the term "reagan democrats"

[freepcrusher]

What exactly is this person? My guess is that they were people who worked in factories and blue collar jobs in the rust-belt and who, despite voting democratic down-ballot, supported Reagan in the 80s because they either liked him as a person or believed he had a good vision for the country.

Did Clinton and Obama win by trying to reach out to them and basically say "there's still room for you guys here"? The fact that Obama won the great lakes states of MN, WI, IL, IN, OH, MI, PA, and NY and that Clinton won all those states except for Indiana (although he won the Indiana counties closer to Lake Michigan) proves they did.

Another question, is there a republican equivalent to this?

[HAnnA MArin County]

My understanding of the term is equivalent to what we'd call a DINO, by today's standards.

Here's what I found on Wiki:

Reagan Democrat is an American political term used by political analysts to denote traditionally Democratic voters, especially white working-class Northerners, who defected from their party to support Republican President Ronald Reagan in both the 1980 and 1984 elections. It is also used to refer to the smaller but still substantial number of Democrats who voted for George H. W. Bush in the 1988 election. The term can also be used to describe moderate Democrats who are more conservative than liberal on certain issues like national security and immigration.

"Reagan Democrats" no longer saw Democrats as champions of their working class aspirations, but instead saw them as working primarily for the benefit of others: the very poor, feminists, the unemployed, African Americans, Latinos, and other groups. In addition, Reagan Democrats enjoyed gains during the period of economic prosperity that coincided with the Reagan administration following the "malaise" of the Carter administration. They also supported Reagan's strong stance on national security and opposed the 1980s Democratic Party on such issues as pornography, crime, and taxes.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

There was no such thing as a Reagan Democrat.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

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What economic prosperity?

[freepcrusher]

There was no such thing as a Reagan Democrat.

really, because there were easily 100 congressional districts that voted for Reagan despite having a democratic representative. Remember that Reagan himself was a democrat until around 1960.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

really, because there were easily 100 congressional districts that voted for Reagan despite having a democratic representative. Remember that Reagan himself was a democrat until around 1960.

If "Reagan Democrats" are working-class Rust Belt voters, how come they seemed to be the most anti-Reagan folks of all?

By the media's definition, I'm a "Reagan Democrat" - even though I'm anti-Reagan.

[Хahar 🤔]

My guess is that they were people who worked in factories and blue collar jobs in the rust-belt and who, despite voting democratic down-ballot, supported Reagan in the 80s because they either liked him as a person or believed he had a good vision for the country.

As we've been over many times on the forum, those people voted for Mondale.

[freepcrusher]

so is the term "Reagan Democrat" largely a myth?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

so is the term "Reagan Democrat" largely a myth?

It's more or less a media fantasy.

[Stranger in a strange land]

so is the term "Reagan Democrat" largely a myth?

Reagan Democrats existed, but they weren't the people the media described (and still often refers to) as "Reagan Democrats." For the most part they were very conservative white Southern Democrats who started voting Republican in the 80s despite remaining registered as Democrats and voting Democratic in state and local elections.

[Napoleon]

My guess is that they were people who worked in factories and blue collar jobs in the rust-belt and who, despite voting democratic down-ballot, supported Reagan in the 80s because they either liked him as a person or believed he had a good vision for the country.

As we've been over many times on the forum, those people voted for Mondale.

They didn't just vote for Mondale, they were his base within the Democratic Party.

[Person Man]

so is the term "Reagan Democrat" largely a myth?

No. I think its best to think of people like the stereotypical "Reagan Democrats", but who weren't the stereotypical "Reagan Democrats". Ideas that come to mind are Southern Democrats in 1984...some of Jimmy Carter's best states were still in the south in 1980 and perhaps people who left the factory jobs to start their own businesses or to work in an office park.

[Del Tachi]

As to the question of whether or not their is a Republican equivalent to this, I've heard the term "Clinton Republican" or "Obama Republican" come up quite a few times.

Clinton Republicans are mainly "Reagan Democrats" who switched back to the Dems when Bill Clinton was the head of the ticket ('92 and '96).  Mainly from the Upper South. 

"Obama Republicans" are apparently white, upper-middle class suburbanites who voted for Bush but then decided they liked "Hope" and "Change.

This is just what I've heard...

[feeblepizza]

There were also "McCain Democrats" in 2000 and 2008.

[Reaganfan]

My late Grandfather was the perfect definition of a Reagan Democrat. He was a life long Democrat who loved Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John Kennedy. By the 1960s he was disgusted by the hippies and drug users and favored harsh penalties for criminals and strong foreign policy. He was a union member and a Korean War veteran.

Thing is though, he never voted Republican in his life and detested Reagan even though he matched up perfectly with Democrats who voted for him.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I read more and more, and Naso makes soooo much more sense.

But in large part, the Reagan democrats became Republicans, and occasionally vote for blue-dog Dems.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

But in large part, the Reagan democrats became Republicans, and occasionally vote for blue-dog Dems.

Not really. The term was usually used to refer (pretty specifically) to a certain sort of urban, working class white 'ethnic' voter alienated by the loss of status that came with economic change and the rise of minority politics. These people are mostly voting for the Democrats these days. Well, most of them are probably dead, actually.