Josh Goodman is a staff writer for GOVERNING and the lead author of the Politics blog.
E-mail: jgoodman@governing.comDemocrats' Best Hope in Colorado Drops Out
One of the great questions heading into the 2010 elections is what Democrats can do to get their base motivated again. While there are several different answers to that question, the right answer isn't clear. What is very clear, however, is that Republicans have it within their power to motivate the Democratic base. The simple way to do it: Nominate divisive candidates.
That's the context I was thinking about when I heard that Tom Tancredo, the firebrand former Republican congressman from Colorado, was thinking about running for governor. A Tancredo candidacy certainly would have motivated a certain segment (and perhaps a wide swath) of the Republican base.
However, the possibility of a governor Tom Tancredo would have inspired every Hispanic Democrat who was remotely interested in politics to show up at the polls. It would have inspired a lot of other Democrats too. Complacency after the party's 2008 victories wouldn't have been a problem. And, any Democratic disappointment with the pace of change coming from Washington wouldn't have mattered.
Now, Tancredo has indicated that he's not running for governor. In some election years, that decision might be bad news for Republicans. Scott McInnis, the likely Republican nominee, is not someone with quite as much capacity to motivate the G.O.P. But, in an election year in which the Republicans will be motivated regardless of whom they nominate (almost: see NY-23), I have to think that the G.O.P. has dodged a bullet.
Politics
GOVERNING Politics is the new home of staff writer Josh Goodman's Ballot Box blog. If there's a ballot measure in California, a legislative election in Alabama, a mayoral election in Anchorage or a governor's race in Rhode Island, GOVERNING Politics probably is writing about it. We love everything about state and local politics, from polls and campaign ads to policy debates and demographic trends.
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