Them Dems

archived: xx - xx Mar, 2008 Back Next

UPDATED: MAR 5, 2008

SWING VOTERS

The Democratic Strategist authors an important study of “swing voters.” Pres. Clinton was vilified by some within the Democratic Party for his strategy of moving policy to win votes among this group of citizens. Is it necessary? Some Democrats contend that it is simply a matter of energizing the Democratic political base. Is that true?

The Democratic Strategist attempts to separate “conventional wisdom” and hype from the discussion and provide an informed analysis of “swing voters” and their importance.

The study is rather long, but a must read for every Democrat.

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UPDATED: MAR 2, 2008

In national attention directed at the Democratic Presidential primary between Sens Obama and Clinton, a special election in New York has received scant attention. Democrats have won another special election – one that is historic.

Democrats won the race for the 48^th State Senate seat in upstate New York, a seat that had been held by Republicans for some 100 years.

In a major victory for Gov. Eliot Spitzer and his party, a Democratic assemblyman won a stunning upset in a State Senate election on Tuesday in a district that has been in Republican hands for a century.

The win reduces the Republicans’ majority to one seat and will intensify pressure on the majority leader, Joseph L. Bruno, as he tries to maintain his party’s grip on the Senate, which it has controlled for more than 40 years.

The Democrat, Darrel J. Aubertine, a dairy farmer, leaned heavily on Mr. Spitzer’s media consultant and the state Democrats’ money as he waged a costly campaign against the Republican, William A. Barclay, a lawyer and an assemblyman whose father once held the Senate seat.

Mr. Aubertine won 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent for Mr. Barclay, according to unofficial results. Republicans outnumber Democrats 78,454 to 46,824 in the north country district, and Mr. Barclay had been favored to win.

“I think it has to send shivers up their spines,” said the state Democratic chairwoman, June O’Neill, about the Republicans, as whoops and hollers erupted around her at a victory party for Mr. Aubertine at an Italian-American civic club in Watertown.

She added: “The Democratic Party can meet and beat the Republican machine anywhere. If we can do it here, we can do it anywhere.”

This is another sign of life in the Democratic Party and a reminder that Democrats must wage aggressive campaigns at every level of government.

Want a crystal ball to foresee the future? Ruy Teixeira authors a report on the changing demographics in America and the likely impacts it will have on politics.

Teixeria defines seven demographic forces that are going to reshape American politics in the immediate future. Will Democrats catch the changing forces in America?

The report is long, but well worth the read. If you are a Democratic Geek, you want to read: