What can Republicans do to be competitive in the Pacific Northwest again?

[smoltchanov]

At least - become liberal on environment, abortion rights and SSM. But even that may not suffice, though it will improve their chances in strategical (suburban) areas..

[smoltchanov]

In OR, the GOP is beyond dead.  They have NOBODY and they have nobody elected at any statewide level.  In WA, the GOP has put through some decent candidates.  The problem is, WA Gov races are in presidential years. Otherwise, Rossi wins in 2004 and possibly 2008. 

The other problem is that the WA GOP is very conservative.  So, each candidate seems to make the same mistake as moving too far right in the primary and then trying to moderate for the general election....too late!

Generally agree. GOP in Oregon can be reduced to one name: Knute Buehler. Despite his loss in SOS race in 2012 (again - presidential year) he, pro-choice and pro-"gay marriage" is, theoretically, the only party's hope for the future. In Washington state - yes, elections in presidential year generally kills even reasonable party's candidates (like McKenna in 2012).

[smoltchanov]

Someday, the Republicans might actually run a moderate for a major statewide race. They'd probably also need a favorable climate as well. Even then, it would be pretty close.

What you guys dont get is this. A moderate loses more conservative votes than they pick up in moderate votes. In a state with NO conservatives like NJ that can happen. But WA has lots of conservatives in Eastern WA who sit home on election day if there is no conservative on the ballot.

But if these Eastern WA conservatives help a conservative to get to top 2 - he invariably loses to Democrat..

[smoltchanov]

Here is what I say. Who cares? As a conservative I dont consider the people in SEA-TAC and Portland to be people I am interested in chasing or pandering to for votes. They are primarily atheists, socialists and people who reject American Exceptionalism and are Blame American Firsters. They wallow in multiculturalism and moral relativism and are increasingly anti-semitic with their support for the genocidal BDS movement.

It will be a wonderful day when white coastal liberal gentries, especially in CA, are outnumbered by hispanics who want their own candidates and not benevolent white liberals representing them.  Those whites whose primary concern is climate change even if it means banning energy jobs, destroying manufacturing and turning the state into a third world country with no upward mobility for anyone not employed in Silicon Valley or Hollywood.

Ugh.  This is why our party is sucking more and more everyday.

I can only second that. Not a big fan of "left loonies", but absolutely hate "rabid wingers"....

[smoltchanov]

Here is what I say. Who cares? As a conservative I dont consider the people in SEA-TAC and Portland to be people I am interested in chasing or pandering to for votes. They are primarily atheists, socialists and people who reject American Exceptionalism and are Blame American Firsters. They wallow in multiculturalism and moral relativism and are increasingly anti-semitic with their support for the genocidal BDS movement.

It will be a wonderful day when white coastal liberal gentries, especially in CA, are outnumbered by hispanics who want their own candidates and not benevolent white liberals representing them.  Those whites whose primary concern is climate change even if it means banning energy jobs, destroying manufacturing and turning the state into a third world country with no upward mobility for anyone not employed in Silicon Valley or Hollywood.

Ugh.  This is why our party is sucking more and more everyday.

Your side hasnt won an election since 1956. Your side also was very happy with the "arrangement" that the House GOP had with the Dems prior to 1994. Conservatives brought the GOP into majority status, not moderate and liberals.

And YOUR side lost a LOT of presidential elections since 1964, and is poised to lose vast majority of presidential elections in coming years. And we specifically speak about Washington state here, where Republicans failed to win a single Governor election since 1980 and single Senate since 2000 (and even that elections were not won by right-wingers). In this state people like you are perennial losers....  And the cause for statewide Republican losses as well... You will be marginal group relatively soon (in 20 years). And yes, i agree that Reagan and at least Bush Sr. would be considered liberals in present Republican party - which is too frequently a party of denial, bigotry and foolishness now....

[smoltchanov]

Well, since this thread is dangerously close to going off the rails, I conclude by restating they can do nothing and nothing shall succeed for the foreseeable decades.

I disagree. Yes, Democrats will win a solid majority of statwide and congressional races in Pacific Northwest in foreseable future. But - far from all. Republicans were close in number of statewide races in Washington, Oregon and California recently, and even won some of them (like Washington SoS). They surely will do it in the future too. From time to time..

[smoltchanov]

Someday, the Republicans might actually run a moderate for a major statewide race. They'd probably also need a favorable climate as well. Even then, it would be pretty close.

What you guys dont get is this. A moderate loses more conservative votes than they pick up in moderate votes. In a state with NO conservatives like NJ that can happen. But WA has lots of conservatives in Eastern WA who sit home on election day if there is no conservative on the ballot.

Washington has mail-in ballots.

So theyd toss their ballots

Do it, please. In EVERY election.

[smoltchanov]

Someday, the Republicans might actually run a moderate for a major statewide race. They'd probably also need a favorable climate as well. Even then, it would be pretty close.

What you guys dont get is this. A moderate loses more conservative votes than they pick up in moderate votes. In a state with NO conservatives like NJ that can happen. But WA has lots of conservatives in Eastern WA who sit home on election day if there is no conservative on the ballot.

Washington has mail-in ballots.

So theyd toss their ballots

They didn't toss their ballots when McKenna ran for governor, and didn't lose because of lack of eastern Washington votes. But I'm glad you seem to be able to speak on behalf of all of them.

I'd argue that if Washington had its gubernatorial elections in midterm years like Massachusetts, someone like McKenna would've won.

McKenna was at least social moderate (if not liberal). Such person really could win in non-Presidential year. Social conservative - not even then...

[smoltchanov]

The price of nationalizing every political race is that you can't compete very well in more liberal states.

The same for Democrats in conservative one's...

[smoltchanov]

The price of nationalizing every political race is that you can't compete very well in more liberal states.

The same for Democrats in conservative one's...

Indeed. But I'm not asking what Democrats can do to compete in Alabama.

Sure. Though the answer here is not too difficult too: run more Richard Shelby-type candidates (at least - for state offices) and slowly restore positions lost in the last 20 years. In many aspects Shelby is exactly an "old style Alabama's Democrat".. And it's unlikely that Alabama will substantially change it's habits anytime soon