The New Dixieland Democrats

GOP Stronghold In South Remains But Key Win Elicits Hope For Dems

(AP)  When Democrat Heath Shuler took the stage to claim victory on election night, he began his speech by saying, "I want to thank my lord and savior, Jesus Christ."

The crowd — even Asheville's granola-crunching environmentalists and liberal activists — went wild.

On the day when Democrats posted their biggest gains in the House since 1974's post-Watergate election, Shuler was one of only two congressional Democratic candidates in 10 Southern states able to tap the nation's discontent with President George W. Bush and his party to beat a Republican incumbent.

Many view that success — built in part on Shuler's socially conservative views, which would make him a Republican in most other parts of the country — as a way forward for the party in a region largely locked up by the Republican for decades.

"I think Shuler is the kind of exemplar of a conservative Democrat who can win in more traditionally Republican areas," said Vanderbilt University political scientist Christian Grose. "On issues, he's taken at least some conservative positions. Voters will say: 'He's not lockstep. He's not a traditional national Democrat.'"

Neither is Jim Webb, the former Republican and Reagan appointee who beat Republican Senator George Allen in Virginia. Webb is one of only four Democrats among the 20 senators from Virginia, the Carolinas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana.

For the first time since the 1950s, the majority party in the House will be the minority party in the South.

Shuler's campaign mixed economic populism and strong environmental stances with moderate positions on social issues that often hurt Democrats in the South. He opposes abortion but supports stem-cell research. He supports gun rights. He talks openly of his Christian faith and bringing "mountain values" to Washington.

He won even though the South was far more receptive to Republicans. Exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and the networks found a majority favored Republican candidates in the South, breaking 52-45 percent for the Republican.

Just over half in the South, 51 percent, approved of Bush's job performance, and about the same number were either enthusiastic about or satisfied with the Republican leaders in Congress.

White men and white women in the South strongly supported Republican candidates. More than a third of Southern voters — 35 percent — said they were white evangelicals, and they backed the Republican Party by a margin of almost 3-to-1.

[newsjeff-2009]

I think that the election night of November 7, 2006 proves that democrats are capable of winning elections anywhere anytime. I know that the GOP governor canidates won in states like South Carolina,Florida,Georgia,Alabama, and that Corker and Lott did win their senate races in Tennesse and Florida. Look in the history book and you will find that Douglas Wilder won election as a governor of Virginia as a democrat. Jimmy Carter won the presidency, as a governor of Georgia. Jimmy Carter may have made several mistakes as a president, but in my opinion Carter portrayed a type of democrat that I believe could win votes in any state in the south. Carter and his family reached out to African America voters,and other miniorities,labor unions,etc. Carter also was a democrat, but spoke strongly about his Christian faith,and attended church and taught Sunday School classes even during his political career. The democrats need to present themselves as a party of the people,the whole Ameican people, not just a party catering to extreme liberal ideas like homosexuality,abortion,gun control,etc. I am not saying the democrats need to verbally attack homosexuals,abortion,gun congrol, but democrats must also uphold the rights of people who are conservative,christian minded people. Conservative Christians are only going to warm up to the democrat party, if the democrat party will stand up for their christian rights and wishes as well.

[markfoley01]

THIE SIS A CRUSHING BLOW FOR ALL DEMOCRATS.

THIS WHOLE POLITICKS THING IS LAUGHABLE.

HE HE HE HE.


THEY JUST SAY WHAT THE MINDLESS MASSES WANT TO HEAR, THAT AND TEH CURRENT TURN OF EVENTs.

POLITICKS IN A NUTSEHLL FOR YOU RIGHT THERE.


I VOTED FOR TEH GREEN PARTY CANIDATE IN EVERY RACE, I TIHNK THEY HAVE GREAT IDEAS AND ARE SUPAR.

[jsilver2th]

"I want to thank my lord and savior, Jesus Christ."

Hey wait a minute the GOP owns Jesus, the American Flag and Marraige....

[fritzalvarez]

Say what you will about racism in the South. These new Dixiecrats will help elect Barak Obama President in 2008

Fritz Alvarez
http://heathenmiddle.com

[webdepot]

I find it curious that they would choose to identify themselves as "white evangelicals" and not just evangelicals..
Someone tell me what color has to do with religion.... or is the civil war still going on down there.

[Geneius]

I have had trouble finding any of those radical republican posters in the comments section since the election.

[crossharez]

"granola-crunching environmentalists"? I get the feeling the writer has as much credibilty as Pat Robertson...

[crossharez]

"granola-crunching environmentalists"? I get the feeling the writer has as much credibilty as Pat Robertson...