For the last several years, [tag]Republicans[/tag], confident in the size and stability of its base, have targeted specific constituency groups who usually vote for Dems — Catholics, Hispanics, seniors — through aggressive outreach and wedge-issue campaigning. This year, Dems are turning the tables a bit.
House [tag]Democrats[/tag], trying to capitalize on conservative dissatisfaction with Republicans, are reaching out to Christian voters with radio advertisements critical of Republican proposals to overhaul [tag]Social Security[/tag].
In a campaign tied to appearances by President [tag]Bush[/tag] on behalf of House candidates later this week, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has bought time on stations with Christian and conservative audiences to try to remind those who traditionally vote Republican of their party’s plan to add private investment accounts to Social Security. […]
“We are going to keep them back on their heels and make them compete for their own base,” said Representative [tag]Rahm Emanuel[/tag], Democrat of Illinois, chairman of the House campaign organization.
Good. The [tag]DCCC[/tag] apparently has polling data that suggests frequent churchgoers and fundamentalist Christians don’t like the idea of privatizing Social Security and are uncomfortable with Republicans’ fiscal irresponsibility. The Dems’ new ad hits the GOP on both and reminds [tag]Christian[/tag] voters that Dems opposed the Republicans’ efforts.
Moreover, the ads will be aired in five vulnerable incumbents’ districts: Reps. Geoff Davis of Kentucky, John Hostettler of Indiana, Michael Sodrel of Indiana, Steve Chabot of Ohio and Thelma Drake of Virginia.
In close races, could the Dems’ outreach to traditionally-Republican Christian voters make a difference? It can’t hurt.