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The Spectacle Blog
One of the themes after the 2006 and 2008 election cycles was that Republicans had become a purely regional party that could not win in the northeast. Chris Christie's victory in the heavily Democratic New Jersey proves that this is not the case. Christie won not because he was such a stellar candidate, but because the Democratic Governor, Jon Corzine, was absolutely incompetent at his job. When you eliminate all the purely partisan voters on each side, the non-ideological voters left over who swing elections vote on the basis of competence. Republicans lost in 2006 and 2008 not because the country had moved so far to the left ideologically, but because they didn't govern the country well. So the major lesson to take from last night as it relates to 2010 and beyond is that everything will ultimately hinge on what kind of job Democrats do running the country. The results so far do not bode well for them.
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More Blog Posts by Philip Klein
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/11/04/winning-in-the-northeast
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reader| 11.4.09 @ 11:54AM
I think it is a broader issue than just the Northeast. The GOP did very well in affluent communities that had been trending Democrat recently. Concerns about profligate taxing and spending are trumping social issues.
A GOP challenger unseated the County Exec in Westchester County NY. Stamford CT elected a Republican mayor. Greenwich, which voted for Obama, elected the Republican incumbent in a landslide. McDonnell carried Fairfax County VA. Christie ran way ahead in the wealthy areas of NJ.
The fiscal excesses in Washington are driving the wealthy back into the GOP. This is a sea change.
Hank Archer| 11.4.09 @ 2:13PM
It worries me that "non-ideological voters ... who swing elections vote on the basis of competence" because what they are voting for is "who is most competent at delivering welfare."
This doesn't bode well for our freedom in the long-term.
Circular saw| 11.4.09 @ 8:09PM
Circular saw
Wall Chaser
Liberal Reader| 11.4.09 @ 9:58PM
You actually believe Republicans are staging a come-back in the northeast?
I seriously doubt it. People in the northeast don't like talk about Obama as a "racist," or Democrats as "fascists." They will not respond to excessive, moronic, paranoid rhetoric.
Sure -- northeasterners COULD be Republicans. But they'd have to be allowed to be Republicans like Chris Shays. Or GHW Bush.
If you think the Palin or Beck type is going to make headway in MA or CT, you're nuts.
Quick quiz: name the only two states that did NOT vote for FDR in 36.
Vermont and Maine. They went Republican.
Margie| 11.8.09 @ 1:42PM
How presumptuous Toddard is!
I'm in the North East my entire life. You don't have a clue, Toddard. Even the life long Democrats like my Dad despise Obama, as do most people I talk to everywhere up here.
Nice try trying to peg North Easterners as having to be RINOS in order to be Republicans. As usual you full of baloney and have no idea what you're talking about.
But then again, you live to lie.
Keep trying Toddard. Here in NJ Christie won because the people in this state are sick and tired of the Leftists destroying it and have indeed woken up. With no help from the stay at home holier than thou types who were too "principled" to vote for him.
What does that tell you Toddard?
Yes, the Republican Party IS staging a comeback. And it's with the help of us North Eastern Republicans.
Eat your heart out oh haughty one!