Page 8 - HOSPITAAL

A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 12 noveMber 2018

Florida, Georgia testing strength of new Dem coalition

By STEVE PEOPLES Johnson told the AP.
Associated Press “What the president has
NEW YORK (AP) — For much done is played to the low-
of the country, the 2018 est common denominator
midterm season is over. But and created a culture of
unresolved races for gover- intolerance and racial ha-
nor in Georgia and Florida tred,” Johnson said.
are raising major strategic “You build up negative
questions for Democrats energy based on fear to a
as they turn their attention point where there are seg-
to the upcoming battle for ments of the population
the White House.As in other who are reacting to fear
states, Democrats in Florida and not pure policy consid-
and Georgia drew record erations.”
turnout in last week’s elec- Leading Democratic
tion. The coalition of subur- pollster Stan Greenberg
ban women, young people agreed that racism likely
and minorities delivered shaped the elections.
the House to Democrats for “This was a big election
the first time in nearly a de- in which the president
cade. used immigration to send
But it wasn’t enough to a kind of racist message
score decisive victories in about the need to stand
the closely watched races up whites against the inva-
for governor in Georgia sion,” Greenberg said of
and Florida, where fresh- Trump’s final-days focus on
faced African-American a caravan of Latin Ameri-
Democratic candidates for In this Nov. 6, 2018, file photo, Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams can immigrants heading to
governor trailed their older, speaks to supporters about a suspected run-off during an election night watch party in Atlanta. the U.S. border to seek asy-
white Republican com- Associated Press lum.
petitors. In Georgia, Stacey have much in common, ing stars within the evolving cent of the overall white Greenberg acknowledged
Abrams hasn’t conceded they ran on different mes- Democratic Party, a new vote — and 35 percent Democrats’ nationwide
her race while Andrew Gil- sages. generation of Democratic among noncollege-edu- struggle among working-
lum’s contest in Florida is Gillum, the 39-year-old leadership that could ex- cated white voters. class white men, but he
undergoing a recount. mayor of Florida’s capi- pand the party’s appeal It was worse for Abrams, highlighted Gillum and
For some Democrats, the tal city, ran as an un- among all voters. who was poised to be- Abrams’ ability to drive tre-
lesson emerging from the apologetic member of Racial divisions appear to come the nation’s first Afri- mendous turnout overall.
2018 midterms is that mas- the Trump resistance. He have limited their appeal, can-American female gov- With votes still being count-
sive turnout can win sub- openly called for President however. ernor. ed, Gillum received more
urban House races across Donald Trump’s impeach- Both Gillum and Abrams She won 94 percent of than 4 million votes, shat-
New Jersey, Pennsylvania ment. And he accused won African-Americans Georgia’s black vote, but tering the previous midterm
and California. But the co- his Republican opponent, and young voters by over- just 25 percent of white record set in 2014 by Dem-
alition that produced some former Rep. Ron DeSantis, whelming margins. But they voters. She carried 56 per- ocratic gubernatorial can-
success elsewhere may not of blatant racism.Abrams, struggled with older, white cent of women, but just 40 didate Charlie Crist, who
be enough in Florida, the the 44-year-old former mi- voters, particularly noncol- percent of men. A dismal earned 2.8 million votes.
nation’s premier presiden- nority leader in Georgia’s lege-educated white vot- 19 percent of noncollege- While significantly fewer
tial battleground state, and House of Representative, ers, who make up the core educated white men sup- voters typically participate
Georgia, a state Demo- highlighted her bipartisan of Trump’s political base. ported her, according to in off-year elections, Gillum
crats view with increasing credentials throughout her Gillum won 92 percent of VoteCast. came close to matching
optimism. bid for governor. While she black voters, according to Nationwide, 43 percent Democratic presidential
“It’s not a viable long-term and Gillum embraced lib- VoteCast, a wide-ranging of white voters backed nominee Hillary Clinton’s
plan to constantly rely on eral policy priorities, such survey of the electorate Democrats, including 38 2016 total of 4.5 million
record turnout,” said Dem- as “Medicare for All,” she conducted by The Associ- percent of noncollege-ed- votes.
ocratic strategist Steve promoted her work with Re- ated Press. He also won 60 ucated whites. It was much the same in
Schale, who led former publicans in the state legis- percent of voters 18 to 29 The results “absolutely” Georgia, a smaller state,
President Barack Obama’s lature, even highlighting a years old, and 54 percent demonstrated black can- where Abrams actually ex-
efforts in Florida. “We have handshake with GOP Gov. of women. didates like Gillum and ceeded Clinton’s 2016 vote
a national issue we have to Nathan Deal in a cam- But Gillum earned just 44 Abrams have a harder time total, earning a midterm
deal with.” paign ad. percent of the male vote. winning in the Trump era, Democratic record 1.9 mil-
While Gillum and Abrams Still, both were viewed as ris- And he won only 39 per- NAACP President Derrick lion votes.q