4 ms·

Let's be honest. People who currently identify as Trump Supporters are hard core. They are not susceptible to being convinced to join the other side. And jus

Let's be honest. People who currently identify as Trump Supporters are hard core. They are not susceptible to being convinced to join the other side. And just like hard core liberals, they are more-or-less irrelevant politically. Elections are won and lost entirely based on the middle of the electorate, who actually can be convinced to vote for either party in any given election.

jessaustin 7y ago
I'm not one of them, but I have a hard time considering the people who elected Trump and in 13.5 months will re-elect him "irrelevant politically". Don't confuse the Twitter and cable news meta-game for the real game.
- scarejunba 7y ago
  His point is that, with limited resources, spending them on swing voters makes sense more than partisans.
  - big_chungus 7y ago
    Political analysts seem to disagree, as both Republican and Democratic candidates are currently focusing mostly on energizing the core base, possibly to the detriment of swing voters.
    - scarejunba 7y ago
      Fascinating. I wonder what the reason is. Perhaps they think they can boost turnout in partisans faster than they can convince. Thanks for that.
      - bluGill 7y ago
        Right now you need to energize the base: those are the people who care enough to work for you (knocking on doors, making phone calls) when the election gets closer. You don't want to touch people who only slightly supporters but overall "have a life to live" because you can burn them out and then they won't vote at all which is a loss. In just under a year when the election gets close you use the core base to run your local election. It is well understood that the local ground game in the months up to the election is what really wins.
    - stickfigure 7y ago
      This is the nature of the primary system. Right now, Democrat candidates must appeal to registered Democrats only. That changes in the general election.
  - rootusrootus 7y ago
    Exactly. I somehow managed to make that confusing, judging from the downvotes. A significant number of voters will not change their minds. For whatever reason they are only ever going to vote for their party's candidate, perhaps because they figure the candidate will always toe the party line anyway. They're effectively irrelevant.
magashna 7y ago
> more-or-less irrelevant politically This is a great way to lose. Again. Remember when Hillary, in her hubris, didn't campaign outside of big coastal cities? Those people exist and they matter. Acting like they don't is the best way to ensure they win again.
- rootusrootus 7y ago
  You misunderstand. I'm talking about the people who are irrelevant because they were always going to vote R. Their minds could never be changed. It was the middle voters that elected Trump, which is pretty much the usual these days.

jessaustin 7y ago

I'm not one of them, but I have a hard time considering the people who elected Trump and in 13.5 months will re-elect him "irrelevant politically". Don't confuse the Twitter and cable news meta-game for the real game.

scarejunba 7y ago
His point is that, with limited resources, spending them on swing voters makes sense more than partisans.
- big_chungus 7y ago
  Political analysts seem to disagree, as both Republican and Democratic candidates are currently focusing mostly on energizing the core base, possibly to the detriment of swing voters.
  - scarejunba 7y ago
    Fascinating. I wonder what the reason is. Perhaps they think they can boost turnout in partisans faster than they can convince. Thanks for that.
    - bluGill 7y ago
      Right now you need to energize the base: those are the people who care enough to work for you (knocking on doors, making phone calls) when the election gets closer. You don't want to touch people who only slightly supporters but overall "have a life to live" because you can burn them out and then they won't vote at all which is a loss. In just under a year when the election gets close you use the core base to run your local election. It is well understood that the local ground game in the months up to the election is what really wins.
  - stickfigure 7y ago
    This is the nature of the primary system. Right now, Democrat candidates must appeal to registered Democrats only. That changes in the general election.
- rootusrootus 7y ago
  Exactly. I somehow managed to make that confusing, judging from the downvotes. A significant number of voters will not change their minds. For whatever reason they are only ever going to vote for their party's candidate, perhaps because they figure the candidate will always toe the party line anyway. They're effectively irrelevant.

magashna 7y ago

> more-or-less irrelevant politically This is a great way to lose. Again. Remember when Hillary, in her hubris, didn't campaign outside of big coastal cities? Those people exist and they matter. Acting like they don't is the best way to ensure they win again.

rootusrootus 7y ago
You misunderstand. I'm talking about the people who are irrelevant because they were always going to vote R. Their minds could never be changed. It was the middle voters that elected Trump, which is pretty much the usual these days.