COMMENTARY | Just a week or so after the 2004 presidential election, with George Bush winning out over John Kerry, my family and I traveled from our hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, to Boston to attend a wedding. During one of the speeches at the reception, it was mentioned that some of the guests had come all the way from Ohio to attend. At this point, many of the guests — being liberal East Coast Democrats — shouted out, “Booooo, boooooooo!” Though my husband and I are also Democrats, it appeared their belief was that we carried the burden of blame for Kerry’s loss, since Ohio, always considered a key swing state in presidential elections, went to Bush.
It seems to me that those who chastise those of us in swing states when things don’t go the way they would have liked might want to consider what it is like to spend a day in the life of a swing state voter. I can imagine it must be quite pleasant to live in a state where the vast majority of people lean strongly in one direction politically — to have your neighbors, parents of your children’s friends, the mailman, and the cashier at the grocery store all on board as Boston liberals with a common goal in mind. The same could be said of folks in a state such as Utah, where it is all but assumed that the conservative Republican candidate will emerge victorious by a landslide.
While living in a swing state such as Ohio is exciting, given all of the national coverage and attention paid to how people vote, there is a good deal of stress involved, as well. Unlike in states where the majority of residents have similar views, things can become tense between neighbors and friends with differing views.
Most of the time, it isn’t much of a challenge to have great relationships with people of opposing political viewpoints. However, as presidential elections near and media focus not only ramps up but shoots sky high, it is almost impossible to ignore the hoopla. Constant coverage only intensifies the faith you have in your candidate, and the inevitable attacks lunged from one candidate to the other increases the loathing you feel for the other guy.
So when you neighbor puts up a yard sign supporting the candidate that makes your skin crawl, you can’t help but roll your eyes and want to put one of your own up to equal it out. As you pick up your child from school and you notice the bumper sticker on the parent of his best friend’s car touting the adversary, or even worse, attacking your candidate, you cringe and do your best to smile politely.
As presidential elections ensue, the fervor around the candidates draws clear lines in the sand. This is much more of a challenge when you live in a swing state, and you find friends and neighbors on opposite sides of that line.
It is much easier for those who live in states with less political diversity, who can all rally side by side, throw their arms around each other, and commiserate together if things don’t go their way. For those of us in swing states, it is much more tense, reining in our passion and being respectful of those we don’t understand but call friends. People should keep this in mind next time they cast boos and blame on a swing state for not getting the job done.