The New Dixieland Democrats

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

(AP)  As Shuler heads to Washington for freshman orientation, returning to the city where he once played quarterback for NFL football team the Redskins, he will encounter other Democrats trying to occupy the political middle.

"Boy, he'll be watched like a hawk," said Merle Black, a political scientist at Atlanta's Emory University. "If he doesn't vote the way they like, they (the Republicans) will come after him. Every issue that (likely House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi sends up, he has to watch out."

Shuler will have role models. Neighboring Tennessee is home to Congressman Lincoln Davis, a rural Democrat who once vowed that no Republican would ever "out-pray me or out-family me." Like most successful Democrats in Tennessee and across the region, Davis supports gun rights and opposes gay marriage.

Eric Wortman, a spokesman for the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats, said money issues may separate the Blue Dogs from the new Democratic majority.

"I don't know what the leadership's going to push, but certainly if you look at the budget, many in the Democratic Party have advocated for increased spending in many areas," Wortman said.

One faction within the Blue Dog coalition is mainly concerned with budget deficits and keeping spending down; the other is socially conservative and economically populist.

Shuler, Davis and North Carolina Congressman Mike McIntyre are among the latter, generally opposed to free-trade agreements but open to spending aimed at helping the less fortunate. That philosophy works well for Southern Democrats comfortable "holding the Bible and saying, 'The Bible tells you, you have to help people who don't have money,"' Grose said.

Running as a moderate Democrat in the South, however, isn't a perfect blueprint. The party's only other Southern win in the House came in Kentucky, where liberal former newspaper columnist John Yarmuth beat 10-year Congresswoman Anne Northup in a race defined mostly by the Iraq war.

Grose and Black both believe deep South states such as Alabama and Mississippi remain more or less off-limits to Democrats.

But in states on the edges — Virginia, Arkansas and even North Carolina, which has seen a large influx of newcomers from other regions — Grose said, "there's just enough people who are comfortable with the national Democratic Party ... and then enough people who can make a coalition to vote for old-time Southern Democrats."

[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...

[Geneius]

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

[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.

[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

[jsilver2th]

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

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

[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.

[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.