General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: AOC: If you say "socialism" three times in a mirror... [View all]radius777
(3,635 posts)poor outreach and messaging in the state. DU'ers who live in FL even said this, that they saw all types of GOP GOTV and anti-Dem propaganda but nothing much from our side to counter it.
The Cubans shifted more strongly over to Trump due to his harsh sanctions against Cuba more than anything else. They are also very right wing and many are sympathetic to his racism/nativism against darker skinned people, as well as his strongman persona.
We were doing poorly in many downballot races during the Obama era way before AOC came onto the scene. Obama was called a socialist, any left leaning politician (whether center-left or left) will be called socialist. That's why AOC is the solution to this, as she is a star and appealing to many young people and others, and is not afraid to fight back. We can't be afraid of our own shadows. We need to push the overton window and properly explain to people that all first world nations are a hybrid of socialism and capitalism. Otherwise we will continue to be boxed in and unable to get anything done, lest it be called 'socalist'.