Obama Not Just After Presidency

Posted by Ashish on 06.25.2008

Great article on his strategy going forward...

Politico has a great article up on how Obama is planning to compete in 14 states that George W. Bush won in 2004 including places that some thought wouldn't even be in play this year, such as Indiana, Nebraska (which awards some electoral votes by congressional district) and Georgia. His camp also feels the need to really defend only four states Kerry won in 2004 -- Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire. But the Presidency isn't all Obama is concerned with. His campaign is making a much stronger effort than past candidates to try and win House and Senate seats across the country, and will invest national resources in local races.

But winning the White House won't be his only goal, deputy campaign manager Steve Hildebrand told Politico: In an unusual move, Obama's campaign will also devote some resources to states it's unlikely to win, with the goal of influencing specific local contests in places such as Texas and Wyoming.

"Texas is a great example where we might not be able to win the state, but we want to pay a lot of attention to it," Hildebrand said. "It's one of the most important redistricting opportunities in the country."

Much of Obama's governing strategy seems based on having near majorities in the House and Senate, if not outright majorities, so that he can get his agenda passed. This type of investment in local races will go a long way in making Democrats competitive in traditionally red states like Texas.

In Texas, for instance, Obama's three dozen offices were overrun with volunteers during the primary; the campaign's challenge is, in part, to find something useful to do with all that free labor. But, while Hildebrand said Obama is unlikely to pay for television advertising outside a core of about 15 states the candidate thinks he can win, he will spend some money on staff. Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, reportedly told donors in Houston that he would send 15 staffers to Texas, and the campaign has committed to having some staff on the ground in all 50 states.

It's a strategy that will either result in a huge win -- Obama as President with near or outright Democratic majorities in both the House and the Senate -- or a ton of second guessing after the election on why Obama wasted resources in red states instead of using said resources in the traditional swing states.

The 14 red states Obama is planning to compete heavily in are: Iowa, Ohio, New Mexco, Nevada, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Virginia, North Carolina, Montana, North Dakota, Indiana, Georgia and Alaska. Polls currently have him leading or tied in all of them except Montana.