That is the question I have been asking myself a lot lately. Why do the thousands of NASCAR fans continue to support Republican candidates? The kneejerk, stereotypical answer is that ?they are good ?ole boys just like the Republicans? (I wouldn't be surprised if we get a comment or two like that here). However, with NASCAR?s growth and expansion across the nation, it?s hard to imagine this answer still being correct, certainly not the whole story. It is understandable, perhaps, that the NASCAR owners, drivers, and teams who make millions of dollars would be supportive of Republicans who promise to lower their taxes. However, the average NASCAR fan who makes considerably less than that is probably not interested primarily in a capital gains tax cut or the estate tax. Rather, it appears that the average NASCAR fan votes Republican based on just a few, non-economic issues.
From speaking with my NASCAR friends, it seems to me that most of them who support Republican candidates do so based on two main issues: abortion and gay rights. In other words, they are interested in candidates who are generally anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage. Additionally, a couple of those people also care a great deal about gun rights, the death penalty, and affirmative action, and would consider voting Republican on these issues.
During these discussions one of my friends brought up a good point, that most people who follow NASCAR have heard of the ?fan loyalty? concept. This is the reason hundreds of sponsors are happy to pour millions of dollars into NASCAR: fans are phenomenally loyal to their favorite driver?s sponsor.
For example, even though I have disliked the taste of Coke for years and have preferred to drink Pepsi's Mountain Dew or Sierra Mist, I buy Coke. Why? Because Coke is a huge supporter of Kevin Harvick and Pepsi supports Jeff Gordon ? everyone?s favorite driver to dislike. Could it be that fans are just supporting Republicans because their favorite drivers are? If so, then a simple remedy is for the candidate to buy sponsorship on the race cars (or get it gave to them for free).
The ?fan loyalty? theory is an interesting one and possibly part of the answer to why NASCAR fans tend to vote Republican. Another part of the answer could be that NASCAR fans equate Democratic candidates with the Hollywood type and do not want to be associated with those perceived ideals. NASCAR fans believe in hard work and feel that Hollywood folks are cashing in for doing very little work.
NASCAR fans believe that they can dig all the ditches, sweep all the streets, and pick up all the trash possible, but that they will still never make as much money as Ben Affleck does for one crappy movie. This is true, no question about it, but isn?t it a strong economic argument for NASCAR fans to be supporting Democratic candidates?
The thing is, Republicans can talk about how they are good for the economy until they are blue in the face, but that is not going to change the facts. And the numbers don't lie: Democrats have proven that they are better for the economy, especially for the lower and middle classes that most NASCAR fans are members of. Given this strong economic reason to vote Democratic, why do so many blue-collar NASCAR fans continue to support Republicans who cater to rich folks and big corporations? Especially when these same big corporations are the ones that are putting the squeeze on the working class in this country?
Of course, this is a question that has been raised in numerous recent articles and books, like Thomas Frank's "What's the Matter with Kansas" and George Lakoff's "Don't Think of an Elephant." What both Frank and Lakoff say, in different ways, is that most Americans vote their values first and foremost, not necessarily their economic self interest. Lakoff argues that Republicans are winning in large part because they understand this and market accordingly, while Democrats are losing in large part because they don't. Frank argues that conservatives have tricked average Americans, in large part through clever, powerful, and sometimes deceptive marketing.
As far as marketing is concerned in this year's gubernatorial race, so far I (reluctantly) have to give the nod to the Kilgore campaign. In Virginia we have three tracks (counting Bristol, right across the border in Tennessee) that host major NASCAR events twice each year. So far, the Kilgore people seem to be the ones who have realized this opportunity and who have taken the best advantage of it. As a Democrat, I hope that Tim Kaine will start appealing to these thousands of prospective voters. In 2001, Mark Warner was highly effective doing this, and he has the results to show for it. Now it's time for Tim Kaine to do the same.
The vast majority of limousine owners are Republicans. So are the vast majority of private country club members and private yacht owners.
As well they should be, if their prime goal in life is to advance their own economic self interest.
But the Republican Party would be a small minority party if they only attracted those who benefit from their policies. In order to become the majority party they had to bamboozle "the mob" into voting them into power.
To find out how they did it, I suggest you read one of Karl Rove's favorite books: "The Prince" by 16th century political strategist: Niccolo
Machiavelli.
(She really should have won, but I won't moan about it too much)
The Republicans may have there issues, but they have principal and stand by them. unlike the current flip flop accept Homosexual agenda, Illegal alien loving anti- faith in goverment Democrats.