Dems better get it together quickly or we're going to end up with a republican

[cali]

President and republican control of congress in 2016. If you want to comfort yourself with bromides about how the republicans can't win the White House in 2016 because of demographics, because dem voters only vote in numbers in Presidential years, etc, go for it. If you want to hope that republicans will piss off the electorate so much in the next 18 months that voters will turn en masse from the republican party, go for it.

We need a clear and unified message that focuses relentlessly on the economy, the middle class and economic disparity; one that points out over and over and over again on republican efforts to undermine the middle class and benefit the very wealthy and corporations. We need new buzz words. the old ones have lost their potency. We need to avoid infighting and talk about purges. Beyond that we need to tailor campaigns to specific local issues. Running on the republican war against women won't cut it.

[JonLP24]

1. I wouldn't expect much significant change

from turnout and voting breakdown from previous general election years.

Someone made a good point about student loans and issues that affect young voters, they will be key and focusing on "middle class" kinda leaves them out. "war on woman" probably has a counterproductive affect but I'd focus on policies on abortion and reproductive health that they support which isn't popular would would be less popular in a general election year.

[Mike Daniels]

2. I can't remember what show it was but someone made the comment that NC and VA are still "R" states

stating that Obama's candidacy (not necessarily Democratic party policies) motivated people who would normally sit out presidential elections in those states to come out and vote for him and provided some coat-tails to other candiates.

In effect the point was that just because NC and VA swung "D" at one point or another during the last two POTUS elections doesn't mean they're becoming purple states and that the next Democratic POTUS candidate isn't likely to generate the same type of turnout Obama got (policies or not).

[Man from Pickens]

5. No longer true of Virginia

Republicans haven't won a statewide election in Virginia for anything - Gov, Lt. Gov, AG, or Senate - in over four years. By election results, Virginia is now a blue state, or at the very least, purple-leaning-blue.

[geek tragedy]

6. VA is a light blue state now.

Both Senators are Democrats, governor is a Democrat (Terry McAuliffe managed to win), Obama won the state twice.

It will always be competitive, but it's not a red state.

NC is a classic red state where we have an outside chance in high turnout years--Republican governor, legislature, both Senators, and voted for Romney.

[Jester Messiah]

3. If the electorate does that to themselves

then they can reap what they fuggin' sew.

[geek tragedy]

4. largely agree, but there is no overnight fix for this

voting patterns change slowly, and over decades.

And, in order to expand our base such that we control congress, we have to be comfortable with our party reaching out to the kind of people who are right now inclined to vote Republican.

Two questions that must be asked of any 2016 wannabe nominee:

Will they maintain our advantage amongst young people and people of color and women?
Will they expand our appeal to white voters in exurban, suburban, and rural areas?

Anyone who can't plausibly answer "yes" to both questions should be rejected.

[Shrek]

9. Where's the fun in reaching out?

It's a lot more satisfying to belittle their intellect and call them bigots.

[libtodeath]

7. We need to run as liberals and be proud of it

people dont just want their government to help them,they expect it to make living better and we cant run away from that cause.

[bullwinkle428]

8. Just heard Republicans now control 68 state legislatures vs. 30 for Democrats.

If the Democratic party leadership doesn't start taking this more seriously, I shudder to think where this country will be 10, 20, or 30 years from now.