Each party emerged from the 2012 presidential election facing one key electoral challenge before the next contest in 2016. More than 18 months later, neither side has made much progress toward overcoming it. That failure frames the central test for each party’s likely 2016 contenders as they approach the race’s starting line.
For Democrats, the critical task after President Obama’s reelection was rebuilding faith in activist government, particularly among the white middle-class. But the evidence suggests that Democrats instead have continued to lose ground on that front. …
But even if Democrats can’t win the argument about government’s role, that doesn’t mean they are doomed to defeat in 2016. That’s because Republicans remain stumped by their principal challenge after 2012: adapting to a changing electorate, particularly the growing minority population (which could reach 30 percent of voters next time). CONT.
Ron Brownstein, National Journal