Texas Is Now A Swing State – Are Republican Antics Causing A Backlash?
I missed this when it first came out last week, but Gallup has a new poll on the political preferences by state. According to Gallup, there are now only 4 solid Republican states: Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Alaska and 1 leans Republican state: Alabama. The new swing states (within 2 in party affiliation) are Mississippi, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Arizona, Texas, South Carolina, and Montana. The continuing weakness in the economy is starting to hurt Obama’s approval ratings, but Republicans haven’t been gaining – approval/disapproval for the Congressional GOP now stands at 10/74.
I just wonder if we’re starting to see a backlash. I know the Republicans are proud of their ability to disrupt townhall meetings, but they have to remember that they are not just shouting down Congresspeople but also regular constituents. I think this strategy carries more risk than benefit for Republicans. For one, they are extremely rude but their arguments don’t even make sense (see this post from yesterday). The national party Republicans have not been hiding their involvement in these events, either. In fact, John Boehner was actually bragging about it! The Republican party is really in danger of not just looking like the party of obstruction but the party of teabaggers and Crazy Eileen. (That Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll last week really caught the media’s attention). With crazy, silly people like Orly Taitz in charge of the movement that includes 50% of Republicans, are we really surprised?
Update: It looks like today is the day to write about this subject. Republican columnist Kathleen Parker has an op-ed today titled “A Tip For The GOP: Look Away.” In the op-ed she is urging the GOP to channel their inner Voinovich:
Not all Southern Republicans are wing nuts. Nor does the GOP have a monopoly on ignorance or racism. And, the South, for all its sins, is also lush with beauty, grace and mystery. Nevertheless, it is true that the GOP is fast becoming regionalized below the Mason-Dixon line and increasingly associated with some of the South’s worst ideas.
It is not helpful (or surprising) that “birthers” — conspiracy theorists who have convinced themselves that Barack Obama is not a native son — have assumed kudzu qualities among Republicans in the South. In a poll commissioned by the liberal blog Daily Kos, participants were asked: “Do you believe that Barack Obama was born in the United States of America or not?”
Hefty majorities in the Northeast, the Midwest and the West believe Obama was born in the United States. But in the land of cotton, where old times are not by God forgotten, only 47 percent believe Obama was born in America and 30 percent aren’t sure.
Southern Republicans, it seems, have seceded from sanity.
A Daily Kos diarist also picks up the theme with a diary called “Umm, GOP? You got a second? I want to show you something.” The diary shows some of the excesses of the teabaggers and anti-reform activists, reminding us that this is who the GOP is celebrating right now. (There are an incredible number of Obama = Hitler signs.)
Republicans, you are losing the fight for public perception. I know you don’t feel that way right now because the GOP is following John McCain’s strategy of winning the news cycle (I guess some people really believe there’s no such thing as bad publicity). Republicans are losing control of their own narrative and have already forgotten the message discipline that they used to be famous for. The debate is now about the tactics of the activists and insurance companies and I don’t think that’s the ground that Republicans want to defend.
Tags: Daily Kos, Gallup, Kathleen Parker, Republican Crazy
UI – you just put a disturbing image in my mind – Crazy Eileen and Orly Taitz teabagging John Boehner.
Thanks for sharing that (not). Where’s the brain bleach?
America is back! Who doubts that we’d be at war with N. Korea right now if crazy ass John McCain got elected.
And here’s more backlash fodder: apparently the teabaggers are being joined by the Larouchies!
It’s an idea that fascinates me, and it is far from inevitable, but on their current path the “Party of Lincoln” is heading towards being nothing more than a fringe, Southern, white man’s party. And not to put too fine a point on it, but guys, not country ain’t gettin’ no whiter. I had hoped the blatant and backdoor rascism and xenophobia would calm down after the election, but, um, no. And one more thing — Keep it up GOP! Great job!
I could see Texas going blue in 2016 or 2020. Still seems a way off for 2012, but the growing Hispanic population makes the state (and Arizona) interesting for the dems. Add NY (31), California (55), Florida (27) and Texas (34) together and it’s OVER for a very long time for the GOP.
It will be intersting to see if NC, VA and FLA all vote dem in 2012. I don’t think any of those states can be assumed to be solidly blue just yet. But the landscape has certainly changed. Decades of appealing to the lesser qualities of people in the south has backfired and limited GOP appeal to a few issues: protecting the wealthy and big business and race and sexuality. Hard to find anything moral or intellectually honest in their platform.
Mike Castle and Crazy Eileen in a new DNC ad – awesome!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtTBkxvBq88
Thanks anon . . . gave this ad its own post, http://delawareliberal.net//2009/08/05/enough-of-the-mob/
Read the WSJ today, p3.
A hispanic voter from Texas offered this statement
“Republicans have always meant more business,
Democrats have always meant a nicer welfare line.”Ms. Evangelina from Houston Texas
So, is Evangelina the Texan the newest GOP mascot? Don’t do it, Ev. They’ll toss you aside just like Joe the Plumber and Sarah the Governor. Actually, Ms. Evangelina sounds like a stripper/hooker name. That would explain the “Republicans have always meant more business” line. I’m just sayin…..
Sarah the Governor . . . that’s great.
Actually, I know Evangelina — a long-time GOP activist. I’m proud to call her a friend.
To Rhymes With Right — Several things. First, I meant no offense to your friend. My error was in not reading the article, but taking DR’s outtake. I did later read the article. If what your saying is true, this is even better. Here is the actual quote:
“Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is seeking to become governor of Texas, may pay a price for coming out against Judge Sotomayor. But she won’t lose the vote of Evangelina Esther Gonzalez, the 65-year-old matriarch of a family business called Pueblo Leasing Insurance. “She’s got nothing to lose and she tells it like it is,” said Ms. Gonzalez, who has voted for both parties.
Republicans have always meant more business, Ms. Gonzalez added, and Democrats have “always meant a nicer welfare line.” ”
WSJ did not refer to her as Ms. Evangelina. What they did do, though, is hold her up as an average Latina voter/citizen. If she is “a long-time GOP activist” as you claim (and I have no reason to doubt you), then the WSJ was being less than honest and unbiased. But if that comes as a surprise to you, I’ve got a Kenyan birth certificate to sell you.
UI, you are in for quite a shock in November of ’10. Watch and learn.