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Tuesday 27 december 2022

GOP stumbles with independents contributed to midterm woes

Continued from Front bent whom Republicans dent voters in last month’s
spent more than $12 mil- midterm elections, Vote-
Absent from the ad, Klang lion to unseat. From Maine Cast showed. That’s far
thought, was anything to California, Republicans short of the 51% that Demo-
close to a solution beyond faced similar unexpected crats scored with the same
electing Kistner. setbacks with the small but group in 2018 when they
“You’re never telling me crucial slice of voters who swept into power by pick-
what you’re going to do for don’t identify with either ing up 41 seats. The GOP’s
the state or the country,” major party, according to lackluster showing among
Klang recalled. “That’s a AP VoteCast, a sweeping independents helps ex-
huge turnoff.” national survey of the elec- plain why Republicans
Klang ultimately backed torate. flipped just nine seats, se-
Craig, contributing to a Republican House candi- curing a threadbare major-
5 percentage point win dates nationwide won the ity that has already raised
for a Democratic incum- support of 38% of indepen- questions about the party’s
Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., greets supporters at an election night
party Nov. 8, 2022, at Loon's Landing Brewery in Savage, Minn.
Associated Press

ability to govern. Democratic statewide
Some Republican strate- candidates, as well as for
gists say the finding is a independent candidate
sign that messages that for governor Jesse Ventura
resonate during party pri- in 1998.
maries, including searing But Kistner’s message, like
critiques of Biden, were less those of other losing Repub-
effective in the general lican challengers in target-
election campaign be- ed races, appeared aimed
cause independent voters more at Republicans than
were searching for more swing voters: simply linking
than just the opposition. Craig with Biden, whose
“You’ve got to tell them job disapproval ratings had
what you’re going to do,” outpaced approval, and
said David Winston, a Re- Democratic House Speak-
publican pollster and senior er Nancy Pelosi, widely un-
adviser to House Republi- popular with Republicans.
cans who had been critical House Minority Leader Kev-
of GOP candidates’ mes- in McCarthy came out with
saging strategy this year. a campaign proposal in
“Somehow the Republican September titled “Commit-
campaigns managed not ment to America,” billed as
to do that. And that’s a a GOP agenda. However,
real serious problem.” the proposal, a collec-
In the northern reaches of tion of repackaged goals
Minnesota’s 2nd congres- such as increased domes-
sional district, a swath of tic petroleum production,
lakes and onetime farm was light on details and
country teeming with de- mentioned little during the
velopment near the Twin campaign.
Cities, more than a dozen “We were just being told,
independent voters echo ‘Pelosi bad, Biden bad,
Winston’s assessment. therefore Craig bad,’ in-
Unlike Klang, who grew stead of hearing ‘This is
up in a union Democratic my plan to represent this
household, Steve Stauff of district,’” said Stauff, a
Shakopee, 20 miles (32 ki- 42-year-old sales represen-
lometers) west, was raised tative. “If you don’t bring
in a rural, conservative Re- me solutions to whatever
publican home. The two problems you think we
share a recent history of have, how can I take you
voting for Republican and seriously?”q