As a newly politically active progressive from a small, rural town in a very red county, I’ve noticed that some of the strategies that work for drumming up support in blue districts are backfiring on us here in the red zone, even when we’re not using them ourselves. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be used in blue districts- it may very well be more effective strategy to strengthen progressive support than to try to reach moderate conservatives in red districts.
However, I think a few questions are worth considering, especially for those of us in red districts: Is this approach reaching my audience effectively? What is its effect on those outside my audience? Am I playing into stereotypes about the left? Is there a different way to frame this that leaves the door open to a wider audience?
One of the biggest stereotypes about the left right now is the caricature of the vicious liberal elite who thinks all conservatives are idiots and just wants to mock conservatives over trivial things and make conservatives feel dumb by condescendingly teaching them about issues. I’ve adopted a more positive way to attack Republican policy as a workaround for avoiding playing into this stereotype. This type of strategy doesn’t usually work very well with straight obstructive resistance (for example, as outlined in the Indivisible Guide), but it does mesh very well with the Indivisible strategies of collecting local support and using the power of publicity.
I’m working on using the following steps as a way to generate a more positive and community-led attack:
1. Focus on an issue that affects day-to-day life in your community (for example, education)
2. Identify a specific position that is common in your community and that is congruent with your views (for example, school choice won’t work in our rural area because there are very few schools from which to choose, transportation is an issue, etc.)
3. Join with established community groups (churches, non-profits, etc.) to ask your representative to support the community by fighting for this position during an upcoming vote.
The language you use when approaching a group leader can make a difference. I am trying to refrain from any explanation of the policies at hand (which can come off as being a ‘condescending liberal’) and instead just bluntly state my request: ‘I’m asking Rep. NowhereToBeFound to protect our children by voting against the use of public funds at private schools. I know that your group actively supports the children in our community. Would you like to co-sign my letter?’ I provide more information when requested.
Here is where to use all the publicity tools outlined in the Indivisible Guide. In particular, with a red community, more passive efforts like postcards, letters or petitions might find more success initially, so you will need to get out in the community to get the numbers you need and then get the media involved to put the spotlight on your representative.
4. When your Republican representative ignores your request, harness your community’s anger to develop a movement to hold that representative accountable in the future. I am trying to follow my community’s lead concerning issues and tone and only provide leadership in the form of ideas for specific votes to target and creative ways to generate large campaigns in the community.
Even if a community movement doesn’t start from this one particular issue, you have already completed a very effective campaign for getting under your Republican’s skin on an issue that actually matters to a large number of constituents.
In my community, I’ve found that there is one major misstep that will make it impossible for people to hear me: direct attacks on Republican politicians. As soon as you attack any Republican person, even a politician, you have cast yourself in the role of the vicious liberal, particularly if you are attacking that politician because their policy is unintelligent, uninformed, etc.
The community-led attack allows you to focus on policy without having to develop a platform. Your community will lead you to an issue that will create awareness about the ways Republican representatives are betraying the communities they represent.
What strategies are you using to be heard in a red town, district, or state?