In our most recent Washington Post column, Paul Goldman and I present a kind of Rorschach test: House Speaker Bill Howell is showing the field of Republican presidential wannabes how to win the middle class. And the serious ones will make the trip to Richmond to study from his play book:
Howell is striving to fashion a middle-class agenda — from the conservative side. Thus his focus on economic growth, education reform and efficiency in government while downplaying divisive social issues whenever possible. Most Democrats, including those in Virginia, believe they own middle-class politics, as evidenced in President Obama’s latest tax proposals.
Conversely, Virginia’s Democrats are ceding the middle class issues to focus on social policy:
Virginia Democrats began losing their edge on education and economic growth in the failed 1993 gubernatorial campaign of favored Democrat Mary Sue Terry. Campaigning for votes in Northern Virginia, she chose to highlight gun control and abortion rights. This allowed underdog Republican George Allen to gain traction as an education reformer and pro-growth advocate.
A generation later, Republicans are trying again to own these two mainstays of mainstream Virginia politics. With public sentiment improving on the economy, Democrats should be trumpeting their efforts here and on the educational issues related to better-paying jobs. But the party’s legislative line-up remains more interested in refighting old social issues than new economic ones.
Social buzzword politics admittedly generates headlines. But the less sexy issues of economics, education and efficiency continue to define middle-class politics in Virginia.
Not exactly the conventional wisdom, but still true.
