How Dean Heller beat the Democratic turnout machine
This year, the Republican National Committee joined with Nevada operatives to hastily build a machine for presidential hopeful Mitt Romney—labeling it Team Nevada. And they managed to put together a turnout operation that exceeded expectations, even if it fell short of winning the state for Romney.
Heller’s campaign, however, didn’t rely solely on Team Nevada for its turnout efforts, even as it praised that team’s ability to get Republicans to the polls throughout the state.
But Republicans trailed Democrats by 7-points in statewide voter registration—a disadvantage the Heller camp knew they had to address.
They set their sites on nonpartisans and soft Democrats.
“It’s a part of the equation,” Abrams said. “When you’re down by 7 points, where are you going to make that up? Independents. It’s simple mathematics. They are a powerful percentage in the make up of the electorate.
Blowback
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Rage against the machine
faraway on November 11, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Rape of the (Chicago) machine would be more accurate – nationally.
honsy on November 11, 2012 at 4:25 PM
The house was sacrificed because it pacifies the GOP establishment from challenging the fraud, and frankly it isn’t needed in a dictatorship
phreshone on November 11, 2012 at 4:26 PM
Yeah, maybe. But that strategy didn’t help Romney much. He won independents by 5 pts nationally. In Ohio, he won independents by 11. What good did it do? Nada. My conclusion: ideological and partisan targeting is the wrong tact to take.
The GOP needs to spend the next four years focusing on how to boost its performance among the white working class (that is, whites in w/ household incomes less than $50K) by 10-25%. You raise GOP performance among the white working class, and not only do you win true swing/purple states like Ohio and Virginia but key parts of the “blue wall” — WI, MI, NH, and PA also fall for the GOP.
This, of course, is in addition to hispanic outreach.
Robert_Paulson on November 11, 2012 at 5:05 PM
Maybe Heller should be in charge of the RNC.
Illinidiva on November 11, 2012 at 5:22 PM
set their SIGHTS, not sites.
DavidW on November 11, 2012 at 5:35 PM
It’s a simple answer. 52% of Americans wonder if they can get some free sh!t from the ________, if so , they want to vote for the _________. Shelley Berkley got a BUNCH of free sh!t for her husband – the moocher class does not like the competition.
VegasRick on November 11, 2012 at 6:06 PM