Recent liberal victories in the South.

[leyton]

I hear the idea being kicked around in GD that asserting the morality of being progressive economically (and possibly socially, but not so much) will help us win over voters everywhere. I am wondering if there are any success stories in the South. Though we have Democrats, many of them (Miller, Cleland, Breaux) strike me as more conservative than liberal.

I live in North Carolina and the governor and council of state have provided most of the major Democratic victories here. Easley's message is mostly on education and the lottery though, and I don't think of him as a liberal. John Edwards had his populist message down pat, but then again he only won once and did so in a year that was kind to Democrats.

Are there Democrats who have won and who should be beacons of light for those hoping for a blue South?

[ashling]

1. An article in The American Prospect

sorry, I don't have the link -
mentions Gene Taylor in Mississippi.
(Trent Lott's old dist.)

here in Texas: Chet Edwards - GW's Congressman, Lloyd Dogett

[Dob Bole]

2. Riley (GOP) tried this in Alabama and got some Christian coalition support

when he tried to revamp his tax plan. It failed because of opposition from fiscal conservatives who fiercely opposed it, but in the more evangelical areas of the South, this is the way to go.

I've always said that if you can get white evangelicals to vote for you, you win. Carter won the entire South except Virginia, the hub of the religious right. Bush won the entire South except D.C.

White churchgoers are the key...prejudiced beer-drinking rednecks are going to vote Republican anyway, so I'm not sure why the party tries so hard in the wrong direction.

[RubyDuby in GA]

3. Cynthia McKinney's return to the House from GA

Other than that, we got nothing.
No wait - John Lewis is one of our reps too. :)

[BlackVelvetElvis]

4. I'd like to see former gov. Hunt get involved.

He's got recognition of many in this state. Helms spouts one little hateful thing about Bill Clinton to raise money and it gets printed in almost every major paper.
We need to reclaim the rhetoric of the working and middle classes (wages, benefits-hit them in their wallets) to get the message through.

[Dob Bole]

5. Georgia gained a House seat in the 2004 election

In addition to Cynthia McKinney's return to the House, a Republican incumbent lost his seat in the Savannah area, which went for Kerry.

[Dob Bole]

6. Well, Kaine is VA governor now...

and opposes the death penalty.

woot.

[Lithos]

7. Dems are getting better organized

And are proving themselves as fighters now to a large degree, not the milquetoast liberals the Republicans have smeared us as for a long time.

L-