It depends on what the meaning of marginalized is…
Another claim put forth by trusted Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett in her interview with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday was that Republicans are “becoming… more and more marginalized.”
Well, of course, you’re right, Mrs. Jarrett. And yesterday’s elections prove this beyond a doubt. Like in typically deep blue New Jersey, where Republican Chris Christie just ousted incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine by four points —which Pres. Obama carried by nearly 15 points —we see a 19 point shift in favor of the “marginalized” GOP.
And in Virginia, the crown jewel of Pres. Obama’s 2008 election victory ― which he carried by 6 points ― we see that Republican Bob McDonnell won the governorship by nearly 20 points, carrying his home county of Fairfax in supposedly blue Northern Virginia. Furthermore, Republicans swept the statewide elections, and padded their majority in the Virginia House of Delegates. That, Mrs. Jarrett, is a 26 point shift in favor of the “marginalized” Republicans.
And key to both Obama’s 2008 victories and McDonnell and Christie’s 2009 victories was the independent vote. In New Jersey Christie won independents 60% to 30%, after Obama won them 51% to 47%. In Virginia the independent vote went 66% to 33% for McDonnell, after going for Obama 49% to 48%. Those are 13 and 18 point shifts for the GOP, respectively.
Clearly, Mrs. Jarrett, the facts bear it out: the Republican Party is becoming more and more “marginalized” every day. Hang on… “marginalized” means “relevant”, right?
