This goes both ways. Republicans need to start planning on seriously contending in blue states, especially blue city mayoralities. A serious moderate Republican could contend in blue cities sick of the likes of Katie Wilson or Johnson or Mamdani (heck as we're seeing in LA, even a not-veru-serious Republican has a shot against the Democratic establishment).
They could, but are even less interested in doing so than Dems are. R primary voters are insane everywhere now
I do wonder why the GOP hasn’t invested in setting up a nominal 3rd party to try and compete in cities. There’s absolutely a lane for moderate pro business anti crime candidates that don’t have an R next to their name
How do you think Democrats can make this an attractive option to the genuinely talented candidates they would need to recruit? It’s a tough pitch to sell someone on running a race that is completely unwinnable if the Republicans make the normal choice in the primary. How much is this a limiting factor and how can Democrats sweeten the deal?
IMO part of the problem is that there’s just not really an elder statesman figure actively steering the party. The Clintons are too old, Biden is in the doghouse, and Obama for whatever reason just isn’t interested. Schumer has done a good job with recruitment this cycle, but the party’s left despises him and primary voters are not voting sensibly in contested races
Obama could throw his weight around behind the scenes but just doesn’t appear to want to
I remember Doug Jones. Alabama promptly voted him out next election. It wasn't close. The man had a chance to show he was different than any other typical Democrat and he didn't even try. He voted straight party line.
The Roy Moore fiasco was impeccably timed, with everything coming out in that narrow window between the primary and the general. Otherwise senator Jones would never had a chance.
Is this not also an issue that your moderate or conservative democrats would rather vote in a republican primary to try and moderate their candidate, leaving only the most liberal and (by nature of their remaining democrats living in a deep red state) contrarian people to vote in the democratic primary? Someone unwilling to conform on partisan identity despite large social pressure is also likely unwilling to conform on other unpopular values they hold dear.
This goes both ways. Republicans need to start planning on seriously contending in blue states, especially blue city mayoralities. A serious moderate Republican could contend in blue cities sick of the likes of Katie Wilson or Johnson or Mamdani (heck as we're seeing in LA, even a not-veru-serious Republican has a shot against the Democratic establishment).
They could, but are even less interested in doing so than Dems are. R primary voters are insane everywhere now
I do wonder why the GOP hasn’t invested in setting up a nominal 3rd party to try and compete in cities. There’s absolutely a lane for moderate pro business anti crime candidates that don’t have an R next to their name
How do you think Democrats can make this an attractive option to the genuinely talented candidates they would need to recruit? It’s a tough pitch to sell someone on running a race that is completely unwinnable if the Republicans make the normal choice in the primary. How much is this a limiting factor and how can Democrats sweeten the deal?
IMO part of the problem is that there’s just not really an elder statesman figure actively steering the party. The Clintons are too old, Biden is in the doghouse, and Obama for whatever reason just isn’t interested. Schumer has done a good job with recruitment this cycle, but the party’s left despises him and primary voters are not voting sensibly in contested races
Obama could throw his weight around behind the scenes but just doesn’t appear to want to
I remember Doug Jones. Alabama promptly voted him out next election. It wasn't close. The man had a chance to show he was different than any other typical Democrat and he didn't even try. He voted straight party line.
The Roy Moore fiasco was impeccably timed, with everything coming out in that narrow window between the primary and the general. Otherwise senator Jones would never had a chance.
Is this not also an issue that your moderate or conservative democrats would rather vote in a republican primary to try and moderate their candidate, leaving only the most liberal and (by nature of their remaining democrats living in a deep red state) contrarian people to vote in the democratic primary? Someone unwilling to conform on partisan identity despite large social pressure is also likely unwilling to conform on other unpopular values they hold dear.