The Fix: Barack Obama is a smart dude. Democrats should listen to him [View all]

[okaawhatever]

President Obama's speech at a Democratic Governors Association fundraiser in D.C. last night contained a key pearl of political wisdom for his party. Here it is:

If there’s one message I want to deliver today to every Democrat and every person who’s interested in supporting Democratic policies, it’s that you got to pay attention to the states. You have to stay focused on what’s happening in the states, and you especially have to pay attention to what’s happening in the states during midterm elections. Because we know how to win national elections, but all too often, it’s during these midterms where we end up getting ourselves into trouble, because I guess we don’t think it’s sexy enough. But the fact of the matter is, is that that’s where so much of the action is.

SNIP


That lack of focus/interest has hurt Democrats nationally far more than the average person -- or even the average political junkie -- understands. The 2010 election is a perfect example of this reality. While most people focus on the 63-seat Republican gain that brought them control of the House, what often gets lost is the remarkable turnover in governorships and state legislatures.
Republicans picked up eight governorships in 2010 -- including critical swing states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan. They also held on to the governorship in Florida. The change at the state legislative level was even more striking -- and arguably more impactful.

http://trove.com/me/content/E764J

Continued at Link, also map and link to map that shows pre and post 2010 state political majority.