All this talk about the 2006 elections got me to thinking, and reminded me of something I learned as a H.S. debater--half the battle in winning a debate is successfully defining the terms of the debate. Debate is like any other form of warfare, in that victory depends on having a good strategic plan, selecting tactics specifically to achieve your strategic objectives, and then implementing those tactics.
Political campaigns are also like football: on offense, you want to play to your strengths and at the same time attack your opponent's weaknesses. On defense, you want to take away the thing your opponent does well, so that they lose hope of ever scoring.
Let's see how to do it politically this fall, after the break...
First of all, we have to remember that mid-term elections are an exercise in
retail politics. The national debate on issues really takes a backseat to local issues, and candidates have to connect with voters in a more personal way than one expects of a presidential candidate, particularly in the House races. While some mid-term election cycles take on a more national flavor due to higher-than-normal levels of interest in the media, and due to well-executed "movements" such as the '94 Contract With America led by Newt Gingrich, for the most part these races are won and lost based on which candidate best addresses matters of concern to local voters. Gerrymandering has done much to make many seats less susceptible to turnover, but that really just means that the impact of national political issues is reduced.
This is where Democrats have to recognize where their best chances lie. Every seat in the House is up for grabs, and if the district in question is solidly Republican, then the Dem has to attack on issues of overwhelming local interest, avoiding the terms of debate set by the GOP candidate, because they are designed to win for the GOP.
Stephanie Herseth is an example of a candidate who did a great job of this in '04. She caught a lot of flack in these parts afterward for not toeing the line on the litmus test issues popular in San Francisco and NY, but her seat is in freakin' Montana, folks. She is doing what she has to do to get re-elected, so let's cut her a little slack for representing her constituents (which as I recall is part of her job description).
Successful framing of the debate wins the day. There are certain issues that should be strong Democratic issues, but there is simply no upside to taking them on in a full-throated debate. Let's take immigration as an example. First of all, we didn't make this an issue, and that should tell you something right there. It's coming from the conservative wing of the Republican Party, and they would love for us to try and disagree with them on it. Let's be smart, and punt this one, except in those districts with really high (registered) Latino populations.
As a party, we know that the voters who are repelled by the Republican efforts to militarize the border, wall it off, and criminalize illegal immigration are already going to go to the polls and vote Democrat. We have those voters in our pocket. There is nothing to be gained by walking into the Republican trap of trying to debate this issue, because all we will do is galvanize the wingnuts who are struggling with their apathy right now. Let's not give them a reason to get motivated to get out and vote when they are so demoralized by their GOP leadership.
Gay marriage is another issue that basically falls into this category. It was the wedge issue that helped Republicans get their Religious Right base to turn out in '04. We need to learn from that, and not allow ourselves to be drawn into a debate on these "values" issues. Tryin' we can only lose.
Instead, we need to reach out to voters on issues that we can carry, including single-payer health care, environment and energy (we MUST keep them inextricably linked), education, the real economy, tax fairness, corporate favoritism, and core governing competence.
Don`t debate them on their "values" definitions. Show that the "values" of the Republican party come from Jack Abrahmoff, Duke Cunningham and Tom DeLay, Enron and Halliburton, Katrina and gas prices over $3/gallon and tax cuts for the rich.
Stay on message. It takes careful planning and strong discipline. In politics, you have very little time to work with a voter's attention span, so you have to make sure you hit paydirt with every message.
We need to tie every Republican candidate to the failures and crimes of the GOP machine, because when they chose to run as Republicans, they chose that culture of corruption as their legacy. Those are their real values. The GOP has held absolute control over all branches of government for years, and look where it has gotten us.
Hit their candidates over the head with this every single day, again and again. Maintain a sunny, positive outlook on life, and gently remind voters that the GOP Opponent, while a swell guy/gal, is trying to perpetuate a party that has lost touch with core American values like Truth, Justice, and Fair Play. We can win big this fall, but it means running each race as if it is the only race. Campaign locally, win globally.