Exhibit A: House Republicans' immigration leadership
There's such a plethora of really bad Republican stuff for Democrats to campaign against in 2014, how can they possibly choose? That's why
The Hill is
accusing them of throwing the "kitchen sink" against Republicans. But there's a very real theme behind the Democrats' message that covers all them: Republicans are bad for working people.
While the Democrats’ official campaign strategy focuses wholly on the economy, education and women’s rights, party leaders have charged into the August recess with a much broader message that paints Republicans as too tough on immigrants, too easy on corporate election donors and too focused on toppling President Obama in lieu of helping the middle class.
That's a pretty coherent theme, actually. The Republicans are picking political fights at the behest of their corporate overlords, and abandoning middle class America. Meanwhile,
GOP leaders are running largely on the theme of opposing all-things Obama — a strategy punctuated by their recent push to sue the president over what they consider his habitual abuse of executive power. […]
Karlyn Bowman, a public opinion specialist at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), said a focus on the middle class will be crucial for both parties leading up to November. The trick for Democrats will be to tie the many elements of their message to that singular motif, she said, while the test for Republicans will be taking advantage of Obama’s low approval ratings without being seen to lack a positive message of their own. [emphasis added]
Given that they are utterly lacking a positive message, or any accomplishments besides suing Obama, that one is going to be a challenge for Republicans. Sure, they'll nail down the base and that will probably be enough for them to hold the House, might be enough for a few Senate pickups, but with an electorate as
pissed off as it is, they'll have to bring a lot more to the table for big wins or to face a national election in 2016.