Bush's well-mapped road to victory: how Rove et al. pulled it off

National Review, Nov 29, 2004 by Richard Lowry

The win is encouraging about the GOP message as well. Says Mehlman, "We learned that a reform agenda has appeal beyond conservatives. The percentage of conservatives in the electorate went up, from 29 to 35 percent. For the first time ever, Republicans and Democrats voted in equal percentages. At the same time, the vote among Hispanics went up nine points. Bush's vote among blacks and Jews went up. His vote in the cities went from 26 to 39 percent."

And so it is that Republicans--although events always may throw a curve ball--have arrived in a season of promise. "Reagan won an ideological victory," says Mehlman, "but he never had the operational majority to go with it. Bush won an ideological victory and has an operational majority too. We have the White House, the House, the Senate, a majority of governorships, and parity in the state legislatures." Not bad. "I was thinking on Election Day, when it became clear we would win," Mehlman says, "that this is the ultimate continuation of the legacy of Reagan." What higher tribute could there be to the campaign of 2004?