Why do some Democratic candidates focus on winning over marginal Republicans instead of building up

[Yavin4]

a strong base of support from their own supporters? I get that in some states Republicans out-number Democrats in registration and in turn out. So, why not focus on registering more Democrats and turning them out? It's folly to ever expect some Republicans to break ranks and support you. That simply does not happen. Please cite evidence where that has worked ANY WHERE.

My hypothesis is that building up the Democratic base in so-called red states takes time, organization, and more importantly money to do, and some Democratic campaign consultants would much rather have candidates spend limited money on TV ads and polls which puts more money in their pockets. That's why they always stress that these candidates strip away Republican support.

Maybe I am wrong. If I am, please disabuse me of my theory. Thank you

[we can do it]

1. Well, maybe that will build up our base there?

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

17. Yeah, the strategy should depend on the district.

If it leans red, that's what you've got to do.

[Gothmog]

2. You are not wrong

I do not understand this approach other than some candidates want to rely only on white working class voters who are not likely to change their voting patterns

[Yavin4]

5. I think that there are White working class voters that will support a progressive candidate

esp. on healthcare and the min. wage.

[Gothmog]

7. Yes but they are already members of the Democratic Party

The candidate who wants to focus only on white working class voters is also the candidate who cannot attract voters who are African American, Latino or Jewish.

I prefer focusing on base voters.

[LonePirate]

3. Some think it is easier to win over people who always vote instead of people who seldom/never vote.

[Funtatlaguy]

4. Potato potatoe....pol scientists debate this one quite a bit.

[WeekiWater]

6. Democratic candidates span of campaigning is limited.

We often rely on national or local organizations to generate the grassroots movements you reference.

Still, people like Beto are showing how much can be accomplished in such a short amount of time. But that is really Beto's only way so it also makes sense for him as an individual candidate.

[brooklynite]

12. Beto is losing.....

...by an average of 7 points in the last five polls. Yes, he'll focus on turnout, but remember that in a State like Texas, each 1% you have to overcome represents 43,000 votes.

[WeekiWater]

13. I don't expect Beto to win. I didn't think I put that assumption out there.

The topic was about slow change from red to blue. As I said, I think Beto is having a strong impact in that area.

[brooklynite]

14. The topic was the choice between attracting more base voters vs appealing to marginal Republicans

Beto's performance suggests that, in non-Blue States and districts, base voters can't be relied upon to provide the margin needed.

[WeekiWater]

15. "My hypothesis is that building up the Democratic base in so-called red states takes time, "

That is what I was referencing.

[Yavin4]

18. You cannot expect one candidate in one election to change everything over night.

I've said that what the party needs is to register and turnout more Democratic voters. That takes state organization, time, and resources. Resources that would be diverted away from the consultants and put into the hands of state organizations.

[NewJeffCT]

8. Because that has been the media narrative for years

Democrats need to reach towards the voters in the middle while Republicans need to appeal to their base

[MineralMan]

9. It's difficult for an individual candidate to motivate a lot of

voters who frequently skip elections. So, they try to flip more centrist Republicans to their side.

Does it work? Sometimes. If an unpopular President or Governor tops the ballot, it can bring infrequent voters to the polling place.

The "base" is made up of politically-interested voters. The assumption is that they will vote for the candidate of whichever party is closest to their individual points of view. In mid-term elections, though, that doesn't always work. Turnout is lower, always, than in presidential-year elections.

That's why party-based GOTV efforts are so important. With the exception of extremely popular individual candidates, candidate campaigns aren't big on GOTV effectiveness, frankly. GOTV is a party-wide function in most places.

[brooklynite]

10. "Please cite evidence where that has worked ANY WHERE. "

The 2006 election. We won the House by electing Blue Dogs is districts that don't have tens of thousands of unregistered progressive voters.

[manor321]

11. Partly because our base refuses to vote

The people that our policies help don't fucking vote, ever.

[vi5]

16. Because that's what "consultants" and/or cable news tells them they need to do....

.....Too many of our politicians and/or candidates view those two things as at best, their connection to the voters and at worst their primary constituents.

And both of those groups get paid big money to sell that lie to Democrats. The massive centrist victory and uprising is always just around the corner and it can never fail, it can only be failed by the dirty stinking hippies.

[Yavin4]

19. Which also explains why Republicans have gotten crazier and crazier.

Moderate Republicans always vote Republican no matter how repugnant the Republican candidate may be. See Donald Trump. You will never peel off enough of them to make any difference.

[JI7]

20. there aren't enough of "our" supporters in some states

[Yavin4]

21. How do you know that?

If your only metric is turnout, then yes, you are correct. However, non-voters always out-number the total turnout. So, maybe our voters are there, but there's not enough being offered to them to motivate them to vote.

[JI7]

23. they aren't "our" voters in that case.

[Yavin4]

24. You've hit upon our central problem as Democrats

What may motivate you to vote is different from other people. The vast majority of Americans don't watch cable news. They don't follow politics. They have no idea what Trump said at a rally.

They're trying to make the rent, take care of their kids, their elderly parents, working two or three jobs, dealing with a health crisis, etc. They're not on DU. They don't watch Rachel. They are in a daily struggle, and they need someone who can help them.

They need more motivation than "we're not as bad as the Republicans".

[Garrett78]

22. Because the dominant narrative says the Democratic Party has moved way left.

In reality, the Democratic Party has slowly inched leftward, while the Republican Party has gone off the deep end. But reality and dominant media narratives don't get along with one another. Republicans capitalize on that and have been able to move the Overton Window pretty drastically.

Anyway, your OP is spot-on.

[ck4829]

25. Good question.