2/ Individual Dem candidates gain modestly from ideological moderation, but the party-level pattern differs. Dems' best years (2006, 2008, 2018) came when the party moved left. Their worst performances (2010, 2022) coincided with years the party ran to the center.
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The incumbent president’s party nearly always loses seats in midterms.
That’s the only trend you’ve identified.
Far more voters think the Dems are too far left than think they are too moderate.
You can say that strategy failed, but you can’t (credibly) say that it’s the reason they got creamed.
What was different about 2010 and 2022? (hint https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_redistricting_cycle)
Party A wins ← Electoral conditions favor party A → Party B chooses moderate candidate.
the way Trump pulled off 'perceived moderacy' was that he said one thing you agreed with in between a dozen insane things, leading to "I don't agree with him on everything, but he's got some good ideas"
saying one goddamned thing anyone wants to hear buys you more moderate cred than any number of attempts to throw minorities under the bus
The problem here is that they are lying about their reasons.
They aren't pursuing some electoral strategy: these are the policies they *want* and they are making up excuses to implement them.
I'm "enthusiastic" about voting the same way I'm enthusiastic about having to put gas in my car, or go buy groceries.
People need to start acting like actual citizens.
Voter enthusiasm matters. A lot.