Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush told a New York audience on Monday
that his party needed to abandon a strategy of appealing to “older white guys” and that it “doesn’t take a rocket scientist” to understand that demography matters in politics. […]
Republicans can’t win new voters “by narrowing your party and purifying your party and all this nonsense,” he said.
And he blasted some of the rhetoric from congressional Republicans against immigration, such as Iowa Rep. Steve King as “shameful and so insulting … [it’s] totally out of the mainstream of conservative thought.”
Iowa blogger Shane Vander Hart fumes,
If [Bush] is running in 2016 then he’s running a clinic on how to guarantee one loses the Iowa Caucus.
First lesson if you want to lose attack Congressman Steve King (R-IA). […] The grassroots identify with Congressman King and his position on the issues. So when Bush takes a crack at him in New York of all places… well that shows he lacks the sense to run a successful campaign in Iowa.
I doubt Jeb Bush is focused on winning the Iowa caucuses. I think he’s focused on the GOP not losing presidential elections until the end of time.
Winning the presidency is not about pandering to social conservatives in Iowa. Republicans can’t win just by improving their performance among white voters. They need more support from fast-growing demographic groups. Specifically, as Bush knows very well, they need to do better among Latino voters in Florida. King may have won the battle against comprehensive immigration reform, but his national prominence on this issue is a nightmare for Republican strategists.
8 Comments
Immigration
Jeb Bush probably never wanted to be Governor. I think some of these political dynasties are kind of like star athletes pushing their kids to do the same thing.
I agree we need immigration reform, but Dems need to stop acting like we don’t let people into the country. We are a very accepting place and Steve King doesn’t speak for us. I know elections have to be won so it is good to use Steve King as a boogeyman, but we do let large numbers of immigrants into the country every year, as we should.
moderateiadem Wed 20 Nov 2:31 PM
the main question
is whether we are every going to give a path to citizenship or at least legal residency to people who came her illegally or were brought here illegally as children. King’s completely closed-minded on the issue and outside mainstream public opinion, even among residents of IA-04.
desmoinesdem Wed 20 Nov 2:46 PM
If that's true
“King’s completely closed-minded on the issue and outside mainstream public opinion, even among residents of IA-04.”
Then why do the rubes, collectively, in that quadrant of Iowa keep electing him?
conservative-demo Wed 20 Nov 4:54 PM
Just wondering
Could a moderate GOPer compete against King in a primary, or are they just too nutsos in that District? At some point you’d think king would be too much of an embarrassment even for them.
rockm Wed 20 Nov 5:42 PM
Doubtful
I doubt a more moderate Republican could win. If two more moderate Rs duck out of the 1st district race, I have a hard time envisioning a scenario where a moderate voice could beat King.
I personally would like to see more people getting on the ballot as independents in order to shake things up and move the discussion in a more positive direction.
moderateiadem Wed 20 Nov 7:42 PM
no chance
A primary challenge against King would be a non-starter.
desmoinesdem Wed 20 Nov 8:58 PM
they agree with him on a whole range of issues
I wouldn’t expect a bunch of conservatives to become single-issue voters on immigration reform, even if they disagree with King on a path to citizenship.
desmoinesdem Wed 20 Nov 8:59 PM
Agreed
I agree with you, but some of the points made against King seem to reflect poorly upon the country as a whole. Many nations have a far more restrictive immigration policy than we do.
I wish we could have a more civil discussion about immigration. Some of the more liberal members of the House really make the country sound like xenophobes when I believe the argument could be made that we welcome more immigrants than any other nation on the planet in a given year. I could be wrong.
moderateiadem Wed 20 Nov 7:38 PM