Many pundits believe that Barack Obama could get a much needed boost with working class white voters by selecting Jim Webb as his running mate. But American University political scientist Brian Schaffner produces an interesting graph comparing how the Virginia Senator performed compared to other Senate candidates among various key demographic groups in 2006. His analysis reveals Webb did well in rural areas, but it also finds some weakness among women. Moreover, by winning the same share of white men as other Democratic Senate candidates, Webb does not seem particularly well positioned for the VP choice–at least using these metrics. Schaffner explains it this way:
Whether Webb could help Obama move Virginia into his column, though, may be the most important question of all (Virginia has not gone to the Democrats in over 40 years, since Lyndon Johnson won in 1964). Both of these Virginia polls put the presidential race at a dead heat in the state. So if Obama concludes Webb can deliver his home state–that may be the potential VP’s only homework assignment. Winning a Senate seat in Virginia, however, is one thing. Carrying Obama over the finish line in a race for the White House may be a tougher task.
