Red-state Obama
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No Comments [ Add Comment ]One of the most interesting things about the magic that is Sen. Barack Obama's candidacy is his success in red-state America. Obama easily swept aside onetime frontrunner Sen. Hillary Clinton in Utah, Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.
In Idaho, on a chilly Saturday morning, an appearance by the Illinois Democrat drew 15,000 spectators. That is, frankly, incredible. Obama's wife, Michelle, also drew strong crowds during her recent Utah appearance on behalf of her husband.
No one, at least not yet, is saying that Obama can actually take all these red states in November. The idea that a Democratic would grab Utah's electoral votes still resides in the fantastic range. However, Obama's success here is intriguing in that he is generally considered more liberal than Clinton. Nevertheless, Obama's red-state strength is across the geographic board. He beats Clinton easily in liberal college towns as well as the most conservative areas of Republican states.
Louis Jacobson of the political online journal stateline.org points out several reasons for Obama's strength in states dominated by Republicans. One, says Jacobson, is very simple: Obama showed up. Besides Idaho, he visited Kansas and Utah (twice).
Another reason, he says, is Obama energized the youth vote. At North Dakota State University in Fargo, Obama captured 1,139 votes to Clinton's 310.
Also, Obama's on-the-ground organization in the red states is far better than Clinton's, says Jacobson. This was crucial in caucus states, where organization is key because the participation process is more involved than merely voting.
As a result, Obama has virtually swept the Democratic caucuses. Clinton's volunteers cannot match the dedication and passion of Obama's volunteers.
Finally, Jacobson adds that part of Obama's red-state appeal is that he is not Hillary Clinton. This is no small item, particularly in Utah, where the Clintons have always had low favorability ratings. Obama is a fresh, still-new face, without the political baggage and whiff of stale scandals that follow the Clintons.
A few years ago, Democratic Party National Chair Howard Dean launched a 50-state strategy that did not neglect states with historically low party support. With Obama, the Democrats appear to have found a candidate with strong appeal in all states, Utah included.
This is a big positive for the political process, and if Obama gets his party's nod we look forward to a more competitive presidential campaign. Perhaps it will even provide a boost to Utah's usually moribund Democratic Party.
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