How will the Edwards pick affect the ND vote?

[cheezus]

I've been getting the vibe around here that the tide is turning... I'm not so sure how "safe" of a red state we are anymore

[geek tragedy]

1. I can't imagine ND going blue

Kerry and Edwards are far too liberal for NoDakers. Sad, but true.

Keeping Conrad, Dorgan, and Pomeroy is stupendous, though.

[cheezus]

2. but north dakota is liberal

and almost socialist. it's been about personalities and wedge issues.

[geek tragedy]

3. It's a strange blend of social conservatism and radical populism

But ND always votes Republican for President. Clinton lost by 7 points to Bob Dole in 1996, 47-40. The last time it went Democratic was in the pre-civil rights era--Johnson over Barry Goldwater. Even Gerry Ford won there.

[Qanisqineq]

4. I agree with you

I've never quite understood the way NDakotans vote. I can only think of one person I knew there that strictly voted Repub.

[dakota_democrat]

5. It'll be closer than people expect...

...maybe even enough to turn some heads, but Bush will take ND. It's that simple. As long as we keep Pomeroy and Dorgan in office here this November, it's a good state election in my eyes.

[The Commie]

6. Rural midwesterners are...

econommically liberal and socially conservative. Repub prez canidates win only because they fan the flames of the Culture War (by being ant-gay and anti-abortion and acting like thy are proper Christians (which make my Grandma, who is very religious but solidly dem, cringe). Dems always win on economkic issues, hence Pomeroy and Dorgan. They way to win these people is too expose the hypocracy of the repubs, show they are only pretending to be religious to win votes. If that happens, rural America will begin to glow blue like it was 100 years ago.