Top Headline Comments 7-16-13

Happy Tuesday.

Gosh, why does the GOP have such trouble attracting new voters? Could it be the gleeful nastiness that so many like to display? Here's some photos from yesterday's anti-Gang of 8 "March for Jobs" that, to put it mildly, make it harder to sell Republicanism. These folks did us no favors. Nor did this woman, whom I'm sure has a plan to help the GOP shift Ohio back into the red column. And, of course, these old racist buttons from last year made another appearance.

Sen. Cruz, among other GOP leaders, spoke at the march. But, then, he's not up for reelection until 2018. What about politicians who have to appeal to voters now?

Meet CA-31's GOP Rep. Gary Miller. Rep. Miller used to represent CA-41, a safe GOP seat in Orange County, but moved over to CA-31 after redistricting.

He got lucky in 2012 because, under California's new "top two" primary system, his opponent was a Republican -- the Democrats having split the primary three ways. But Miller's not depending on that to get him reelected next year. He knows he has to be competitive in this majority-Latino district in San Bernardino. Which is why he has retracted his former statements suggesting that 12-20 million illegals be deported (from back when he was in a safe red district and could say things like that without getting the stuffing beat out of him on Election Day) and now says that he's "evolved" on the issue.

I highlight this example because it comes down to a question of whether the GOP is ready to simply give up CA-31 and similar "purple" districts. Do we want to take back the Senate? Do we ever want to take back the White House? Let me suggest that getting nasty, like the marchers did yesterday, is not a viable path to majority.

posted by Gabriel Malor at 07:01 AM

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