What's the lesson I take from this week's election?
I think the Republicans are correct: elections in this day and age are all base elections.
Their advantage is that their base is energized, motivated, and committed.
Their disadvantage is that their base is smaller. When the Democratic base does go to the polls-- 2008 and 2012-- they win. When they stay home-- 2010 and 2014-- Republicans win.
Republicans need to expand their base. That's hard to do; it sure looks like they've saturated the market with their message.
Democrats need to better motivate their base. That's part of why was so dismayed in both 2010 and 2014 when the cowered at the mention of the President and mostly kept him out of their campaigns.
It would be hard to argue, given overwhelming losses in both elections, that doing so was strategically smart. Better to sail into the wind, make the best case they can for the President's economic policies, health care, and overall security.
Slinking away, running from the fight, denying their connection to the President-- it's all demoralizing to their base. And then they lost.
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