Success in Rural Communities
Posted by Michael Link on June 13, 2007 at 11:49 AM
Democrats continue making gains in the rural community, as a new Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research poll shows numbers that seem to support the growing trend over the past few years. The Center for Rural Strategies, which commissioned the poll, has a summary of the results:
46% of the respondents indicated they'd vote for an un-named Democratic candidate for president; 43 % favored a Republican -- a. statistical dead heat given the poll's 3.4% margin of error – but a deep plunge given rural voters past support of Republicans. 2000 exit polls showed Bush beating Al Gore by 22% in rural areas. In 2004, the vote tally showed Bush outpolling Sen. John Kerry, by 19 percent among rural voters.
60% of those surveyed know someone who is serving or has served in Iraq or Afghanistan. 45% of respondents said the country should "stay the course" in Iraq, down from 51% in 2004. Bush's job performance ratings has dropped to 44%, down 10% since the 2004 election.
Rural folks are now part of the Democratic majority, but it's going to take some work to keep it that way. And it's going to be even more work to keep making inroads. It's why the 50-state strategy is so important. We can't make these gains unless we campaign everywhere and talk to every voter.
Comments - 5 »
Comments - 5 «
And speaking of success i want to say congratulations to Virginia on their primary elections last night for voting in progressives a huge night for them and a bad night for DINO's.
This is how it's done congrats again Virginia. (Thumbs up)
Posted by ap215 on June 13, 2007 at 12:27 PM
Michael,
This is good news. People are now receptive to our candidates and messages in all parts of the country.
You are right. The key is reaching these people on the local level. We need to continue to build from the ground up and not be afraid to talk with our neighbors and get involved.
I hope the DLC will give us back the agenda that appealed to our parents and grandparents. It is our legacy and our strength. FDR believed in the American Dream for all Americans and extended it to the rural areas not just the big cities.
We must go back to our roots and reject global influences and multinational lobbyists. The American worker has been ignored the last 30 years under Republican control. In many ways, this has hurt the rural communities more than the inner cities.
It's not right and it must stop. Our future lies in building a strong economy here...not in other countries who pay their workers less or send them across our border to bring down our wages. By working with the Republicans, the DLC allowed corporate interests to pass trade agreements that penalize our farmers and manufacturing base. This is not the Democratic Party way.
It the DLC doesn't get it, we will slowly by surely remove their influence in our Party as we recruit born-again Democrats to help us put our traditional Democratic candidates in office instead.
It appears that Americans everywhere...in suburbia, small town America, and urban landscapes...are ready to fight to get back their country from the multinationalists and the lobbyists who serve them in Washington...and the politicians from either party who enable them.
Posted by SandyH on June 13, 2007 at 12:42 PM
The way to win and keep rural voters is to listen to their issues, support family farmers and ranchers against the inroads of the big agri-businesses, mining companies and gas/oil companies who are destroying their way of life.
Too often rural people's concerns are blown off as unimportant, when for them, these concerns are of vital importance.
The Democratic party used to be the party of the farmers. They started pandering solely to urban concerns, and alienated this core constituency, leaving them only the Republicans' lies and single-issue-voter issues, which Republicans manipulate so well.
Posted by Butte on June 13, 2007 at 01:41 PM
This is a grand opportunity. Hopefully as time passes, rural issues will become more important to our party leaders than they have in the past. We need the rural vote to win.
Also, the Center For Rural Strategies, linked above, is well worth a click. They're really involved in rural issues.
Posted by NickStump on June 13, 2007 at 04:56 PM
I believe we can win throughout the country.What will be the clincher if we take over the WH and bring back the real values of America and live by them!Don`t use it for stump speeches and then go do the opposite.If we live it, the people will get it.Stay vigilant and work hard.
Posted by virgo on June 13, 2007 at 05:57 PM
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