Can the GOP win back surbubia?

[Kevin]

Under President Obama and the Democrats, the pubbies have made a comeback in many suburban areas of the country that they have lost influence in over the past 20 years. For example in VA, the GOP pretty much lost NOVA from 2001-2009 for a variety of factors demographic change and urbanization not least among them on the local, state, and President level. All of which accumulated in the elections of Jim Webb to the Senate and Obama carrying the state in 2008.

However much of the Republican Party nationwide has adjusted to the circumstances, for instance by running candidates with wide appeal with roots in suburbia like Bob McDonnell in 2009. Additionally, since 2009 many of the suburbia NOVA voters who moved towards the Dems under Bush are going back to the GOP in droves because of the policies put forth by the Democrats and the fact that Obama has turned out to be something that he is showing that he isn't is the feeling at the moment. This in NOVA is leading to a graudal rollback of the Democratic gains over the past 10 years(the local and state elections coming up next week here look like they maybe a disaster for the Democrats), and it is looking increasingly likely that a suburbia heavy state like VA will go back to the GOP in 2012. 

These trends aren't only being seen in NOVA, but other Suburban areas like chunks of Florida, New Hampshire, NJ, or the Philly Suburbs. With the Republicans putting forth  candidates like Chris Christie Scott Brown, and Marco Rubio whose polices appeal to these types of voters.

[Kevin]

One should note that the fast-growing newer suburbs and exurbs are much more Republican than the older, more established ones, generally speaking.

Suburbanites like low taxes, fast growth, and "pro-family" policies when they first move in to the young, developing exurbs and suburbs. Once they get more established, they care more about education, infrastructure, etc.  and tend to moderate or even become liberal on cultural issues.

Again though what happens to the older suburbs is due to demographic changes, for instance Fairfax and PW in NOVA have seen an influx in minorities in recent years, epseically Hispanics. The same with Montgomery and Prince Georges in MD, the later of which is majority-minority.