David Von Drehle writing opinion for
The Washington Post,
looks ahead to 2018 - a midterm election year.
The painful choice that faces partisans in a polarized time is whether to be true to an ideology or flexible in creating coalitions. Republicans made their choice in 2016 by embracing a candidate whose views on trade, diplomacy, human rights and a raft of other issues were far outside the GOP orthodoxy. They have conservative judges and a tax cut for their spoils.
Now Democrats must decide how big they are willing to make their own tent — understanding that Trump’s future may hang on their answer.
And what does Von Drehle believe enlarging their tent means?
Democrats need candidates and policies that speak to voters in red states and red districts. (snip) This will require wooing some voters who own guns, work for fossil fuel companies, shop at Hobby Lobby and eat Chick-fil-A — even attend churches where abortion is a vital concern.
But ... but ... such blue dog Democrats are anathema to today’s party stalwarts.
