The Fix has a good post about Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine's pollster. Of course, Kaine, a Democrat, was able to win in conservative Virginia...
The trick seems to be a 2-step approach:
- Demonstrate from day one that you are religious enough (thus taking the issue off the table). As the Fix puts it:
- Then, make the election about the issues that Democrats traditionally win on (like education, health care, etc.).
Or, as the Fix puts it, the lesson learned is:
"Democrats can win support from religious voters by working early on to show that their candidates are people of faith and then moving on to other issues important to this key voting bloc. In January and February 2005, the Kaine campaign ran radio ads in rural parts of the state focused on his work as a missionary and emphasizing his personal faith. Kaine also spoke at the Family Foundation, a socially conservative advocacy organization based in Richmond."
