I live in a Red State, yet the politicians here are Democrats; what gives?

Question

The governor is a Democrat, the Senators are Democrats and all except one member of the House are Democrats. (BTW, the State is Arkansas, a.k.a., Clinton-ville.)

Answer 1

Tell me about it. (I live in Paragould)
Everyone here has Republican Values and votes Democrap because their parents told them they were BORN democrats.
They think you're supposed to inherit your parent's political affiliation like they inherit their parent's religion!

Actually paying attention to the party's platforms never seems to be a consideration. I don't know what to think about them.

Answer 2

You don't live in a Red State then, your elected leadership determines which side of the isle your State political affiliation is. From last Novembers election America has mostly gone to blue Democrat States. New Orleans and the gulf coast debacle along with the Iraq war changed all of this. If America could have voted for President then, Bush wouldn't be in office right now. The Republicans lost really HUGE!!!!

Answer 3

Why do you have Democrats in a Red State? Well, it may have something to do with the poor choices the Republicans made in their party's candidates in each of those races.

Today, people don't vote party line anymore. Even in historically liberal or conservative states. People actually do vote for the man, not the party, in many cases. And,of course, once a party gets in, they have a built-in advantage of incumbency that may take a generation to overcome. That's one reason why many states now have term-limits...to defeat the power of incumbency, at least every six, or eight, or ten years.

I remember a quote from the former Republican leader of the US Senate, Senator Everett Dirksen, of Illinois. He once said: "No party in power is ever defeated....it defeats itself !"

Answer 4

A lot of people down here in the South STILL believe in State's Rights. They believe the STATE should determine the best course for its citizens, while the FED should be limited to security and commerce. Thus, demo state/repub fed.

Answer 5

often the "democrats" in local poltics in the south, sound more like Republicans than the republicans do...

there are still some old Yellow Dogs out there and there are some pretty conservative democrats in the south still... and local poltics often has little to do with national politics...

the party nationally overall is much more liberal...

Answer 6

Pure Red or pure Blue is very rare, especially in the south. most all states are purple. A presidential election tends to guage the strength of one candidate's smear team these days, nothing else. that and Rhetoric.

Answer 7

Yeah, I live right next door in Oklahoma and its the same way. I think it goes back to when only Democrats could be elected in these states and its almost traditional. However, when it comes to national politics we are very conservative.

Answer 8

I even have on no account believed that my vote counts for no longer something, even interior the days no longer too earlier once you will desire to no longer get elected for magistrate the place I stay till you pointed out your self as a Republican. Democrats swept the final community elections in my county. I assume McCain to win Texas, yet no longer via the margins that Bush gained interior the final 2 elections. i'm excited that the pendulum seems to be swinging decrease back from the some distance appropriate. i'm excited via this election via fact I see youthful voters paying interest and asking questions.

Answer 9

Well, last November we did have a big election...and apparently the majority of the population switched their attitudes...and party when you weren't looking.

Clinton-ville, hugh...yeah...well...

Answer 10

Move to a better state.