Can someone from a (dark) red state discuss some of the

[Tony_FLADEM]

issues that persuade voters in that state? Is it simply the gays and abortion issue? I would think it's more involved than this.

I am from Florida and we here on-line know the problem in my state. The e-voting and voter purges etc.

What about the other states. If the Republican Congress cut farm subsidies for example, would this make such states more Democratic?

[graywarrior]

1. Observing what goes on in Sarasota, I'd say it's FAVORS owed

Doing business with repugs, land owners, developers, money people. That's what gets repubs elected and what's important to people here. Keep the blacks in Newtown (although their trying their hardest to move them out), Bradenton, etc.

It's genetic to vote for repubs. Even dems run on republican tickets or they wouldn't have a chance.

[gorbal]

2. From the little I know...

I get the idea that many issues that effect people in the south just weren't addressed. Whether it was Kerry's fault or the media's fault, i'm not going to judge. But I think it is obvious that the Democrats pretty much wrote off the south.

I don't understand the idea to ignore the southern states when they suffer more from republican policies than the blue ones. A few of them were almost half for Kerry.

[Tony_FLADEM]

8. I know this..

In every southern state except Alabama, and Texas, at least 4/10 voters went for Kerry. Are people in the south so partisan that an appeal from the Democrats would be futile?

Kerry received 42% in South Carolina? If he had made an effort could he have convinved an additional 8% to vote for him?

Perhaps it's the race issue? Anyone notice that whenever a state has abolished affirmative action it has moved to the left afterwards? I am not saying AA should be done away with, just making an observation.

[Not_Giving_Up]

3. I'm in Texas (need I say more)

Just look at Tom DeLay. Tom DeLay had the districts redrawn to favor repukes. Our dems left the state to prevent that from happening, but they were overpowered. A lot of people here thought that they were being stupid and childish for trying to avoid a vote. There is practically a church on every corner, and there is a large catholic population, largely made up of the Hispanic community. Do I think abortion was a big issue for them? You bet. I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said "You can't be Catholic AND Pro-Choice".

[Not_Giving_Up]

6. Another note...

It seems like Kerry just left Texas alone. It was like we were automatically going to Bush. Most people caught the sound bites on the evening news...We had no campaign commercials with the exception of during NASCAR races and when watching CNN. It was usually a shrub commercial followed by a Kerry commercial. Maybe if there had been more exposure to Kerry, more people might have listened.

[Nicole]

4. It is more than gays & abortion in Oklahoma

Oklahoma didn't get many Democrats on the national level campaigning here. They considered us a lost cause from the start so they didn't waste much time with us. We responded likewise at the polls.

[giasangria]

5. alabama

I think people aren't voting for economic reasons here, obviously. So farm subsidies and stuff dont make much difference. People here vote against their personal economic benefit, and I think mainly it is because of religion and racism, etc. I think a lot of white southern men dont feel powerful anymore because they have been declining in status for decades now. Every right gained by people of color, gays, etc, to them, is percieved as something taken away from them (i.e. the "sanctity" of their own marriage. There is a vague fear of the minority becoming the majority, and I think fundie type Christianity comforts these people because the system it teaches reenforces their power-men as head of household, women as homemaker/childraiser, gays as "selfish hedonists", the only thing I don't get is how they reconcile the racism with their religion, but the churches are some of the most segregated places you will ever see. I saw a church billboard here a few years ago that said "blacks welcome" this was in the 1990's. Anyway I am tired and I don't know if what I have said here makes sense.

[flying_monkeys]

7. Gays and Abortions covers it pretty well in NC, I think

That and the suggestion that Dems want to ban the bible (eye roll). Some counties went for Kerry but the overwhelming majority don't look like they will vote a Dem for Pres anytime soon (tho Dems can get state seats and be governor, just not Pres).

Of course, NC kept Helms in office for donkey years, too....

[noshenanigans]

17. NC here..

Pretty much the same. Here in the western part of the state (you could be there, too, I don't know) it's so much of a foundational value to vote Republican that I don't even know what Dems would have to do to get them over. Tons of manufacturing jobs were lost that affected this area heavily- they still vote republican. Their sons and daughters die for a war they "don't really agree with"- they vote republican.

I think the politics are so intertwined with the religion, but for no discernible reason other than "that's the way it is."

[BOSSHOG]

9. Mississippi checking in

MS (a red {slave} state) is populated by poor white ignorant trash who get their orders from the pulpit; divorce in large numbers; engage in spousal abuse; have sex with their offspring; oppose abortion; hate gays; get teens pregnant in alarming rates and have no idea what farm subsidies are. They do "know" that John Kerry is an evil satan Yankee tax and spend liberal even though MS gets 1.85 for every federal tax dollar they send to Washington. I could blather on, but bottom line

CITIZENS OF RED STATES ARE IGNORANT MOTHERFUCKERS WHO HAVE NO CONCEPT OF THE CONSTITUTION, NOR ITS BENEFITS. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THEY CONTINUE TO VOTE FOR THEIR DEMISE, BUT THEIR DEMISE IS MINE AS WELL, THEREFORE I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE IGNORANT BASTARDS.

[BillZBubb]

10. From Texas

I hate to speak in generalities, but several of them do apply here.

In my opinion there is still a huge inventory of resentment here over the Federal government's actions with regard to civil rights. I find it is an undercurrent to much of the Republican support here. Maybe they've transfered their hatred of black people onto liberals. That way their hatred is socially acceptable.

Another item that plays here, and Democrats are totally tone deaf on, is the macho thing. Republicans are viewed as more willing to fight for what they believe in. Democrats are viewed as appeasers. The logic is, "the Repug always will fight for what he believes in, so he'll stand up for the US of A. The Democrats will let furreners tell us what to do."

Notice that neither of these powerful influences has anything to do with any current policy. They are prejudices that have been incited by the right for decades. They run deep and are impervious to reason.

That's why Repugs do so well here. It's not current issues, it's perception. Only when an issue touches the majority here in a personal way will we see change.

[crispini]

11. Texas: My suburbanite dwelling Rethug coworkers

are pretty much some variety of Christians, all, who have bought into the "GWB is a good man." One even cited James Dobson's 'closeness' with GeeDub with approbation.

OTOH, many rural Texans will continue to vote for a Democrat on a congressional level who has shown a deep understanding of and appreciation for their particular (rural) concerns. (and more of these would have been returned to congress had it not been for bugman's redistricting)

Suburban / Urban Texans, I think, don't see the direct impact that a good congressperson has on their area so much as the city gvmt does and therefore probably just go for the coattails of Gee Dub.

IMO, in order to break through the Republican = Party of God association here, one thing would help: Nominate a candidate with immense personal charm, folksy-ness, and some flavor of southern Protestant. That, IMO, would be the starting point.

Issues, schmissues. Per Lakoff, most people don't vote issues. They vote their gut. I agree.

[UNIXcock]

12. Sure! in Arizona it was ...

... Gun-Rights

versus

... Gun-Control

Pure and simple. I have facts, wanna know what they are?

[Tony_FLADEM]

13. Please tell me. I find this interesting.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[giasangria]

14. issues or image?

For a lot of voters here, I got the impression that issues didn't come into much consideration when they made their choice. They trusted Bush because they related to him, Kerry was a sissy anti-war Yankee who couldn't be trusted. I'm not talking everyone but I know a lot of people here vote based strictly on image.

[snoochie]

15. From Texas

Based on what I hear most often it seems to be about money and security for some; and gays, abortion, and minorities for others.

[johnaries]

18. I'm from a Blue part of a Red state

Tennessee is pretty Red, but it has lots of Blue in it. Mostly, it's "emotional issues." Tennesseans react mostly on "gut" reactions. Well, except for Williamson County just South of Nashville. It's the richest county in Tennessee, with prohibitively high property taxes to keep the "riff-raff" out, and - basically - the epitome of Old South Aristocracy.

[cry baby]

20. I'm in Williamson County, Tn

There are people here in the suburbs that just vote like their neighbor votes. They simply don't think they have the time or the energy to actually reasearch things on their own and make their own decisions. They like and trust their neighbors, so that's good enough for them. Plus, there is a church on just about every corner and I imagine those "sheeple" voted for W.

[hfojvt]

19. I think you hear alot of excuses

One person had this litany of things she did not like about Kerry, but could not be positive about Bush either. She said she would rather have voted for someone else, but I am betting that she could not name a democrat she would have voted for. If Clark, Dean, Gephardt or Edwards had been the Democratic candidate she would have voted against them as well. She would have lapped up whatever slime the Republicans dished out against our guy.
I think alot of Kansans are going to vote Republican no matter what, unless you have a very charming moderate Democrat (Sebelius) running against a very unappealing right-wing Republican (Shallenburger). Everything else - even abortion or gay marriage, is just an excuse.
Kerry was successfully, and perhaps accurately, tarred as a liberal, and JR Bush is very charming, if somewhat bumbling (and even that is considered part of his charm), on TV.
(That is why I always wanted to call him JR, instead of W. To associate him with another charming Texas oilman - JR Ewing.) Anyway, it would take a "perfect storm" to turn a place like Kansas or the Dakotas blue.

[Skittles]

21. most of the asshole Bush voters I know on Texas

simply would never, ever vote for a Democrat. PERIOD. Doesn't matter if the republican candidate is an incompetent piece of shit who cannot lead his way out of a paper bag - if there's an R by the name, these ignorant f***s will vote for it.