Christie and Appalachia

[henster]

How do you think Christie performs against Clinton in coal country in 2016? I don't see Christie as a big supporter of coal since he's one of those rare Republicans who believe in climate change. If Clintons plays this right she could make the whole region competitive, I see Christie under performing big here against her.

[henster]

How do you think Christie performs against Clinton in coal country in 2016? I don't see Christie as a big supporter of coal since he's one of those rare Republicans who believe in climate change. If Clintons plays this right she could make the whole region competitive, I see Christie under performing big here against her.

Being a national Democrat( as of now) seems poisonous in Appalachia. Ex. Just look at how "pro-coal" "Clinton" Democrats performed in this region in 2010, 2012, and the 2013 VA governor's Race. Ex. in 2013 Terry McAffule was butchered in the VA parts of the area while a pro-coal Democrat with White working class appeal(Ralph Northam)-the Lt. Gov. candidate didn't perform much better against the certifiability batsh**t E.W. Jackson.

So I am very skeptical that Hillary will do any better then Obama did in Appalachia in 2016(Even against Christie).

McAuliffe did not run as a pro-coal Democrat if anything he was probably the most anti-coal candidate to run and win in Virginia ever. West Virginia and Kentucky are still strongly Democrat downballot Clinton is the perfect candidate for these areas whereas Christie is your typical Northeastern Republican who supports gun control, climate change etc.

[henster]

How do you think Christie performs against Clinton in coal country in 2016? I don't see Christie as a big supporter of coal since he's one of those rare Republicans who believe in climate change. If Clintons plays this right she could make the whole region competitive, I see Christie under performing big here against her.

Being a national Democrat( as of now) seems poisonous in Appalachia. Ex. Just look at how "pro-coal" "Clinton" Democrats performed in this region in 2010, 2012, and the 2013 VA governor's Race. Ex. in 2013 Terry McAffule was butchered in the VA parts of the area while a pro-coal Democrat with White working class appeal(Ralph Northam)-the Lt. Gov. candidate didn't perform much better against the certifiability batsh**t E.W. Jackson.

So I am very skeptical that Hillary will do any better then Obama did in Appalachia in 2016(Even against Christie).

McAuliffe did not run as a pro-coal Democrat if anything he was probably the most anti-coal candidate to run and win in Virginia ever. West Virginia and Kentucky are still strongly Democrat downballot Clinton is the perfect candidate for these areas whereas Christie is your typical Northeastern Republican who supports gun control, climate change etc.

Still we have no reason to believe Hillary will perform any better then Obama.

Even Mitt Romney who was a Mormon from Massachusetts who routinely flipped-flopped between a New England moderate and a conservative destroyed Obama in this area of the country.

Ya but any Republican would've performed that way against Obama just because he's such a bad fit for the region. Appalachia was one of Clinton's strongest areas during the primaries and I see a lot of these voters coming home to her in 2016 after being turned off by Obama. I'm not saying she could outright win these states but she could at least pull off a Kerryesque performance there bringing states like WV and KY within single digits.

[henster]

This thread is a good opportunity to ask (since the last time I asked this question, it was never answered)... why is the coal region so favorable to the Clintons when they are not pro-coal by any sense of the word?

The Clintons were never as anti-coal as Obama has been with all these regulations and stuff that is devastating the region.

[henster]

Christie is a very bad fit for the region I could see Clinton bringing these races to single digits within 2-4 points. Anything of a scenario where Christie actually comes out against coal and supports some regulation he already believes in climate change. Two anti-coal candidates how does Appalachia vote?

[henster]

http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2011/11/07/christie-presses-fight-against-coal-plant-in-pennsylvania/

Appalachia could very well be play if Clinton plays this right. If its known that Christie is anti-coal then these states will be up for grabs this is big.

[henster]

Watch for the Clintons to become pro-coal suddenly the only reason these states are trending so right is because of the whole "War on Coal" rhetoric. It would be funny to see Clinton label Christie as anti-coal and waging a War on Coal I think coal country swings back to Ds hard in 2016.