The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
Moderation along with good manners delivered impressive victories to Democrats last week. Case in point was Andy Beshear’s win over Republican incumbent Matt Bevin in the Kentucky governor’s race.
Beshear’s margin was slim, it is true, but Kentucky is a state that backed Donald Trump in 2016 by 30 points. The president was so alarmed at the closeness of the race that he swooped down on the state the day before to tell his rallygoers that the race was about him.
Apparently, it was. Dislike of Trump no doubt played a part in turning out 400,000 more voters than the 2015 governor’s race. The soft-spoken Beshear campaigned as a moderate while big-mouth Bevin governed like a brute. One of the more astute comments came from a woman from the suburbs across from Cincinnati. Bevin had “bad manners,” she said.
And he did. He called teachers nasty names and reveled in cutting back health coverage for poor Kentuckians.
Beshear campaigned on keeping health care, education and pension reform. Bevin campaigned on how much he is like Trump.
Virginia saw the most dramatic turning of the tide. Democrats took control of the state legislature. (They already hold the governorship.) Here, too, the Trump creep show had turned off the formerly Republican suburbs.
Now, moderation isn’t the same thing as good manners. There are fine-mannered radicals on both the left and right. But to the extent that good manners require acknowledging the feelings of those who disagree, they more easily coexist with moderation.
Nancy Pelosi is wisely urging Democrats to nominate a moderate for president. That means not Elizabeth Warren — and, of course, not Bernie Sanders. Warren would sow chaos in the nation’s health care system, and she would tear apart big tech companies. Even if you like these ideas — and I think work is needed in both areas — be mindful that they are not going to happen.
Beating Trump
A President Warren could not get such legislation past a lot of Democrats, much less Republicans who have the Senate votes to stop progress. More to the point, there would not be a President Warren because she’d be sure to lose — even against Trump.
The important battlefields are Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, the three states that delivered an Electoral College victory to Trump. Recent polls of matchups in six swing states suggest how vulnerable Warren or Sanders would be against Trump.
Granted, it’s early for such polling, and the margins are small, but the RealClearPolitics poll averages show Joe Biden ahead of Trump in all six.
When Republicans put up reasonable candidates for president, Democrats have the luxury of backing contenders whose positions they prefer. If that person loses, disaster won’t ensue. This time is different. This time there is one issue: defeating Trump. The candidate has to be the Democrat who can do it.
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