Posted on 09/22/2010 10:31:48 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Jim Geraghty provides another look at the flight from Democrats in this election cycle, given in a focus-group analysis of women surveyed for their political points of view. The so-called “Wal-Mart Moms” backed Obama in 2008, but have gone through a period of severe disillusion. They now favor Republicans, but that may not last, either:
1. Walmart Moms chose Barack Obama in 2008, but today they offer the President poor marks. By a margin of 48% to 43% Walmart Moms say they voted for Barack Obama in 2008, but almost two years later a majority of these women (52%) say they disapprove of the job the president is doing, while 40% approve. This is a much harsher assessment of the President than that among all registered voters (47% approve, 49% disapprove).
2. Walmart Moms are split on their self-identified partisan affiliation, but a majority say they would vote for a Republican Member of Congress this fall. Just over one-third (34%) of Walmart Moms self-identify as Republican, 35% as Democrat and 30% as Independents. Yet, when asked their voting intentions in the fall 51% say they plan to vote for a Republican candidate compared to just 35% who choose a Democratic candidate. Twelve percent (12%) are still undecided.
3. Walmart Moms hold net negative views of the Democratic Party and its leaders, and net positive views of the Republican Party. Fewer than three-in-ten (27%) of Walmart Moms have a positive view of the Democratic Party, while 46% have a negative view. They also have a net negative view of the President (39% positive, 48% negative) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (21% positive, 37% negative). However, when it comes to the Republican Party, Walmart Moms have a more favorable view (37% positive, 30% negative). Minority Leader John Boehner is largely unknown to these women – just 29% have heard of him.
We’ve now gone from soccer moms in the Clinton era to security moms in the Bush era after 9/11, and now we have the ironically named “Wal-Mart Moms” in Obama’s term of office. Why ironic? The left wing of the Democratic Party has engaged in non-stop demonization of Wal-Mart for years for their refusal to knuckle under to unions and their enormous success in retail. One would think that actual Wal-Mart moms might be disinclined to vote for Democrats anyway.
Of course, the point is to determine what middle-class women with families think about politics, not where they shop or what sports their kids play on the weekends. Maybe in the future, we can just say middle-class moms and hold off on the cutesy labels.
Getting back to the results, the survey should not surprise anyone in this election cycle. The numbers run fairly close to the general population, especially in party affiliation. The big difference is in the generic ballot question, where these women favor the GOP by 16 points. The latest Rasmussen poll shows the GOP up by 10, and usually women trend more towards Democrats than Republicans. This could be an indication that the likely-voter models used by pollsters could still be underestimating the Republican turnout for November.
But as Jim warns, their votes aren’t necessarily solid this cycle. Only 57% of those saying they will vote for the Republican say their vote is firm, as opposed to 69% of those voting for Democrats. That’s not a great indication of enthusiasm, but continued economic woes are not likely to convince them to switch in the next six weeks, either.
The most interesting result was that of the name recognition of John Boehner, the focus of Democratic attacks over the last couple of weeks. Barack Obama spent a great deal of effort attempting to attack someone whom only 29% of target voters recognize now. I wonder how much of that recognition comes from Obama elevating Boehner into the position of a national spokesman for conservatism, a strategy that the White House now seems to have abandoned a little too late to avoid making Boehner a rallying point for the Right.
Remember how the Dems and cultural elites mocked anyone who shopped at Walmart as a fat, loww-class moron?
>>cutesy labels<<
Seriously.
How about we drop the “Main Street vs. Wall Street” too.
Hellsbells, most people on “Main Street” hold stocks in their 401Ks
Ya, there’s a web site about the people of Wal-Mart. And all the pictures of Wal-Mart shoppers are extremely unflattering.
Of course you can see sloppy unkempt people anywhere, but whoever put up that web site chose to make a social/political statement about the kinds of people who shop at Wal-Mart.
They sneeringly call them “Populists”, the proper form
of the word “redneck”. They did not go to Ivy League schools, OMG.
These wives see the real America, where 4 cans of corn for
a buck fifty are now one for the same amount.
That’s reality, not an Ivy League classroom.
Yep. The irony is lots more middle and even upper class shoppers are hitting Wal-Mart because of the ObamaReidPelosi economy.
This seems counter intuitive. We all know Wal Mart moms like to support cheap imported goods.
Whoever they are, they are way smarter than the 25% who bitterly cling to Obama and his progressive plans for our country.
It won't last if people are not taught.
The schools don't teach the founding principles, nor do the information media, nor do the politicians whose job it is to persuade.
This is why politicians who downplay their beliefs, or talk about "tax cuts" instead of explaining limited government are a problem. They win almost by accident instead of really explaining what it is we believe and why we believe it. They prefer to rely on bumper-sticker slogans rather than really persuading people.
This is a vacuum that has been filled in large part by our talking heads, who are heros in my book, Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, Levin, Ingraham, and the others who take time not merely to analyze the news but to explain conservative principles to people. Most of us know these things but sadly most of America at large does not. This is what we have to fix if we are ever to sustain a victory.
Yes, that many Walmart shoppers vote democrat.
Just 4% changed their mind?
what does he have to do? Install re-education camps?
Nothing wrong with the Walmarket...cheap ammo prices.
They’re even getting in those 100-round WWB value boxes of 9’s.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8009943/John-Boehner-the-second-of-12-kids-from-Ohio-who-is-Barack-Obamas-elitist-target.html
John Boehner: the second of 12 kids from Ohio who is Barack Obama's elitist target
The White House is attempting to cling on to Democratic control of Washington by portraying an Ohio congressman who grew up in near poverty as an elitist country club Republican controlled by wealthy lobbyists.
What an UTTER STUPID FOOL is this obummer of a president!
Perhaps they should study “Target Moms” or “Whole Foods Moms” or “Starbucks Moms” and get results more favorable to Democrats.
After all commielibs still have to shop somewhere.
Mom’s with foodstamps shop more upscale than Walmart - Walmart’s for working stiffs.
Sadly, right now the middle and lower middle-class aren’t yearning for education about our founding principles. They’re yearning for decent jobs, economic stability, affordable health care and meaningful education for their kids. When their hold on American life as they’ve always understood it is deteriorating, they are too filled with anxiety to clearly see the connection between the founding principles and what’s causing the deterioration. They just know it’s wrong and it needs to be stopped. Maybe, if that can happen, they will then be open to learning what those founding principles are and how deviating from them led to their near-brush with poverty.
No. Read it again.
Wait ... it’s been a few months since I last read Wal-Mart’s SEC filings but I know that north of 200 million Americans shop there each year out of a population of 310 million. Now, some of those 110 million who don’t shop at Wal-Mart are babies, toddlers and infirm elderly.
Even if you ignore those folks that means that roughly 2 out of every 3 Americans is a “Wal-Mart shopper”.
So how did they define Wal-Mart mom? Aren’t they basically just saying America hates congress and wants to fire everyone in it right now because of the direction of the country?
what does he have to do? Install re-education camps?
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That is not in the plan until his second term.
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