Um, then why did you say
De-emphasize issues like abortion, gay marriage, and evolution.
Because I think many suburban voters who might otherwise vote GOP support the Dems on these issues and thus vote for the Dems instead.
Um, you just admitted that these issues have not been emphasized since 2000, so why the need to "de-emphasize" them?
They may not have been Presidential campaign issues, but they certainly have been issues. The FMA for one, all the gay marriage bans that have been put on state ballots. These are the kind of Christofacist activities which turn off suburban voters.
How can you assert that they "turn off" voters when all the gay marriage bans put on the ballot have passed?
They turn off voters in suburbia, not necessarily in other parts of the states (such as rural areas).
That's flatly untrue: 59% of suburban Californians voted against gay marriage in 2008 as well as 63% of Ohio suburban voters in 2004.
But...
In a choice between two pro-gay marriage candidates, the Republican will still get the anti-gay marriage Republicans and have a better shot with pro-gay marriage Republicans/Independents/Democrats even.
In a choice between a pro- and anti-gay marriage candidate, many voters will not even consider the anti-gay marriage candidate.
