Back in mid-October I wrote a column about Oregon Democratic Senate candidate (now Senator-elect) Jeff Merkley and why his campaign against Republican Sen. Gordon Smith was so important in forging a class-based, cross-geographic coalition between blue- and white-collar constituencies:
Smith hopes Merkley's pocket-book pitches to historically conservative areas like timber-producing Douglas County will alienate high-tech workers in suburbs like Washington County (often called "Silicon Forest"). But with Merkley surging in polls, the opposite may be happening.
The Great American Class War ravaging the industrial sector is now pillaging the information sector, too. As Intel boasts of outsourcing, HP lays off thousands and Wall Street eviscerates 401(k) plans, a new blue-collar/white-collar solidarity is emerging. That means today, as during the Great Depression, progressive economic arguments increasingly work across cultural, geographic and employment divides, tectonically realigning politics and - potentially - policy.
We know Merkley won - but did he do it by forging this new coalition? Mandate Media's Kari Chisholm says hell yes.
In suburban high-tech Washington County, Merkley got 51% of the two-way vote. An improvement from Smith's three previous opponents, who averaged 45% of the two-way vote.
In timber-producing Douglas County, Merkley got 37% of the two-way vote -- an improvement from Smith's three previous opponents, who averaged 31% of the two-way vote.
So, to reiterate - Merkley's win is not just a positive because it adds to the Democratic column. It is a special victory in that it shows Democrats can flip Republican formulas on their head and build a class-based economic coalition that simultaneously wins in high tech regions and increases Democratic margins in traditionally conservative blue-collar areas.
STATE BLOGS
