Reid - New Mexico (Red State) Daschle - South Dakota (Red State)

[Marlie]

Why does the Democratic party always choose their party leader as someone
representing a Red State? I could never understand that. It just doesn't make
sense to me but I guess they must have a good reason.

[Idioteque]

1. Reid is from Nevada, a purple state. n/t

[shoelace414]

2. isn't Pelosi from Calfornia?

[LSparkle]

3. SD wasn't really red when Daschle was its Senator

It was really more purple while Daschle was in the Senate -- it turned red when Thune beat him in '02.

[hfojvt]

5. well, since it always has a Republican governor

and probably a Republican legislature and always votes Republican for President, it is as red as any other red state. I found it to be curious that Carter almost won SD in 1976. He did better than SD's own McGovern and SD native Humbert H. Humphrey. Then one of the first things he did was slash funding on a bunch of SD water projects which, my dad claims, devastated the SD economy. He got hammered in SD in 1980 and the state has been much more solidly red in Presidential elections since then, although 2 of the 3 Congresspeople are Democrats and even the Representative has to win a statewide election. It is pretty much my home state FWIW.

[hfojvt]

4. because having a position of status and power

gives the red state voters a reason to re-elect a Democrat. It could, however, just be a law of averages, or that the leaders win it on their own merits by earning the respect of their fellow Senators.

[SpiralHawk]

6. NM is THE green or red state - depending on your chile preference

I like Christmas -- green and red together

But, whatever floats your boat (or rocks your taste buds) as they say