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The Democratic Strategist

Political Strategy for a Permanent Democratic Majority

Political Strategy Notes

Despite gushing reports about Marco Rubio’s presidential candidate debut, like this one, somehow, his epic water-break, depicted here in slo mo, still resonates:

At The American Prospect Heather Hurlburt spotlights what may be a transformative election for American women, especially Democratic women: “The number of visible women in the pipeline behind Clinton and Warren is also unprecedented. Women hold one-third of Democratic Senate seats up for election in 2016. At least seven GOP incumbents also have potential Democratic women challengers, from party stars like Tammy Duckworth in Illinois to Michelle Nunn in Georgia or Alison Lundergan Grimes in Kentucky. Women are stacked deep in the party leadership, from established figures such as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senator Patty Murray, and current Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, to potential future presidential candidates such as Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Amy Klobuchar.”
Those who worry about the potential “age gap” between Democratic and Republican presidential candidates are probably wasting their time, according to the historical record, reports Geoffrey Skelley at Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
Nate Cohn explains “How to Read the Ups and Downs of Polling in the G.O.P. Race” and notes “…it’s better to focus on the fundamentals — whether the candidates appear to hold the support from party elites necessary to win the nomination, whether they are broadly appealing throughout the party, and whether they seem capable of building support in the early states…These factors, not their post-rollout bounces, will decide whether they can take the lead — and keep it.”
A former Republican Speaker of the Iowa State House, Christopher Rants, offers some unsolicited advice to Democrats: “Primaries, or internal family feuds, are never fun. But they are useful. They ensure the victor has been fully vetted, that if someone stumbles, someone else is ready to pick up the mantle, and the victor comes out with a full head of steam behind them. Democrats need a primary, not a coronation. But that is what they are set up for at the moment.” A fair point, but it should be measured against the advantages of not having a bruising primary season.
Political heir of Joe McCarthy sets new standard for arrogant hypocrisy.
At The Week Paul Waldman posts on “The absurd spectacle of the GOP’s working-class nostalgia.” Waldman notes the working-class pretensions of WI Gov. Scott Walker and other GOP presidential wannabes and explains, “There may be some small differences, but they’re all Republicans, which means they’ll advocate the same things: tax cuts (particularly on the taxes that hit the wealthiest hardest, like those on capital gains and inheritances), loosening of restrictions on Wall Street, and scaling back regulations that affect corporations.”
At the National Journal “How the Democratic and Republican Parties Have Changed, in 8 Charts” by Ronald Brownstein and Libby Isenstein indicates that Democrats’ attitudes have become more liberal and substantially more favorable toward immigrants.
Twerkage, GOP style.

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