Are blue state Democrats any different than red state Democrats?

[Quixote1818]

I keep hearing that Obama can only win in red states (which is false to begin with) but what people fail to take into consideration is that both Hillary and Obama are competing mostly for the Democrats in those red states and as far as I am concerned a Democrat in Georgia where the Atlanta Freethought Society is, is probably pretty dam similar to a Democrat in New York or California.

We know Obama will win in states like California and New York but the fact that he also wins in swing states like Missouri, Virginia, Iowa and Colorado,is the best indicator that he might steel away some states that we lost by narrow margins last time. If Hillary can't beat Obama in Virginia how on earth is she more likely to win Virginia (which has been close) in the fall??? Especially since she got blow out there.

I just don't get why people are arguing that winning red and swing states is a bad thing. I think its a great thing that shows he has a better chance to win a few more conservative Democrats than Hillary in the General. It shows he has broader appeal and a better chance to win in November.

[tekisui]

1. Democrats matter. Even when they are surrounded by pukes.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

2. It varies. In some Red states the few Dems are far left, in others, fairly conservative

I think of southern Red States Dems as more conservative than average Dems, and mid-west and west red state Dems as quite liberal.

[bluestateguy]

3. Red State Democrats understand that the rest of the country doesn't see things they way they do

Hence, they are more pragmatic in these primaries about picking a candidate that will sell better in the heartland.

[crispini]

4. LORDY, yes.

Democrats in red states are FAR more conservative, in general, than Democrats in blue states.

Furthermore, the whole point about this argument is that if Obama wins a red state now, in the primary, so what? he's not going to win that state in the GE, so why does it matter, when it comes to the electoral college.

Not saying that's my point of view -- I haven't decided yet -- I'm just telling you the argument.

[Quixote1818]

5. But some red states are barely red. I think Obama has a better chance at

bringing them in. If you just appeal to people in very blue states what good will that do us in the general election? I think their argument backfires.

[IDemo]

6. Other than red state Dems being more fired up for change? No

The progressive values we hold dear are the same ones that define Democrats everywhere. But the clubbing we have taken by the nutcases of the right wing since the Gingrich era has us fired up as I have never witnessed in 35 years here.