Posted on 05/23/2012 7:20:28 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Barack Obama had no national primary challengers in his second nomination race in most states, including Kentucky. Who knew it would still be a tough choice for voters? Kentucky voters in the Democratic primary preferred the empty slot to the empty suit, apparently:
About two out of every five Democratic voters in Tuesday's presidential primary in Kentucky chose "uncommitted" instead of voting for President Barack Obama.
"I'm at a victory celebration for 'uncommitted' who performed admirably" said [state GOP chair Steve] Robertson. "I've never met the guy but know that he highly embarrassed Obama."
Robertson contended that the Democrats who vote most regularly — those he termed "the Democrats of Democrats" — "said 'no' to their president. If the Kentucky Democratic Party doesn't get it after this race, they need to stare long and hard at the results. This shows that Obama has even more than an uphill battle to win Kentucky in the fall."
That's not the worst of it. Obama may end up losing as many as half of Kentucky’s counties to “Uncommitted” as well:
Kentucky’s vote was notable, though, for the fact that there weren’t even any other candidates on the ballot. The most the “uncommitted” option won so far this primary season was previously 21 percent in the North Carolina primary earlier this month. Kentucky looks as though it will double that number.
In addition, Obama looked as though he may lose more than half of the state’s 120 counties.
This follows on the heels of Obama’s embarrassing outcome in West Virginia, where he lost 41% of the vote to a felon currently residing in federal prison in Texas. Both states are big coal producers, and voters in both parties have become disgusted with Obama’s attacks on the industry that keeps their economy running, and which keeps the lights on for the rest of the country. Neither state was expected to support Obama in November, but this level of anger among rank-and-file Democrats has to have Team Obama worried about their prospects in coal-heavy Ohio and Pennsylvania, which are much more critical to their hopes for re-election.
On top of the embarrassing results in Kentucky, Obama also lost 40% of the Democratic vote in Bill Clinton’s home state yesterday, too. So far, challenger John Wolfe has 41% of the vote with 67 of 75 Arkansas counties reporting. Wolfe appears to be carrying almost half of the counties in Arkansas as well, just as “Uncommitted” did in Kentucky.
In 1968, a weak win in New Hampshire against a tough primary challenge was enough to convince LBJ that he couldn’t win a general election. I don’t expect Obama to retire, but barely winning states against no competition sends a very similar signal in 2012.
If they are, I suspect a lot of Republicans crossed over to vote in the Democrat primary. I know I would have.
It would be sweet if that 40% were actual Democrats, but it's probably not.
I suppose some Republicans might have re-registered as Democrats before the primary - it’s possible, I suppose - but I live in Kentucky and am not aware of any such thing taking place. When I voted - because I was a registered Republican - I only had the option of voting Republican.
I work in West Virginia & the story is the same there - around these parts, Obama is despised by Rs & Ds alike. This is coal country & you don’t mess around with those jobs, it is the lifeblood for our communities. Outside of the solid liberal states, Obama is in trouble.
Thanks for the insight.
What a beautiful turn of phrase.
I wouldn’t crow about this; Romney is not exactly doing any better.
I certainly would not vote for Romney, coronation or not.
Wasn’t it, though?
And I might add - around these parts - Democrats outnumber Republicans 6 to 1.
Obama’s campaign never counted on either VW or KY for the general election. The one who should be concerned is Sen. Manchin.
Warms my heart...Truly!!!
Yeah
I wonder how Obama would do against a straw man?
“Kentucky Democrats chose the empty slot over the empty suit...”
Quote of the Week, for sure...
Imagining the meltdown going on right as the narcissist-in-chief stands in front of his mirror going “But I’m The One!!! I’m The One!!!”...(probably in his Spongebob Squarepants underwear)...
Great!
But let’s not forget that Romney similarly lost 30% and 35% of the GOP vote in his unopposed primaries, as well. He’s only racking up 65-70% against people who are no longer in the race and who have conceded and endorsed him (except for Ron Paul, on the endorsing part, of course).
Makes you wonder what would happen if the 40% of Dems who don’t like Obama and the 33% of Republicans who don’t like Romney and a significant share of the 35% of Americans who positively choose not to affiliate with a major party all got together and decided they wanted another option?
In WV, both primaries are “semi-open” in that those who are non-aligned may request a ballot from either the Republican OR the RAT party.
baraq’s media is running around saying the voters are racist.
It was a Democrat primary.
You southern dems listening out there?
Warms my heart...Truly!!!
Why? He was never going to win those states anyway. We have the most pathetic nominee in history so nothing to be warm about. This election is about as depressing as it can get. We lose no matter who wins.....no good at all.
“..We have the most pathetic nominee in history so nothing to be warm about...”
Be that as it may...anytime I hear the FuBO isn’t getting what he wants when he wants it, it warms my heart.
I’ll disagree with you, though: I think McCain was the most pathetic nominee foisted on us. At least Romney has a shot at sending FuBO out the door. I will agree that that’s not much of an improvement.
One battle at a time. It’s a long, long war, my friend.
“But let’s not forget that Romney similarly lost 30% and 35% of the GOP vote in his unopposed primaries, as well.”
Not true. there are 10 GOP presidential contenders on our states’ ballot and the Ron Paul & pals are campaigning hard like its still a race.
Is true. Every single other GOP candidate has suspended or conceded, regardless of whether a few diehards at the state level are still continuing the fight. Romney is without any actual opposition, yet 30-40% of GOP primary voters are still consistently choosing legacy candidates over him.
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