Should Democrats rally the base or target swing voters?

[iuwclurker]

Target swing voters:

In an academic study of competitive U.S. House primaries from 2006 to 2014, we found that extremist nominees do considerably worse in the general election, on average, than moderates. The reason, however, may come as a surprise: It’s not that extremists turn off moderates in their own party. It’s that they fire up the other party’s base.​

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

Target swing voters:

In an academic study of competitive U.S. House primaries from 2006 to 2014, we found that extremist nominees do considerably worse in the general election, on average, than moderates. The reason, however, may come as a surprise: It’s not that extremists turn off moderates in their own party. It’s that they fire up the other party’s base.​

Makes sense in a vacuum, but real life shifts things. When the other party has already gone to the extreme, you can't stay reasonable to the point that you let the center shift. Sometimes a little extremism is needed in response to extremism.

Not nationally, of course. All elections are local. Long live Manchin and Donnelly, but long live Ocasio-Cortez, too. What's best for the movement changes based on who is voting.

 

[Morrison]

Target swing voters:

In an academic study of competitive U.S. House primaries from 2006 to 2014, we found that extremist nominees do considerably worse in the general election, on average, than moderates. The reason, however, may come as a surprise: It’s not that extremists turn off moderates in their own party. It’s that they fire up the other party’s base.​

K.I.S.S. Seeing that the Clinton campaign exclusively targeted swing voters and prioritized social issues that a lot of us democrats aren’t on board with, at the expense of the base in 2016, I’d like to see them get back to blocking and tackling first.