# The "make Democrats leave swing states and migrate to blue ones" strategy for capturing swing states
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [March 2, 2023, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572 "2023-03-02T01:04:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/1 "2023-03-02T01:04:49Z")
So I haven’t seen the numerical data, but I would guess that one effect of Ron DeSantis’ behavior in Florida is that it’s going to make a lot of Democrats leave the state and go to bluer ones like California. That would end up concentrating blue votes where it’s useless for Senate purposes (California and New York will always have only 2 Senate seats apiece regardless of population) and also end up making formerly swing states (Florida) get redder and redder.
The Republican strategy - whether it’s even an intentional, thought-out one or not - would be to get Republican governors elected in swing states like Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, etc. and then behave as extreme as possible to make Democrats flee those states and move to bluer regions, thus making those swing states redder and redder. With this sort of approach, Republicans could essentially gain a lock on the Electoral College - a Democrat can’t really win without capturing at least a few of the following: Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona and Iowa.
And in fact, Florida and Ohio _were_ formerly swing states.
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### Author:  [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/2 "2023-03-02T01:15:35Z")
It’s the stick and stick approach. Force the Democrats out, force everyone who sticks around to have unwanted babies.
On the other hand, they refuse to vaccinate themselves.
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### Author:  [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/3 "2023-03-02T01:30:30Z")
This really doesn’t seem like a strategy that would move the needle much. Most people can’t just up and move to a different state, unless they work remotely or are in a profession that is in high demand almost everywhere. Of the ones who _can_, I suspect only a small number care so much about politics that it would outweigh other factors, like weather, cost of living, proximity to family and friends, etc.
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### Author:  [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/4 "2023-03-02T01:34:04Z")
> [@Riemann](#):
>
> It’s the stick and stick approach. Force the Democrats out, force everyone who sticks around to have unwanted babies.
I guess it’s not politicians that polarize the population, it’s the other way around. “Force the Democrats out, force everyone who sticks around to have unwanted babies”. Yep, that’s the way to get us all talking about important issues in a civil way… Or you’re just trying to be funny.
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/5 "2023-03-02T01:34:10Z")
At some point enough is enough and voters won’t cooperate regardless of their initial inclination. Elected officials still have to answer to voters. But who knows at what point enough is enough? Hopefully at least some Florida Republicans don’t want to see their state’s universities losing all reputation and credibility over political bullshit.
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### Author:  [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/6 "2023-03-02T01:42:51Z")
> [@Velocity](#):
>
> And in fact, Florida and Ohio _were_ formerly swing states.
Florida stopped being a swing state before DeSantis was elected. In 2018 we had a massive blue wave all over the country, but the GOP swept the whole state, that’s when he got elected. The state was already lost.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/7 "2023-03-02T01:48:57Z")
> [@EastUmpqua](#):
>
> Yep, that’s the way to get us all talking about important issues in a civil way…
Those are, in fact, precisely the issues that we’re trying to talk about. It is, admittedly, difficult to talk about uncivil policies in a civil way.
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### Author:  [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/8 "2023-03-02T02:09:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> It is, admittedly, difficult to talk about uncivil policies in a civil way.
I agree. It’s much easier to label policies uncivil than it is to discuss policies in a civil way.
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### Author:  [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/9 "2023-03-02T02:18:55Z")
> [@EastUmpqua](#):
>
> It’s much easier to label policies uncivil than it is to discuss policies in a civil way.
And it’s still easier to tell _people_ they are being uncivil and evade discussing policies at all.
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/10 "2023-03-02T02:19:12Z")
> [@EastUmpqua](#):
>
> It’s much easier to label policies uncivil than it is to discuss policies in a civil way.
…I mean: banning abortion and attempting to ban trans affirming care are pretty uncivil things, and I think its okay to label them as such.
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### Author:  [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/11 "2023-03-02T02:25:13Z")
> [@Riemann](#):
>
> And it’s still easier to tell _people_ they are being uncivil and evade discussing policies at all.
The easiest way is just to discuss policies with people who agree with you.
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …I mean: banning abortion and attempting to ban trans affirming care are pretty uncivil things, and I think its okay to label them as such.
I just don’t think it’s that easy.
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/12 "2023-03-02T02:26:12Z")
> [@EastUmpqua](#):
>
> I just don’t think it’s that easy.
…I think its quite easy.
Banning abortions is uncivil. I shall label it so.
There! Done.
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### Author:  [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/13 "2023-03-02T02:31:23Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> Banning abortions is uncivil. I shall label it so.
Fair enough. No need to discuss options, or limits (is it civil to abort a fetus that can survive outside the womb, for example).
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/14 "2023-03-02T02:34:15Z")
> [@EastUmpqua](#):
>
> No need to discuss options
…who said we couldn’t discuss options?
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### Author:  [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/15 "2023-03-02T02:35:51Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#):
>
> This really doesn’t seem like a strategy that would move the needle much. Most people can’t just up and move to a different state, unless they work remotely or are in a profession that is in high demand almost everywhere. Of the ones who _can_, I suspect only a small number care so much about politics that it would outweigh other factors, like weather, cost of living, proximity to family and friends, etc.
It does strike me that a deliberate “forcing people out” strategy is unlikely to pay off. As you say, people are not generally too inclined to move. So you have to piss them off _a lot_ to make them move. And if you misjudge it, you may have just hardened swing voters against you.
In other words: the people most likely to move are the people who were least likely to vote for you, but as you push some of those people out are you simultaneously converting swing voters against you?
It would be a cleaner strategy if there were no swing voters. Perhaps people are now so polarized that this is close to the truth in some states? But by definition here we are talking about swing states where swing voters have historically mattered.
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### Author:  [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/16 "2023-03-02T02:36:08Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …who said we couldn’t discuss options?
I just think it’s more productive to discuss options without having to bring in labels.
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/17 "2023-03-02T02:42:20Z")
> [@EastUmpqua](#):
>
> I just think it’s more productive to discuss options without having to bring in labels.
…its entirely situational. There is a time and a place to have a discussion about options. But that normally requires at least two parties that are entering the discussion in _good faith_. The talking point “is it civil to abort a fetus that can survive outside the womb”, for example, strikes me as a disingenuous talking point used in bad faith as an attempted counterpoint to the idea that sometimes it’s _okay_ to use a label.
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### Author:  [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/18 "2023-03-02T02:42:21Z")
> [@Velocity](#):
>
> The Republican strategy - whether it’s even an intentional, thought-out one or not - would be to get Republican governors elected in swing states like Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, etc. and then behave as extreme as possible to make Democrats flee those states and move to bluer regions, thus making those swing states redder and redder.
Wouldn’t the Democratic strategy be the same? Republicans flee blue states and move to redder regions, thus making those swing states bluer and bluer.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/19 "2023-03-02T02:44:31Z")
Does it happen often enough to push more common events to the bottom of the pile, or is the topic being used as a distraction?
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### Author:  [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2023, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-make-democrats-leave-swing-states-and-migrate-to-blue-ones-strategy-for-capturing-swing-states/980572/20 "2023-03-02T02:45:55Z")
I don’t really understand this, but I’ll back off.
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