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| Republicans are much more likely to be NASCAR fans than country club members |
It’s been a long time coming but it now appears that the
GOP is the party of blue-collar voters,
not the Democrats.
GOP is the party of blue-collar voters,
not the Democrats.
Alex
Roarty of the National Journal reports that a new exit-poll analysis of the
2008 election shows that blue-collar workers made up 51 percent of all GOP
primary voters.
Roarty of the National Journal reports that a new exit-poll analysis of the
2008 election shows that blue-collar workers made up 51 percent of all GOP
primary voters.
The GOP has gradually shed its stereotype of being the
party catering to the wealthy. The Republican National Committee still woos well-to-do corporate donors,
but those cash cows are increasingly out of touch with the GOP base.
party catering to the wealthy. The Republican National Committee still woos well-to-do corporate donors,
but those cash cows are increasingly out of touch with the GOP base.
According to Roarty, these days, the GOP tone and agenda
are set by white, blue-collar workers whose sensibilities skew more toward
NASCAR than golf at the country club. In a general election, the party’s most reliable supporters
are white voters without college degrees.
are set by white, blue-collar workers whose sensibilities skew more toward
NASCAR than golf at the country club. In a general election, the party’s most reliable supporters
are white voters without college degrees.
Here’s more from the National Journal piece:
“Ten years ago
a Republican primary was decided by who has the best resume,” said Joel
McElhannon, an Atlanta-based GOP strategist. “Having broader experience
was considered a big plus, but we’ve seen this shift over the last several
years. There is this populist strain going through the Republican primary
electorate, and now it’s less about experience and it’s more about being an
outsider. It’s less about being qualified than who is more angry and more
likely to ruffle feathers.”
a Republican primary was decided by who has the best resume,” said Joel
McElhannon, an Atlanta-based GOP strategist. “Having broader experience
was considered a big plus, but we’ve seen this shift over the last several
years. There is this populist strain going through the Republican primary
electorate, and now it’s less about experience and it’s more about being an
outsider. It’s less about being qualified than who is more angry and more
likely to ruffle feathers.”
The two political
parties have essentially traded places over the last few decades. Democrats,
who once depended heavily on blue-collar workers, have become increasingly the
party of white-collar workers, at least among whites. And as downscale whites
leave the Democratic Party, they’ve joined the GOP, whose cultural values often
align with their own.
parties have essentially traded places over the last few decades. Democrats,
who once depended heavily on blue-collar workers, have become increasingly the
party of white-collar workers, at least among whites. And as downscale whites
leave the Democratic Party, they’ve joined the GOP, whose cultural values often
align with their own.
“Blue-collar
whites have been migrating to the Republican Party ever since Ronald Reagan
called them Reagan Democrats,” said Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster.
“It’s a culture that is heavily family based, more small-town and rural.
It’s very pro-gun, and very patriotic. We’re talking about a group of folks who
see Democratic efforts at gun control as a cultural assault, an attack on their
values.”
whites have been migrating to the Republican Party ever since Ronald Reagan
called them Reagan Democrats,” said Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster.
“It’s a culture that is heavily family based, more small-town and rural.
It’s very pro-gun, and very patriotic. We’re talking about a group of folks who
see Democratic efforts at gun control as a cultural assault, an attack on their
values.”
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Those "blue-collar workers" and "downscale whites" who lean Republican also happen to be clustered in the old Confederate states across the deep South, up through the sparsely-populated states like the Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, and includes the more rural areas of otherwise "blue" states like Michigan and Wisconsin.
As a political party, Republicans take these voters for granted as they pursue the mega-donors and tailor their policies and platforms to cater to the whims of "corporate people" and the very wealthiest individuals.
Seriously, Chad, do you read nothing but headlines and press releases? Does any form of deeper thinking occur to you now that your "48 journalism awards" are increasingly irrelevant relics of your past?