Red New England?

[Free Bird]

Could some of New England conceivably flip back to the Republicans given the right candidate?

New Hampshire is very famously Libertarian, which leads me to believe that Rand Paul could do the trick given a generic Democrat.

ME-2, not dominated by Portland, was much closer than ME-AL in the past few elections, and I can tell from having a vacation home there that it is basically an extension of NH.

Could New England be competitive again, or is it a lock for the Democrats?

[Smash255]

Until the GOP drops the religious right, its gone.

[Rockefeller GOP]

Until the GOP drops the religious right, its gone.

BUT if the GOP DID drop the Religious Right, it'd be right back in the fold.

[Heimdal]

It might, just as the Democrats may once again become the party of choice for conservative White Southerners. But at that point the current coalitions and parties will not resemble those of today.

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

So you people are telling me that the only thing keeping Republicans from doing well in the Northeast is abortion and gay marriage?

[Smash255]

So you people are telling me that the only thing keeping Republicans from doing well in the Northeast is abortion and gay marriage?

Lol no, but social conservatism just makes it impossible.

[smoltchanov]

So you people are telling me that the only thing keeping Republicans from doing well in the Northeast is abortion and gay marriage?

Lol no, but social conservatism just makes it impossible.

+1. New England has it's share of "reasonable fiscal conservatism", but accent here is on "reasonable". It's mostly pro-environment too. So, Republican party would need very different candidates, then it usually runs now. Tupper or Cohen in Maine, Rudman in New Hampshire, Stafford and Jeffords in Vermont, Weicker or Rell in Connecticut, Chafee's in Rhode Island, Brooke or Weld in Massachusetts could conceivably win even now, but all of them could have big problems in present day Republican parties of their own states..

[henster]

It's much more than social conservatism that keeps New England solid blue which is more than comfortable with government. The region as a whole provides much more services from the government than anywhere else in the US and have no problem with high taxation.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

As some above statements say, idealizing New England as some haven of the fiscally conservative that will vote GOP once we dump social conservatives is foolish indeed. I'm sure there's some myth purported and kept living by neo-secularist fiscal conservatives in the region that "once we drop those damned proles in the South, we'll win every election!" Yeah, that's a load of bees' wax as far as I'm concerned. Sure, you can count on most of them for votes, probably, in an election season where a socially "reasonable" candidate is nominated, but don't delude yourselves into believing that there's some grand coalition of people that only vote on fiscal issues (and as well only vote for the right on fiscal issues) out there that would side with you and only you. You're pumping yourselves full of happy-good-time myths to help reinforce your worldview. For God's sake, just, Jesus Christ people. I mean, just for one f#cking second consider that you sort of need a coalition of people to win an election, not just some sort of dumb "dump X group for Y group and everything will turn out hunky-dory" strategy. I mean, seriously, f#ck that.

[Mechaman]

As some above statements say, idealizing New England as some haven of the fiscally conservative that will vote GOP once we dump social conservatives is foolish indeed. I'm sure there's some myth purported and kept living by neo-secularist fiscal conservatives in the region that "once we drop those damned proles in the South, we'll win every election!" Yeah, that's a load of bees' wax as far as I'm concerned. Sure, you can count on most of them for votes, probably, in an election season where a socially "reasonable" candidate is nominated, but don't delude yourselves into believing that there's some grand coalition of people that only vote on fiscal issues (and as well only vote for the right on fiscal issues) out there that would side with you and only you. You're pumping yourselves full of happy-good-time myths to help reinforce your worldview. For God's sake, just, Jesus Christ people. I mean, just for one f#cking second consider that you sort of need a coalition of people to win an election, not just some sort of dumb "dump X group for Y group and everything will turn out hunky-dory" strategy. I mean, seriously, f#ck that.

Cathcon!  You are just mad and angry that social conservatism and evangelical far right racist southern biblethumpers aren't popular with the vote getting public like socially liberal Civil Rights Hero moderate Republicanism!  If the GOP comes out tomorrow supporting universal gay rights and abortion freedom for everyone, and maybe even throw in a nice side dish of banning handguns, they will surely be an invincible unstoppable political force that will usher in a return to proper Rooseveltarian principles!  After all, once the GOP officially adopts social liberalism and kicks the far reichers to the curb, nobody and I mean nobody would ever consider voting Democratic in Massachusetts again!  DOn't you know boyo?  The Bay State was formed by god fearing liberal Episcopalians and Congregationalist Republicans a long ass f***in' time ago on a platform to support equality between heterosexuals and homosexuals, legalizing all soft drugs, fair treatment of all races and cultures, equal rights for transgendered women, support of organic vegan diets, fighting manmade climate change, and closing the gun show loophole!  Democrats, who were virtually non-existent pre-Civil Rights era in the region, suddenly exploded in popularity when Richard Nixon decided to GO RACIST and open the floodgates for the masses of disillusioned racist dixiecrats, who were the voting base of the Democratic Party from time immemorial until they decided to become open minded and accept race equality.  Because as we all know, it's only because of the tolerance vs. intolerance debate that the naturally Republican masses of Massachusetts have thrown in their lot with Democrats.  The bleedingheart historical social liberalism is just natural, as the liberal Anglo-Protestant WASPs of New England never experienced mass immigration from cultures and ethnic groups they considered fundamentally inferior on nearly every level whose strong belief in social justice and labor union activism was seen as a grave threat to the economic security and privilege of the openminded elites.

The GOP is clearly lost without their socially liberal saviors.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

It could, as long as Republicans downplay social issues and focus on economic ones.  New Englanders are famously independent-minded and fiscally conservative, after all.  But the way the two parties are going right now, I kind of doubt it will happen.  I can dream, though, can't I?

[Free Bird]

That has always confused me. As a native, I can say that NE is very fiscally conservative, so I didn't understand why we all went for the Dem with such high margins until recently. It's the social aspect. The Republican party's stubbornness with social issues is what kills them here. This is why I theorize a Libertarian like Rand Paul could flip some states, or at least narrow the margins by a lot.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Until the GOP drops the religious right, its gone.

The GOP doesn't have to drop the religious right, they just need to stop putting so much emphasis on social issues and governing by hostage crisis.

George HW Bush was a pragmatic conservative who won the last GOP landslide and carried much of the Northeast by convincing margins. That's what the Republican Party has to return to: pragmatic conservativism. We don't have to drop the Religious Right or become the Democratic Party. Just stop being ing insane about everything.

Winning elections and being conservative are not mutually exclusive.

That was also at a time of important electoral flux as it was the GOP's last romp in New England. His victories there probably had more to do with image, the economy, and tradition rather than his political stances, seeing how right he veered in order to make sure he had the nomination lined up for him in '88.

[Smash255]

Until the GOP drops the religious right, its gone.

The GOP doesn't have to drop the religious right, they just need to stop putting so much emphasis on social issues and governing by hostage crisis.

George HW Bush was a pragmatic conservative who won the last GOP landslide and carried much of the Northeast by convincing margins. That's what the Republican Party has to return to: pragmatic conservativism. We don't have to drop the Religious Right or become the Democratic Party. Just stop being ing insane about everything.

Winning elections and being conservative are not mutually exclusive.

And that was 26 years ago.....

Social conservatism certainly isn't the only problem the GOP has in the northeast, the GOP has a whole host o problem, but they won't even get off the ground floor with one now.  A George HW Bush pragmatic type would still get obliterated.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

It could, as long as Republicans downplay social issues and focus on economic ones.  New Englanders are famously independent-minded and fiscally conservative, after all.  But the way the two parties are going right now, I kind of doubt it will happen.  I can dream, though, can't I?

This is not the 1930's.

[Simfan34]

I could vote for a regionalist Northeast-based liberal-conservative party.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I could vote for a regionalist Northeast-based liberal-conservative party.

How's the one described here work for you?

[Indy Texas]

Until the GOP drops the religious right, its gone.

The GOP doesn't have to drop the religious right, they just need to stop putting so much emphasis on social issues and governing by hostage crisis.

George HW Bush was a pragmatic conservative who won the last GOP landslide and carried much of the Northeast by convincing margins. That's what the Republican Party has to return to: pragmatic conservativism. We don't have to drop the Religious Right or become the Democratic Party. Just stop being ing insane about everything.

Winning elections and being conservative are not mutually exclusive.

That was also at a time of important electoral flux as it was the GOP's last romp in New England. His victories there probably had more to do with image, the economy, and tradition rather than his political stances, seeing how right he veered in order to make sure he had the nomination lined up for him in '88.

Remember that after the 1990s, "law and order" more or less disappeared as a significant electoral issue. For most of the mid- and late-20th century, Republicans had that advantage. People were worried about violent crime and domestic unrest. You had protests in the '60s, all those people trying to assassinate Gerald Ford in the '70s, the crack epidemic in the '80s. The Rodney King riots in 1992. Bill Clinton and the Democrats more or less had to play on Republican turf to win in the '90s by going on about school uniforms and having Tipper Gore talk about banning violent video games and whatever else was going on.

That's not an issue anymore. Not even uptight suburban moms are worried about being "tough on crime." Even conservatives have come around to the idea that simply throwing the book at people for minute infractions might not be the best strategy. Scaling back criminal sentencing and drug laws dovetails perfectly between social liberals who want a more lenient approach to drug use and who are concerned about high incarceration rates among minorities, and fiscal conservatives who finally realized that prisons are really expensive to run.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

The notion that New England only votes Democratic these days because of nebulously-defined 'social issues', and doesn't have in fact very strong economically leftist and interventionist traditions that have pretty conclusively won out against the countervailing traditions in most parts of the region, and would be open to voting for Republicans again if only they would moderate on gay marriage/abortion/marijuana/whatever, is specious, to say the least.

[Fuzzy Says: "Abolish NPR!"]

Until the GOP drops the religious right, its gone.

The GOP doesn't have to drop the religious right, they just need to stop putting so much emphasis on social issues and governing by hostage crisis.

George HW Bush was a pragmatic conservative who won the last GOP landslide and carried much of the Northeast by convincing margins. That's what the Republican Party has to return to: pragmatic conservativism. We don't have to drop the Religious Right or become the Democratic Party. Just stop being ing insane about everything.

Winning elections and being conservative are not mutually exclusive.

That was also at a time of important electoral flux as it was the GOP's last romp in New England. His victories there probably had more to do with image, the economy, and tradition rather than his political stances, seeing how right he veered in order to make sure he had the nomination lined up for him in '88.

Remember that after the 1990s, "law and order" more or less disappeared as a significant electoral issue. For most of the mid- and late-20th century, Republicans had that advantage. People were worried about violent crime and domestic unrest. You had protests in the '60s, all those people trying to assassinate Gerald Ford in the '70s, the crack epidemic in the '80s. The Rodney King riots in 1992. Bill Clinton and the Democrats more or less had to play on Republican turf to win in the '90s by going on about school uniforms and having Tipper Gore talk about banning violent video games and whatever else was going on.

That's not an issue anymore. Not even uptight suburban moms are worried about being "tough on crime." Even conservatives have come around to the idea that simply throwing the book at people for minute infractions might not be the best strategy. Scaling back criminal sentencing and drug laws dovetails perfectly between social liberals who want a more lenient approach to drug use and who are concerned about high incarceration rates among minorities, and fiscal conservatives who finally realized that prisons are really expensive to run.

New Hampshire is the only true swing state in New England.  New England has some GOP left at the local and state levels, but they have spit the bit as far as the national GOP is concerned. 

One reason for this is that New England has always been one of our most pacifist regions.  New England Republicans were always rather dovish on Vietnam; it was Sen. George Aiken (R-VT) whose suggestion for Vietnam was for the US to declare victory and get out.  At the time of the Civil War, abolitionist New England did not want war; they viewed the South's leaving the Union as "purifying" the country.  "Let The Erring Sisters Go!" was the front page headline in William Lloyd Garrison's newspaper when South Carolina seceded.  Conversely, the South has long been the most pro-war, pro-military region and has a disproportionate number of military installations located there.

The 1992 GOP convention had a profound effect on moderate Republicans.  They listened to Pat Buchanan talk about a "culture war", and that culture was, in no small part, an INTRA-party struggle.  There was always a concern about the religious right among New England Republicans, but Buchanan's speech was to New England Republicans what Hubert Humphrey's Civil Rights proposals in 1948 were to Deep South Democrats.  In both cases, it was never the same afterward.

[Free Bird]

Until the GOP drops the religious right, its gone.

The GOP doesn't have to drop the religious right, they just need to stop putting so much emphasis on social issues and governing by hostage crisis.

George HW Bush was a pragmatic conservative who won the last GOP landslide and carried much of the Northeast by convincing margins. That's what the Republican Party has to return to: pragmatic conservativism. We don't have to drop the Religious Right or become the Democratic Party. Just stop being ing insane about everything.

Winning elections and being conservative are not mutually exclusive.

That was also at a time of important electoral flux as it was the GOP's last romp in New England. His victories there probably had more to do with image, the economy, and tradition rather than his political stances, seeing how right he veered in order to make sure he had the nomination lined up for him in '88.

Remember that after the 1990s, "law and order" more or less disappeared as a significant electoral issue. For most of the mid- and late-20th century, Republicans had that advantage. People were worried about violent crime and domestic unrest. You had protests in the '60s, all those people trying to assassinate Gerald Ford in the '70s, the crack epidemic in the '80s. The Rodney King riots in 1992. Bill Clinton and the Democrats more or less had to play on Republican turf to win in the '90s by going on about school uniforms and having Tipper Gore talk about banning violent video games and whatever else was going on.

That's not an issue anymore. Not even uptight suburban moms are worried about being "tough on crime." Even conservatives have come around to the idea that simply throwing the book at people for minute infractions might not be the best strategy. Scaling back criminal sentencing and drug laws dovetails perfectly between social liberals who want a more lenient approach to drug use and who are concerned about high incarceration rates among minorities, and fiscal conservatives who finally realized that prisons are really expensive to run.

New Hampshire is the only true swing state in New England. 

I will forever argue to my grave that ME-2 can be in play with the right Republican. All those guys that once made Maine a red stronghold didn't all just die, did they?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Until the GOP drops the religious right, its gone.

The GOP doesn't have to drop the religious right, they just need to stop putting so much emphasis on social issues and governing by hostage crisis.

George HW Bush was a pragmatic conservative who won the last GOP landslide and carried much of the Northeast by convincing margins. That's what the Republican Party has to return to: pragmatic conservativism. We don't have to drop the Religious Right or become the Democratic Party. Just stop being ing insane about everything.

Winning elections and being conservative are not mutually exclusive.

That was also at a time of important electoral flux as it was the GOP's last romp in New England. His victories there probably had more to do with image, the economy, and tradition rather than his political stances, seeing how right he veered in order to make sure he had the nomination lined up for him in '88.

Remember that after the 1990s, "law and order" more or less disappeared as a significant electoral issue. For most of the mid- and late-20th century, Republicans had that advantage. People were worried about violent crime and domestic unrest. You had protests in the '60s, all those people trying to assassinate Gerald Ford in the '70s, the crack epidemic in the '80s. The Rodney King riots in 1992. Bill Clinton and the Democrats more or less had to play on Republican turf to win in the '90s by going on about school uniforms and having Tipper Gore talk about banning violent video games and whatever else was going on.

That's not an issue anymore. Not even uptight suburban moms are worried about being "tough on crime." Even conservatives have come around to the idea that simply throwing the book at people for minute infractions might not be the best strategy. Scaling back criminal sentencing and drug laws dovetails perfectly between social liberals who want a more lenient approach to drug use and who are concerned about high incarceration rates among minorities, and fiscal conservatives who finally realized that prisons are really expensive to run.

New Hampshire is the only true swing state in New England. 

I will forever argue to my grave that ME-2 can be in play with the right Republican. All those guys that once made Maine a red stronghold didn't all just die, did they?

That's actually very possible.

[Smash255]

Until the GOP drops the religious right, its gone.

The GOP doesn't have to drop the religious right, they just need to stop putting so much emphasis on social issues and governing by hostage crisis.

George HW Bush was a pragmatic conservative who won the last GOP landslide and carried much of the Northeast by convincing margins. That's what the Republican Party has to return to: pragmatic conservativism. We don't have to drop the Religious Right or become the Democratic Party. Just stop being ing insane about everything.

Winning elections and being conservative are not mutually exclusive.

That was also at a time of important electoral flux as it was the GOP's last romp in New England. His victories there probably had more to do with image, the economy, and tradition rather than his political stances, seeing how right he veered in order to make sure he had the nomination lined up for him in '88.

Remember that after the 1990s, "law and order" more or less disappeared as a significant electoral issue. For most of the mid- and late-20th century, Republicans had that advantage. People were worried about violent crime and domestic unrest. You had protests in the '60s, all those people trying to assassinate Gerald Ford in the '70s, the crack epidemic in the '80s. The Rodney King riots in 1992. Bill Clinton and the Democrats more or less had to play on Republican turf to win in the '90s by going on about school uniforms and having Tipper Gore talk about banning violent video games and whatever else was going on.

That's not an issue anymore. Not even uptight suburban moms are worried about being "tough on crime." Even conservatives have come around to the idea that simply throwing the book at people for minute infractions might not be the best strategy. Scaling back criminal sentencing and drug laws dovetails perfectly between social liberals who want a more lenient approach to drug use and who are concerned about high incarceration rates among minorities, and fiscal conservatives who finally realized that prisons are really expensive to run.

New Hampshire is the only true swing state in New England. 

I will forever argue to my grave that ME-2 can be in play with the right Republican. All those guys that once made Maine a red stronghold didn't all just die, did they?

It has been 25 years and the most reliable GOP voters werre likely older eve back then, I would say its a very real possibility that many are dead.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Until the GOP drops the religious right, its gone.

The GOP doesn't have to drop the religious right, they just need to stop putting so much emphasis on social issues and governing by hostage crisis.

George HW Bush was a pragmatic conservative who won the last GOP landslide and carried much of the Northeast by convincing margins. That's what the Republican Party has to return to: pragmatic conservativism. We don't have to drop the Religious Right or become the Democratic Party. Just stop being ing insane about everything.

Winning elections and being conservative are not mutually exclusive.

I think this pretty much nails it.

[Sol]

The only way New England flips to the GOP is if they become the left-wing party on all issues.

Sure, kicking the Socons to the curb might help a little. The GOP might win Plymouth County occasionally. But the truth is that New England is fundamentally, on a deep level left of center on economics too. People seem to have the erroneous idea that most of New England's voting patterns is due to Rockefeller Republican WASPs switching to Ds. They seem to have forgotten the Irish, and the mill towns, and all the various working class immigrant demographics that have historically transformed the area, and given it a permanent leftist tinge.