicans in hopes of closing the gap statewide. Yet, there is little to no indication that Republicans are willing to vote Democratic in significant enough numbers to justify continuing to invest in that strategy.
The approach of trying to create a coalition that is centered around converting Republicans has failed Democrats in the state of Georgia for the last 15 years, Abrams recently told The New York Times.
Repeating the same thing but expecting a different result is madness. Democrats need to build a coalition based on the Georgia we have today, one that has increasingly grown more diverse since that 2002 sea change.
MORE: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-anoa-stacey-abrams_us_5b05c7b2e4b05f0fc8444251
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tazkcmo
(7,302 posts)The non-voting public is our path to winning elections. We are not going to convince anybody that has been brainwashed into thinking Liberals are literally the devil to vote Democratic. We would be wise to focus our Energies and money on the segment of the population that has not voted for whatever reason. This includes new voters especially. In fact, I would pay special attention to first-time voters and harness their enthusiasm and energy into the volunteer network and ground campaign needed for this type of campaign.
fierywoman
(7,694 posts)Realistically persuadable people.
fierywoman
(7,694 posts)dawg
(10,624 posts)I'm thinking turnout is our best friend here.
But if Stacey is able to mobilize a historically high percentage of minority voters, there just might be enough of us white Georgia liberals and moderate Atlanta city-slickers to put her over the top.
Uncle Joe
(58,426 posts)Thanks for the thread RandomAccess
RandomAccess
(5,210 posts)DFW
(54,445 posts)Granted, this is Atlanta, and not out in the hinterlands, but all but one of the musicians I work with are solid blue Democrats except for one solid Republican, and he's from Alabama, anyway.