Liberty Expose: Republicans Opportunity To Turn Parents Into A Voting Block
SDI Productions
Ask any parent what the most important and precious thing in their lives is, and the answer that you most always get is their children. Opportunities are rising for Republicans to use the left's rhetoric to turn parents into an actual active voting block. This strategy has already been implemented once before and has been proven to be highly effective, and if implemented properly, it could see massive victories for the Republican Party in the future.
When discussing political election strategies, they are often described by how well a particular candidate is performing in various voting blocks. Strong coalitions of like-minded individuals make up various segments of the population. The more individuals associated with that voter block, the more important it is to lock in that demographic. These often range for race, class, education, sex, or a mix of any; however, the Republican Party has been granted an opportunity to turn parents into a major voting block for decades to come. Political officials will always tailor their message to suit particular demographics as a way of showing that they are on their side. This is something that the Republican Party should be looking to take advantage of.
Appealing to parents was masterfully done in the Viginia Gorviortorian race in 2021. Where Republican Glen Youngkin was able to focus on serious issues that shifted the race in his favor, Decomatce and Governor Terry McAuliffe had stated in the debates that parents, in fact, did not have the right to have a say in what is taught to their children at school. Youngkin then took the opportunity and made his opposite comments on parental rights the main focus of his campaign. While it was still an uphill battle to climb, however, the Republicans were able to win out the state with a total of over 1.6 million votes and a lead of more than 60 thousand. The victory was surprising, and it was this particular group that pushed Youngkin over the finish line. Mobilizing parents who rightfully believe that they should have a say in the educational practices of their children. This directly contributed to Glenn Youngkin winning the governorship in Virginia, and these are the same issues that are being pushed by Democratic candidates today.
Stories of drag shows being held in libraries and critical race theory being taught in the classroom have caused many parents to look more deeply into the curriculum being exposed to their children. One particular story of the mistreatment of a parent by the Loudoun County school border was the cause of headlines and became a major issue in Virginia and even mainstream news around the country. When news of a school board attempting a cover-up campaign was made public, it ushered in the first instance of what can be accomplished when parents become a voting demographic.
Per their rights, parents are very sensitive over what ideas are being taught in the classroom, and when these are misaligned with their personal family values, there is outrage.
Essentially, any major issue can be framed from the perspective of negatively affecting the children and families of Americans. Most polls have inflation and the economy as the number one issues plaguing most Americans. However, there has been a distinct lack by Republicans of connecting the economy with how it is negotiable, affecting individuals in a more personal and emotional way. Obviously, inflation leads to increased costs in food, clothing, and other necessities, forcing parents to work longer in order to make up for their increased cost of living and spend less time at home with their family. By framing current issues in this manner, it expresses to the American people how the government is negatively affecting them in the most personal way.
Parents make up a huge portion of the population of the United States; more than 63 million people have a child below the age of 18. Coupled with the prospect of harming the things they are most curious about, mainly their families and children, It is very easy to assume the number of enthusiastic people pulling the lever on election night. This particular strategy is not a new concept but is vastly underutilized by Republicans. Get people emotionally invested in your cause, and then you will have an army of supporters willing to fight for your cause.
Of course, there will be some parents who are in agreement with many of the policies that are implemented on the left. However, the most moderate view of these social issues often draws their line with minors. For people who are not regularly engaged in politics, these issues directed at children are quite extreme.
The Republican Party would benefit from implementing a targeted appeal to conservative and moderate parents who believe, as humans always do, that certain topics are not meant to be expressed to children.
Glenn Youngkin’s win as Virginia governor in 2021 showed that the Democratic Party is willing to turn parents into their own voting block. It will now be up to the Republican parties to follow suit and tackle issues that have a high probability of mobilizing, if possible, a coalition like parents. However, I have seen very little attempt to emulate the same strategy that made Governor Youngkin so successful. It would be a shame for Republicans to miss the opportunity to use their messaging and get at the heart of an extremely vulnerable group of people in America today.