WA-SurveyUSA: Rossi (R) defeats Sen. Murray (D) by 10

[Meeker]

In more secular more cosmopolitan states, the GOP needs more David Cameron types, and it has next to none, due to issue and cultural divisions that split US politics these days. The GOP only gets in the hunt when the Dems over reach. The problem is that in these states, the GOP needs to win over secular voters with more "relaxed" social views who are moderate to right of center on economic issues, and absent a lot of angst, they don't.

Exactly, in the less religious states the party needs to become social centrists with right of center economic values. That or simply not talk about social issues. In terms of over reaching I have the feeling that the dems may be doing so simply by being in power for so long (the last Republican governor was around 25 years ago). Though honestly Washington democrats have in many ways been clever in not reaching too far and self-moderating themselves in order to try the big-tent approach.

It seems to me they need to find a Scott Brown or Olympia Snowe to type, but it doesn't sound like there any, correct?

There's maybe one or two I can think of in the Legislature right now. Sam Reed (Secretary of State) might be electable in a Senate race but no one really knows how moderate he actually is and he's never even considered running for anything else as far as I know.

All the others have either lost, retired or switched to the Democrats.

[bgwah]

But Washington isn't like a Northeastern state. As CultureKing mentioned, half of our state is basically Idaho and those folks will stop moderates from taking over the Republican Party. And even then, the Republican areas of Western Washington (places like Lynden, Lewis County, exurban Vancouver) tend to be even more rabidly conservative than Eastern Washington.

I really don't see Sam Reed winning a primary for Governor or Senator. Republicans are still mad he didn't steal the election for Rossi, after all.

[Meeker]

But Washington isn't like a Northeastern state. As CultureKing mentioned, half of our state is basically Idaho and those folks will stop moderates from taking over the Republican Party. And even then, the Republican areas of Western Washington (places like Lynden, Lewis County, exurban Vancouver) tend to be even more rabidly conservative than Eastern Washington.

I really don't see Sam Reed winning a primary for Governor or Senator. Republicans are still mad he didn't steal the election for Rossi, after all.

Well yes, but that's a separate issue. I was assuming he somehow became the Republican candidate.

[Landslide Lyndon]

In more secular more cosmopolitan states, the GOP needs more David Cameron types, and it has next to none, due to issue and cultural divisions that split US politics these days. The GOP only gets in the hunt when the Dems over reach. The problem is that in these states, the GOP needs to win over secular voters with more "relaxed" social views who are moderate to right of center on economic issues, and absent a lot of angst, they don't.

Exactly, in the less religious states the party needs to become social centrists with right of center economic values. That or simply not talk about social issues. In terms of over reaching I have the feeling that the dems may be doing so simply by being in power for so long (the last Republican governor was around 25 years ago). Though honestly Washington democrats have in many ways been clever in not reaching too far and self-moderating themselves in order to try the big-tent approach.

I think Torie meant that national Democrats overreached.

But even then how can you accuse them of overreaching when they simply fulfilled their campaign promises? It's not like they tried to privatize Social Security without ever mentioning the issue during the campaign.

[Badger]

lolz, I'll believe it when I see it.

From the article:

However, both Rossi and the Murray camp agree that these numbers don't seem right to them. Rossi says the internal and public polling shows Murray has the advantage. A Murray spokesperson says their numbers show the race closer to a dead heat.

I didn't find the bolded quote in the article, Bgwah, either in print or the video link. Where did you find that?

It's telling (and reassuring) that neither camp puts much stock in Rossi's purported 10 point lead here, though Murray's campaign claiming their internal numbers are "closer to a dead heat" would be equally telling (and disturbing).

[Vepres]

In more secular more cosmopolitan states, the GOP needs more David Cameron types, and it has next to none, due to issue and cultural divisions that split US politics these days. The GOP only gets in the hunt when the Dems over reach. The problem is that in these states, the GOP needs to win over secular voters with more "relaxed" social views who are moderate to right of center on economic issues, and absent a lot of angst, they don't.

Exactly, in the less religious states the party needs to become social centrists with right of center economic values. That or simply not talk about social issues. In terms of over reaching I have the feeling that the dems may be doing so simply by being in power for so long (the last Republican governor was around 25 years ago). Though honestly Washington democrats have in many ways been clever in not reaching too far and self-moderating themselves in order to try the big-tent approach.

I think Torie meant that national Democrats overreached.

But even then how can you accuse them of overreaching when they simply fulfilled their campaign promises? It's not like they tried to privatize Social Security without ever mentioning the issue during the campaign.

Wow, you REALLY went out of your way to criticize Republicans there.