For over 20 years, “Reagan Democrats” have been a cornerstone of Republican electoral success. In the 1984 election, millions of Democrats fled to the Republican Party. Many of these voters were attracted by Reagan’s simple message of moral values, fiscal responsibility, and national security. Last election many of these Reagan Democrats reached a point of frustration and as a result, began to return to their roots, in the Democratic Party. Their return to the Democratic Party was caused by many factors, including several Republican members of Congress being viewed as abrasive social conservatives, the numerous Republican bribery and corruption scandals, and lastly, the complete failure of the Republican Party leadership to properly monitor and probe into the Second Iraq War, giving President Bush, Vice-President Cheney, and Secretary of Defense virtually unchecked power.

The 2006 elections were about change. Reagan Democrats were instrumental in voting out several long-time members of Congress, including Republican Rick Santorum, the third ranking U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania. The former U.S. Senator failed to question and speak out against President Bush. Instead he voted 98% of the time with President Bush. The people of Pennsylvania didn’t think much of this, and like the rest of the country, decided it was time for a change. Exit polls from the 2006 election showed that in Congressional races the 30-44 year olds voted Democratic by an 8% margin, and the 45-59 year olds voted Democratic by a 7% margin. In addition, college graduates voted for the Democratic Congressional candidates by a 7% margin. Lastly, those who labeled themselves as moderates voted Democratic by a 22% margin.

After the 2006 election, Frank Luntz, a Republican pollster, summed up the shift of Reagan Democrats in this way: “The Republican party has failed them. It didn’t cut spending. It wasn’t honest. It hasn’t controlled immigration. On issue after issue it didn’t do what voters expected.” Most alarming to me is the Second Iraq War, where the United States (under Republican leadership) sent our soldiers into combat without appropriate body armor, sent them out in unarmored Humvees, and upon their return home, failed in their Support the Troops mantra by not providing them with the care they needed and deserved. A strong America questions our leadership and demands change when its leadership has failed. While 2006 was an election about change, I believe more change is coming in 2008.

If you see me driving around Marietta with my bumper stickers “Someone Else for President,” and “1-20-09, Bush’s Last Day,” give me a honk. It’s high time we had elected officials in both parties doing the work we are sending them to do. To me this starts with solving the kitchen table issues facing our families (none more important than health care), and ends with rebuilding our allies to assure a safe and secure America.