Is it possible that some Democratic voters crossed party lines

[Puzzledtraveller]

with their vote last night? We tend to think in terms of party line voters when we think of turnout and critiquing turn out. The fear machine with Ebola, ISIS, beheading's in the US, border issues drummed up by the MSM and republican candidates could have even had some Democrats voting Republican. I surmise that this would have been more likely to happen in the suburbs around the country. Keep in mind, most people are not political junkies, are no vested in ideology and barely have time to research and investigate events between work and family, the small snippet they get is a cable news outlet(not just fox) going on about this or that, Ebola, enterovirus, woman beheaded in Oklahoma and it's those things that stick because they appeal to our basic human fears.

[kelliekat44]

1. That is always possible and in red states likely. nt

[brooklynite]

5. Likely in Blue states as well...

Think of the Governorships we lost.

[TwilightGardener]

2. I think it was just a bunch of pent up angry Repubs wanting revenge against Obama.

Dems didn't help by "distancing" themselves, because you have to motivate your base to get out there and vote, and acting ashamed of the President is not a great motivator.

[arcane1]

3. Let's not forget the brain-dead idiots who thought "not voting" was a cool thing to do.

[Puzzledtraveller]

4. there was a lot of that no doubt.

[Savannahmann]

6. Yes, but not because of Ebola etc.

It was the Democratic Plan to run strictly on the War on Women meme. Even when it was obviously not working, the candidates like Udall went on and threw a double down on the meme.

Polling indicated that earlier in the race, 47% of the women supported Wendy Davis. Then after six weeks of the War on Women meme, the support by women dropped to 42%. Final result was within the margin or error according to exit polling, 45%.

http://www.cnn.com/election/2014/results/state/TX/governor

But that is the story through the entire electorate. Colorado, 52% of the women voted for Udall. The war on women meme was insulting, especially when it was used on women candidates. Harkin went totally sexist in Iowa just the day before the election with his "she may be attractive but she's not worth the vote" nonsense.

You have to campaign on ideals and issues. You have to campaign on principles and priorities. You can't just come up with a single one line answer and run with it through the entire campaign season.

The voters felt like the perpetual drumming of the war on women meme was insulting, and either they stayed home, or they voted against our candidates.

Georgia. Ten percent of self identified liberals voted for Deal. http://www.cnn.com/election/2014/results/state/GA/governor

The exit polls tell a story, one we don't want to read, and one we don't want to deal with. But it tells the story, and the question is if we want to learn, or if we want to get our asses kicked year in and year out.

[Puzzledtraveller]

14. Clearly a losing strategy then.

I think perhaps we get too caught up with what we know is right, being that eventually people may even believe sure, republicans are more likely to seek to restrict certain things but what else can you do. I often think that even on social issues we are shifting culturally regardless of who has the reigns. Acceptance, and ensuring government is out of our bedrooms, bodies and private affairs will have cross appeal we can no longer ONLY run on these things.

[B2G]

7. More likely Independents went Repub.

There's always small crossover, but I doubt it was significant enough to make a difference.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. We're they more likely to be Progessive/Liberal or Conservative/Moderate Democrats?

[Puzzledtraveller]

15. which begs the question

What is our part really made of?

[BarackTheVote]

9. I think it's possible some crossed lines

to kick out the dixiecrats, because f*ck 'em. Yeah, it'll hurt for the next two years as the Republicans get chairmanships in the Senate, continue the gridlock, and probably proper-f*ck us on the debt ceiling. But if we can survive the next few years, maybe we can run some actual progressives in the Red States. Because crossing party lines as a voter is one thing, especially when you see your own senator crossing lines to vote with Republicans in the Senate and actively f*cking over the president you probably voted for.

[LanternWaste]

12. Creative allegation...

Creative allegation... I'd bet a handful of people may even believe that to be the case.

[marble falls]

16. Handful? I think its all a case of someone knowing someone who knows somwone.

[dilby]

11. I am sure they did.

Some people are registered Democrats because their parents were and their grandparents before that. They don't know why they register Democrat it's just how they have always been. And sometimes they vote Democrat and sometimes they vote based on fear of Ebola and ISIS. Just picture your average suburban soccer mom and that is the Democratic voter who crossed the party lines.

I think a better question would be, why have we not been able to reach out to the average suburban soccer mom and secure her vote?

[TransitJohn]

13. Not any more likely thans

some Repubs crossed over to vote for POTUS last time around.

[marble falls]

17. Some Republicans did vote for the POTUS. And Democrats crossed party to vote Nixon and Regan....

My Teamster organizer hardhat dad was a Hardhat for Nixon.

Democrats for Nixon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Democrats for Nixon was a campaign to promote Democratic support for the then-incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon in the 1972 presidential election. The campaign was led by the former Democratic governor of Texas, John Connally.

Connally, who was serving as the United States Secretary of the Treasury, announced that he would be supporting Nixon for re-election and would spend his time until the elections working on behalf of the incumbent.[1]

A Democrat who had been Governor of Texas and United States Secretary of the Navy under John F. Kennedy, Connally formally announced the formation of the organization in August 1972. Polling cited by Connally indicated that as many as 20 million Democrats would cross over to vote for Nixon and invited "all those millions of Democrats who realize that in this Presidential election President Nixon is simply the better choice". Connally stated that he was troubled by Senator George McGovern's campaign and felt that the Democratic party "is becoming an ideological machine closed to millions who have been the party's most loyal and steadfast members" under McGovern's leadership. The committee included Mayor Beverly Briley of Nashville, Tennessee, former Governor of Florida Farris Bryant, Mayor of Boston John F. Collins, Mayor Thomas G. Dunn of Elizabeth, New Jersey, Teamsters president Frank Fitzsimmons, Governor of Virginia Mills E. Godwin, Jr., Mayor of Miami, Florida David T. Kennedy and Leonard Marks who had previously headed the United States Information Agency. A fundraising target of as much as $3 million was set for the organization. Connally also announced that Jeno Paulucci, a frozen food distributor who had been closely involved as a fundraiser for Hubert H. Humphrey in his presidential bids, would serve as head of a group encouraging independent voters to choose Nixon.[2]

In a September 1972 article in The New York Times, Connally was quoted as saying that increasing numbers of traditionally Democratic voters were leaving the fold because they "are afraid of George McGovern" because of his proposals for major cutbacks in defense spending and in the number of U.S. troops serving in Europe. Connally insisted that "it is in the best interests of this country that the president be re-elected this year".[3]
References

Shanahan, Eileen. "CONNALLY TO WORK TO RE-ELECT NIXON; Will Try to Persuade Other Democrats to Join Him -- Denounces McGovern Connally, Assailing McGovern, Plans to Work to Re-elect Nixon", the New York Times, July 15, 1972. Accessed July 15, 2010.
via Associated Press. "Connally Sets Up Panel Of Democrats for Nixon", The New York Times, August 10, 1972. Accessed July 15, 2010.
Staff. "Connally Sees More Democrats Supporting Nixon", The New York Times, September 1, 1972. Accessed July 15, 2010.