Is West the right direction for the Democrats?

Two news stories in the last few days indicate that the Democrat Party is headed in a direction that could ensure Democratic Congressional majorities, the White House and elected Democrats in offices around the country. The party's centrists, those who compose the Democratic Leadership Council, have targeted the Mountain West as the key for election success. All I have to say is: "Finally!"

The Republican stronghold has moved increasingly toward the South in recent elections. The Mountain West used to be reliably Republican under Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan as the independent spirit and anti-government attitudes among the citizens identified with the traditional conservatives. But as the GOP has become increasingly controlled by Neo-Conservatives and Evangelical Christians, voters in the West, who with the exception of Utah generally are not religion-based voters, will search for a new party. That is exactly what the DLC hopes to capitalize on. It's exactly what I suggested as a Southwest Stragegy for 2004, but it did not happen.

What did happen in 2004 was two Congressional wins in Colorado and a capture of the state legislature for the first time since the Kennedy Administration. A Democrat won in Montana, a state that voted for George W. Bush by a strong margin. Democrats now have governors in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming and Montana.

The DLC held its convention last weekend in Denver, what DLC founder Al From has dubbed the capital of the New West. Speakers included Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico. Clinton mentioned the "American Dream Inititive," which outlines a set of policy initiatives aimed at middle class voters dealing with education, health care and the economy. Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, was a former chair of the DLC when he was governor of Arkansas. As a Senator, Al Gore was also a DLC member. So is Joe Lieberman.

In another move, the Democrat National Committee also voted to allow Nevada to hold a caucus in the week between the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary in 2008. While Iowa and New Hampshire have traditionally been first in the nation, they are small states with nearly totally white populations. The Democrats also suggested South Carolina as an ealier primary. Moving the Nevada and South Carolina contests allows a broader representation of ethnicities to meet candidates early. With Hispanics becoming an increasingly large block of voters, including Nevada early has the benefit of a candidate needing to appeal to Latinos.

The move to capture the West is a good one for the Democrats. The values of the West: rugged individualism, fiscal responsibility, social and environmental responsibility, government investment in infrastructure for the benefit of the people -- those are Democrat values. When the party and its candidates are able to make that case to voters, I am confident they will be successful.

Finally, one decision is pending that could have a big impact on getting the message out and showing just how serious the Dems are about the West. The DNC should pick Denver as host city for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Denver is among three cities vying for the spot with Minneapolis-St. Paul and New York City. The Democrats could energize the West and develop new voter blocks with the move. They should act fast to do it.

-- Wenatchee, Wash.