For years, it’s been axiomatic among political observers that the GOP “brand” is damaged. There is certainly merit to this observation, though it is often bandied about in contexts where there’s little to no evidence supporting that conclusion. The media has turned this talking point into such an endless drumbeat that you wonder how much of the GOP’s brand problem is real and how much is the result of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Now let’s take a look at the current election. It sure seems like the Democrats have a brand problem. As the New York Times recently reported, Democrats up for reelection are avoiding Obama like he has Ebola. “Even the slightest injection of the Obama brand into this election seems perilous for Democrats,” notes Times reporter Jonathan Martin. Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky’s Democratic Senate candidate, is even running ads where she declares “I’m not Barack Obama.” College Democrats volunteering for Grimes campaign have had to cover-up their Obama T-shirts before canvassing in Kentucky.
