And here’s the funny thing. Basically 10M people fewer turnout out to vote, compared to 2008. But looking over the exit polling, there’s no clear “group” that stayed home.
Evangelicals are getting blamed, but they represented a higher percentage of the electorate in 2012 than in 2008 (though within the MOE), and were pretty much the most “Romney” crosstab of all, outside of self-identified Republicans. Even more so than Mormons (but again, inside the MOE on that).
With a few top-line exceptions (Democrats were more for Obama in 2012 than in 2008, Republicans likewise for Romney over McCain, and Romney +5 with independents compared to McCain’s -8), there wasn’t a whole lot of shift in the various subgroups as to support.
So the answer really isn’t as simple as “we needed more from group X”, because both sides can say that about groups A-Z. The real question is why 10M people stayed home and what would have gotten the right portion of them to the polls?
They're tax slaves. They KNOW not one politician is going to come out and cut the social programs and tell the freeloaders to get out and get their own jobs so the tax slaves could once again enjoy the fruits of their own labor.
The democrats tax, and the republicans toss the slaves a nice, new shiny coin once in awhile. They expect the filthy slaves to celebrate and sing joyous songs to their gracious Republican leaders.
Gee, the Republicans just can't figure out why no one bothers to vote for them anymore. "Why, the far left wing media must be right! We've got to go left and tax these people more! That should make them come out and vote for us again!". (DUH!!!)