A warning to the GOP
Posted by Peter W. Schramm
John Fund warns the GOP that they have some work to do in the states, especially the blue states that Kerry won. The Democrats now have (by a hair) more state legislators than the GOP and the Demos have won some major state battles in states like Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oregon, California, Washington, Vermont, and Minnesota. He’s right. This has to be watched, and the GOP has to make a serious effort to win the state races. 
3:12 PM / November 8, 2004
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Fund makes an important point that no one else has caught sight of.
Amid all the self-congratulation, well-deserved though it is, we cannot ignore the fact that voters in the red states are still splitting their tickets. They continue to reward Democrats who manage to portray themselves as moderates. They still vote "the man, not the party." The legislator or legislative candidate is mistakenly seen as a super-mayor, not as an agent of a malignant national organization.
Until the GOP bites the bullet and attacks the Democrats AS A PARTY, and its officeholders AS A PARTY, it will continue to fall short of decisive power in the state capitals.
Far too many red states have blue governors and/or legislative houses. Collectively, they are at least a important to domestic policy as control of Congress. This is a significant failure for the GOP in Election 2004, and much more needs to be done about it.