What Happened to 'Demographics'?
For some time, we've been hearing about demographics and the inevitable Democrat majority: young people and Hispanics. Rick Teixeira developed the idea and predicted a lot of Democrat victories: the emerging Democrat majority!
The GOP does not look like a party in decline after six years of President Obama. On the contrary, there is success all over, as Charles Kesler wrote:
"In the House of Representatives, they will hold a majority nearly 250 seats strong, their largest showing since Herbert Hoover won the presidency in 1928.
Though final numbers are not in, the GOP now controls both houses of the state legislatures of 30 states, its highest number since 1920.
In all likelihood, Republicans will exceed their historic high for state legislative seats, set in 1928.
And they took back the U.S. Senate, by margins comparable to what they enjoyed in the splendid Republican decade of the 1920s."
Is this party that was going out of business because it only attracted white guys over 50?
Winning all of those state legislatures will have a huge impact on "gerrymandering" and other issues, like school choice. It means that the GOP will fight back on the expansion of the federal government, from the EPA to judges deciding the definition of marriage. Also, all of those legislators provide candidate depth for a long time.
To be honest, I am not discounting the demographics theory completely. Yes, the GOP has to do a better job of speaking to Hispanics, African-Americans, and others.
The year 2014 proved two things about the Democrats and demographics:
1) Your people have to show up, or the theory won't work, and
2) the Democrats have to deliver, or people will look at an alternative, as many did this year.
Yes, there will be a lot more people of color in our population over the next 25 years. Furthermore, the makeup of a presidential year is different from that of a midterm.
Yet, Tuesday demonstrated that they don't automatically vote Democrat, specially when you make a case for your candidacy as governor-elect Abbott did in Texas.
P.S. You can hear CANTO TALK here & follow me on Twitter @ scantojr.