House Democratic PAC launches research campaign on working-class white voters

[DonViejo]

The goal of the project is to inject new ideas into the Democratic Party’s policy conversation and try to spread them ahead of next year’s election.

By SCOTT BLAND 06/29/2017 03:34 PM EDT

House Majority PAC, the main Democratic super PAC involved in House races, has launched a major project studying white working-class voters ahead of the 2018 elections, looking to arrest Democratic losses with the key demographic.

The research is a sequel to an effort the super PAC ran in 2016, when it combined focus group interviews and a large-scale series of polls examining the views of whites without college degrees in key congressional districts.

The initial project informed House Majority PAC’s economic messaging in 2016 — as well as its concerns about focusing on Donald Trump in some districts in last year’s House races. The follow-up reflects growing recognition among Democrats that their party cannot win back political power in Washington or many states without many more votes from whites without college degrees. Democrats are already targeting a number of affluent suburban House districts in the 2018 elections, but the House majority may still hinge on heavily white working-class districts where Trump performed well in 2016.

“We have to make a broad economic appeal to working men and women across the country. HMP has been committed to this effort,” House Majority PAC executive director Charlie Kelly said. “We have the ability to make a real economic case this cycle, and our goal is to help focus back on economic issues that have traditionally been the hallmark of the Democratic Party.”

“For elections like next year’s, there are so many governors up. There are obviously all the House races and key Senate races,” said United Steelworkers political director Tim Waters, one of several labor leaders supporting the House Majority PAC project. “And if the Democratic Party doesn’t get a different message, it’s going to go bad on them in a year when they should make gains.”

more
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/29/house-majority-democratic-pac-research-working-class-white-voters-240106

[nikibatts]

1. Why waste the time and money? We already know how they think and what they believe.

[Trillo]

6. Beliefs carefully and systematically inflamed by the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994,

and the zero-tolerance, compulsory paradigm which followed.

[Blue_Tires]

2. They might as well just have just taken the money for this project

thrown it in a pile, and lit a match...

[rickford66]

3. Right. What's wrong with traditional Democratic priciples ?

Raise minimum wage, single payer, progressive taxes, clean air and water, social safety nets .......

Spend the money showing how these ideals benefit everyone. Also, for a TV or internet ad, have someone speaking, no music. Not everyone can read those things, especially someone not interested. Hammer home a simple message, over and over.

[Awsi Dooger]

4. Have someone speaking on camera

Fantastic point. A trusting authoritative voice with simple memorable message is much more likely to have impact than some fluffy voice with reliance on visuals in the background. Last year we had all these stupid commercials with kids sitting in front of a TV set.

But I wouldn't focus on aspects like single payer. The block you are trying to reach won't know what that means and will be inclined to reject or ignore it. Describe to them how their taxes and daily bottom line are injured with Republicans in office, contrary to conventional wisdom.

The word conservative should be attacked. Make the supposed strength the weakness. I mock conservatism on sports message boards and they are so unaccustomed to it they become unhinged and don't know how to respond.

[rickford66]

5. Many conservatives are really liberal, once you get past guns and abortion.

You won't get the racist or far right fundies, but there has to be some for whom facts and logic will sink in.

[Blaukraut]

7. They're doing their due diligence

I'd rather they explore every avenue, even if they find a dead end. As long as the party doesn't abandon its values, it might not be a bad idea trying to figure out how to get that message across to the working class white voter.

[Barack_America]

8. Didn't Bernie already work that out for them?

I don't think that this "issue" takes a "research campaign".

Be plain-spoken, genuine, and hold no punches in delivering a populist platform.

Research campaign concluded. When do I get my check?