Okay, I hear you, but because you prioritize divided government over the policy goals of any individual, we can't really glean much about how good or bad a particular candidate is to "the middle" through your eyes.
I find Beto's rhetoric to be almost identical to Obama. Obama first came to prominence with his red state/blue state speech at the 2004 DNC. A message of unity, that we're all in this together, I'm my brother's keeper, we have more in common than we don't... clearly, democrats absolutely love this messaging. I'm not aware of any republican candidates that has gained popularity with republican voters this way. Why is that?
You have to understand that this is how soft people want to be lied to. Republican bases are rougher personalities who need a different style of lying.
To me it was closer to Bernie/progressive rhetoric but just from a charismatic, less preachy, relatable guy. Ultimately I voted for Cruz because I felt the social issues that I care about and disagree with Cruz on are happening in spite of Republicans and Cruz. Further, I don’t think federal govt is the only route available to change society. Also, I’m surrounded by Austin liberals and it might as well be all groupthink over here with slogans and feel good bs and no true desire to think about other ideas or solutions or recognition that the feel good bs isn’t helpful. Ultimately there is no true candidate for me here in Austin or Texas so it’s just kind of a toss up. Other than that I leaned more towards Republicans in legislative and executive and Democrats in judicial positions and for local Austin positions my only option was for Democrats lol. I noticed pretty much all the local bond props got the same percentage or greater as Beto did in Travis county. That’s my rambling take.
He isn't even announced as a candidate... and the republicans are already running negative ads against him...
Yeah Republican bases too. Really anyone who subscribes to a major political party has little going for them. Not going to argue about that point, but you should have just included both parties really.
Obama won a lot of moderates and Independents(disillusioned Bushes) this way...then lost the Independents during midterms. Swing voters despite party afilliation should be more results oriented towards future promises or away from incumbent decisions... They should be the harder sell but something has caused a change... Republicans have undergone more purity and loyalty tests since Bush. Fool me once... Fool me...can't get fooled again. You'll see the tax pledges, Christian virtue signaling, or the threat of getting primaried as a deep seeded calculation that as long as those candidates are the devil's they know, they can lie, cheat, and steal under their flag. Better we get Karl Malone than the other team. It's also not surprising to puff your chest proudly, when you're in a mindset of a present or future conflict/war. So citing the Bible is out. Too easy/paradoxical/clever. If you want a warlord for a war, a leader that bores the enemy to death is not a winner. Steve Kings are in so long as he prostrates to the establishment for forgiveness, signals authenticity through Draconian budget cuts, or enacts/supports some form of unambiguous zero tolerance cruelty to "rule breakers". Steve King is still around not because he represents a full blown racist party. Racists are clever enough to infect and incite any party. He's around because if he's "honest" about his racism, he could be "more honest" about fanatical conservative values that his crowd secretly wants. Nuance is another word for lies and deception...which could also delegitimize established rituals and symbols. Proof of that is with Kappernick rustling jimmies over what should just be eggball. Nuance's sibling, Compromise, is another calculation gone awry. Compromise either leaves no one happy, or usually leaves the side with more leverage happier. Who feels The Most Persecuted despite dominating government for the last two years on the Federal and State levels across all three branches? I'm guessing why Republicans are like this now is because they've been robbed of the mindset of plenty/abundance or the hopes of it enough to the point where they allow fear to influence their decisions non-stop. For some, the fear takes root in opioids and suicide. For others, it could be stocking up on guns, supplies, and shelter enough for a year of famine. With an order and rules based mindset, overwhelming and unseen fear is enough to double down on those rules in a bid for control and a call to action. How we treat the depressing news about the earth, our debt, jerbs, and others around us doesn't always reflect what we say about them when asked for an opinion. The fact that both sides are having problems agreeing to what these problems are is another big reason both sides are so ready and willing with the war metaphors.
