The story is how easily Steve Beshear is going to win reelection as a Democrat in a heavily Republican state. I've thought for a long time there are lessons to be learned by the national party, although they're not ones that could be used nation-wide.
Here is Howard Fineman's summary of Beshear's path to an easy win:
This is the Kentucky playbook: Decry partisan gridlock and blame it on the GOP; advertise your own absence of ideological fervor and your focus on nuts-and-bolts approaches; and tout whatever you have accomplished to create jobs and sound social programs, no matter how small, even if overall conditions haven't improved much. In other words, show that you try hard, that you've had some good results, and that you have a positive attitude and are not merely shouting "no."That's largely correct, especially the last part.
Beshear also has not aligned himself with some of the more liberal leanings of the Democratic Party, a key in any Southern state. And he sounds like a good ol' boy, with a heavy country accent. basically, he's not one to draw positive or negative attention to himself, and that's also a key, especially in rural states.
Of course, the other point is that Beshear's opponent, David Williams, appears to have no fans -- I heard some interview with a Tea Party leader who wasn't a fan of him. That's another key to my theory of how to beat Republicans: make sure they're unexcited. Beshear is hitting the right notes -- he's not hated, and the opponent isn't loved.
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