Democratic leader: Party message must change
The South was once home to the “yellow dog Democrats,” a colorful characterization that implied Southern voters would rather cast ballots for a mutt dog than a Republican.
That strong allegiance helped the Democratic Party maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives for an amazing 40 straight years between 1955 and 1994. For all but six of those years, Democrats also were in control of the U.S. Senate.
But during the last two decades, Southerners who cherish traditional values have shifted their allegiance to the Grand Old Party, where their conservative stands on issues like gun control, school prayer, abortion and same-sex marriage were more welcomed.
That shift in political power has Democrats in Alabama and other Southern states scrambling to maintain party viability.
Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels told members of the Shoals Democratic Club on Monday night that Democrats must change the narrative if they hope to return their party to prominence.
Read more: http://www.timesdaily.com/opinion/editorials/democratic-leader-party-message-must-change/article_8cbe4b0f-7933-5ed8-beea-fc1a91dcc1ba.html
