The late, great Charles Krauthammer is often quoted as saying, “Conservatives think liberals are stupid. Liberals think conservatives are evil.”
Despite this being somewhat true, in the face of recent threats from outraged liberals, and contrary to Krauthammer’s famous quote, GOP Govs. Larry Hogan of Maryland and Charlie Baker of Massachusetts are up by more than 20 percentage points in polls for their November re-election bids.
A Sept. 19 Goucher College poll on the Maryland gubernatorial race has Hogan polling 22 percentage points ahead of his Democratic opponent Ben Jealous. If Hogan wins in November despite Maryland Democrats’ two-to-one registration advantage over Republicans, he’ll be the first Republican governor re-elected in Maryland since 1955.
At 69 percent, Massachusetts Republican Charlie Baker has the highest sitting governor approval rating in the country, with Hogan coming in a close second at 68 percent. Keep in mind, Hillary Clinton won more than 60 percent of the 2016 general election votes in both Maryland and Massachusetts. Yet, Baker still appears to be cruising to victory — polls show him to be anywhere from 27 to 44 percentage points ahead of his Democratic opponent, Jay Gonzalez.
So how did these two Republicans manage to become so popular in states traditionally dominated by Democrats? Certainly not through divisive political attacks or attention-seeking rhetoric on irrelevant issues. Hogan and Baker are winning over voters through a civil, ideas-centered approach with a specific focus on bipartisanship and fiscally responsible policies — a strategy Republicans at the federal level should consider.
Hogan, a former businessman, is focusing his re-election campaign on the economy, and for good reason — Maryland added 100,000 jobs during his first three years in office, with more than 90,000 in the private sector alone. This economic success is due, in part, to Hogan’s $1.2 billion in cuts to state taxes, tolls, and fees. Hogan has also shrunk the size of Maryland’s government by eliminating 72 executive orders and 850 regulations, helping to establish a more business-friendly environment.
Hogan’s emphasis on Maryland’s improving economy has even forced his progressive Democratic opponent to suddenly campaign on cutting state sales taxes. As it turns out, if Republicans focus on winning battles over the economy, rather than dying on hills like the NFL national anthem feud, they can win over people on both sides of the political aisle.
Baker has taken a similar approach by campaigning on the 180,000 new jobs Massachusetts amassed during his administration. He also consistently reminds voters of his devotion to fiscal responsibility — which contributed to the state’s $1.2 billion surplus recorded in July. All this he achieved without raising taxes.
Baker also doubled the Earned Income Tax Credit, an antipoverty program that incentivizes work by providing tax relief to lower-class families, which has been supported by conservative think tanks like the American Enterprise Institute. The long-term effects of the program are still being studied. However, studies have proven the program’s success in improving low-income children’s health and academic performance.
Of course, it should be noted that Hogan and Baker’s popularity is not strictly due to their economic policies. Their moderate approaches to education, the environment, gun control, opioids, and abortion has undoubtedly helped boost their image in their liberal states.
So it’s true that Hogan and Baker do not have perfect conservative platforms. But that does not diminish their ability to implement fiscally conservative policies in deep blue states while retaining a positive image among voters of all persuasions. The GOP has to compromise on certain issues in order to win blue states — that’s a political reality. While many Republican politicians will rightfully avoid compromising on core conservative issues like abortion, they should consider imitating Hogan and Baker’s bipartisan efforts on other issues.
When Baker drinks with locals on Saint Patrick’s Day, people begin to realize Republicans aren’t simply out-of-touch baby boomers. When Hogan speaks of governing “down the middle,” people begin to open their mind to some conservative ideas. Not everything in politics has to be partisan bickering. Hogan and Baker understand this — and despite opposing President Trump on a regular basis still hold high approval ratings within their party.
The GOP should take notice of their success and imitate some of their better characteristics to help win over moderates, and even Democrats, nationwide. The current political climate may be bitter and rough, but, as seen in Maryland and Massachusetts, not all liberals think conservatives are evil; some are willing to cross party lines. If Republicans send fewer angry tweets and offer more bipartisanship, they could start to win over a new wave of voters.
Patrick Hauf (@PatrickHauf) is a college student and a writer for Young Voices and Lone Conservative.
