Many Democrats believe the national election could, and should, have been won in Ohio. I believe that, too, though obviously no election strategy should turn on the vote in a single state. Still, with its close-call outcome in 2004, Ohio provides a good example of
what Democrats have done, but still need to do, to win elections in battleground states in the future.
To win Ohio, Democrats must run campaigns that work statewide. With six major media markets and a one of the most diverse states in the nation. That means we should pour resources not just into our strongholds in the major urban areas -- where we racked up healthy margins in 2004 -- but into suburbs and rural areas as well. We must bring our city mayors, county commissioners, and rural legislators together as a single team to produce commonsense initiatives on improving the quality of life for families in every community.
A platform that can appeal to on reform, shared community investments, and shared community responsibility -- not just the fleeting issues of the day. Democrats must send our best speakers into the townships and small cities where so many people live.
It is up to us to take our message door to door in rural Ohio. Every day, we must find
new ways to communicate the values we hold dear to residents in every corner of the
state. We must highlight the hard work we are doing and the faith that sustains us -- not
only faith in our religious beliefs, but also faith in the people of Ohio.
Ohioans live in a time of great uncertainty and anxiety, with working families across the state feeling the pinch. Most of these voters are not Democrats or Republicans, but
moderates. They often switch parties during closely contested elections. Ohio's working families know that there is no Republican or Democratic way to fill potholes, to open health clinics, to respond to 911 calls, or to make sure our kids grow up with the skills they need for the state's future economy. These issues go beyond politics. To solve them, we must offer a united, focused message that works in both red and blue counties.
As Democrats, especially as moderates, we need to do more than just debate action plans on an issue-by-issue basis. We must sweep away the distorted perceptions and liberal labels that Republicans constantly repeat about us. We must reassert our real-world relevance as leaders with records of effectively serving the interests of working
families.
Only by reuniting the shared interests of families across urban, suburban, and rural lines can we effectively speak again as the party of working people and build the support for a new national majority.
