Has Montgomery County moved leftward?

[Anonymous]

Honest question, and I'm not saying this is good or bad.

No DC suburb, especially in Maryland, has ever really been the bastion of conservatism, but living here for 30 years or so, I've always thought of MoCo politics reflecting the more suburban centrist politics of DCUM.

Has there been a significant change, and if so, why?

Less than a generation ago, we had a Republican on the council and elected pro-business Executives like Doug Duncan, and not THAT long ago Connie Morella was our congresswoman and she was very popular. There generally seemed to be an overall preference for a mix of center left Democrats and centrist Republicans.

Now, we have Jamie Raskin as our Rep - who, for all his book smarts, is on board with all the same policies as Ocasio-Cortez. Republicans are an extinct breed on the County Council. Democratic Socialist Marc Elrich is County Executive and two Socialists were elected to the House of Delegates (Vaughn Stewart and Gabe Acevero). Socialists (members of the DSA) outnumber Republicans 3-0 in Montgomery County. Not a single Republican is even remotely competitive. The closest was actually Hogan, who came within ten points of Jealous in the county, thanks to his "purple surfboard" he touted at his reelection.

Has MoCo taken a strong leftist turn or is it an electoral fluke? What demographic changes have contributed to this?

[Anonymous]

In the context of unprecedented wealth inequality, and a Republican Party that has completely abandoned any pretense of fiscal discipline, the most well-educated have been moving leftward at the fastest pace. Montgomery County isn’t socialist, but yeah, it is progressive. Why the county voted for Hogan isn’t clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the context of unprecedented wealth inequality, and a Republican Party that has completely abandoned any pretense of fiscal discipline, the most well-educated have been moving leftward at the fastest pace. Montgomery County isn’t socialist, but yeah, it is progressive. Why the county voted for Hogan isn’t clear.

Progressive but not *that* progressive. The alternative was too far left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the context of unprecedented wealth inequality, and a Republican Party that has completely abandoned any pretense of fiscal discipline, the most well-educated have been moving leftward at the fastest pace. Montgomery County isn’t socialist, but yeah, it is progressive. Why the county voted for Hogan isn’t clear.

They didn’t vote for Hogan. Jealous still won MoCo but not by as much as usual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the context of unprecedented wealth inequality, and a Republican Party that has completely abandoned any pretense of fiscal discipline, the most well-educated have been moving leftward at the fastest pace. Montgomery County isn’t socialist, but yeah, it is progressive. Why the county voted for Hogan isn’t clear.

They didn’t vote for Hogan. Jealous still won MoCo but not by as much as usual.

Also I don’t really understand the Elrich + Hogan voters.

[Anonymous]

Yes OP it has. Why? Changing demographics I think. It’s a completely different county than when we moved here in 1990.

[Anonymous]

There is increasing partisanship (maybe not over a 100 yr perspective but as compared to pre-1994 when Gingrich toik over the House, and the last few years have been even worse) which means that people who would tolerate a Connie Morrella or an R on the council no longer vote that way.

Plus the increasing income inequality even post-Great Recession, where new grads have crushing debt loads and other people are debating private planes has led some people to think we need more fundamental change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is increasing partisanship (maybe not over a 100 yr perspective but as compared to pre-1994 when Gingrich toik over the House, and the last few years have been even worse) which means that people who would tolerate a Connie Morrella or an R on the council no longer vote that way.

Plus the increasing income inequality even post-Great Recession, where new grads have crushing debt loads and other people are debating private planes has led some people to think we need more fundamental change.

Mac, Gilbert, Newt, Connie, Howie - they were different kinds of Rs. In today’s polarizing political climate, there are unfortunately very few successors to them out there.

[Anonymous]

Yes, at least recently. The county executive and several council members at large are from Silver Spring and Takoma Park, and the beliefs there are even farther left than most of the very liberal county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, at least recently. The county executive and several council members at large are from Silver Spring and Takoma Park, and the beliefs there are even farther left than most of the very liberal county.

Regarding Elrich, he was chosen for us by the far left in Takoma Park/Silver Spring. A small plurality of a leftist registered Democrat base (barely) got him a win in the primary and the vast majority general election voters voted for anyone with a D next to their name (save for Hogan) because we despise Trump and want to send him a message. Elrich was not elected by a majority of voters enthusiastically voting for a socialist. The upside is that Elrich doesn't appear to be governing as one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is increasing partisanship (maybe not over a 100 yr perspective but as compared to pre-1994 when Gingrich toik over the House, and the last few years have been even worse) which means that people who would tolerate a Connie Morrella or an R on the council no longer vote that way.

Plus the increasing income inequality even post-Great Recession, where new grads have crushing debt loads and other people are debating private planes has led some people to think we need more fundamental change.

Mac, Gilbert, Newt, Connie, Howie - they were different kinds of Rs. In today’s polarizing political climate, there are unfortunately very few successors to them out there.

Exactly-- Mac and Connie would be out of place in today's Republican party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, at least recently. The county executive and several council members at large are from Silver Spring and Takoma Park, and the beliefs there are even farther left than most of the very liberal county.

As a County resident, and Democrat, I find the TP/SS politicos to be clueless. I am moderate to liberal on most issues. But I increasingly plan to vote Republican at the state level. Democrats do not need to move left because of Trump. Radical middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, at least recently. The county executive and several council members at large are from Silver Spring and Takoma Park, and the beliefs there are even farther left than most of the very liberal county.

Regarding Elrich, he was chosen for us by the far left in Takoma Park/Silver Spring. A small plurality of a leftist registered Democrat base (barely) got him a win in the primary and the vast majority general election voters voted for anyone with a D next to their name (save for Hogan) because we despise Trump and want to send him a message. Elrich was not elected by a majority of voters enthusiastically voting for a socialist. The upside is that Elrich doesn't appear to be governing as one.

Knows it would not be prudent or well received. I voted for him, because I really disliked both other candidates not because I liked him.

I'm actually a former republican who has also gone further left as the republican party has gone to the fundamentalist right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the context of unprecedented wealth inequality, and a Republican Party that has completely abandoned any pretense of fiscal discipline, the most well-educated have been moving leftward at the fastest pace. Montgomery County isn’t socialist, but yeah, it is progressive. Why the county voted for Hogan isn’t clear.

They didn’t vote for Hogan. Jealous still won MoCo but not by as much as usual.

Also I don’t really understand the Elrich + Hogan voters.

Hogan is a moderate Republican.. If only there were someone like that running for County Exec.

Elrich won because the alternatives were so bad. Ficker is a nutcase and Floreen was a last-ditch independent bid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, at least recently. The county executive and several council members at large are from Silver Spring and Takoma Park, and the beliefs there are even farther left than most of the very liberal county.

Regarding Elrich, he was chosen for us by the far left in Takoma Park/Silver Spring. A small plurality of a leftist registered Democrat base (barely) got him a win in the primary and the vast majority general election voters voted for anyone with a D next to their name (save for Hogan) because we despise Trump and want to send him a message. Elrich was not elected by a majority of voters enthusiastically voting for a socialist. The upside is that Elrich doesn't appear to be governing as one.

We will see. Personally, I don’t think he’s governing at all. He’s very disorganized and so is most of his close staff. The recommended budget will be released soon. I don’t expect a huge change from last year because they’ve only had a few months to look at it and no real time to dig deeply.

However, Councilmembers including Elrich were briefed last fall on rising County expenditures vs. slowing County revenues, and the most logical way to deal with structural deficits is to address employee compensation. But that will mean renegotiating with the unions, and I don’t think Elrich is up for that. At all. Let’s see what happens this summer.