New suburbs could be new political battlegrounds

According to USA TODAY, "New suburbs could be new political battlegrounds" ....

Ruy Teixera, a Democratic analyst, calls the counties "an important part of a winning strategy" even if Democrats can't win them outright. That's because shrinking GOP victory margins in the new suburbs would improve Democrats' chances to carry statewide races for president and state offices.

Matthew Dowd, who was President Bush's pollster, says some rapidly growing outer suburbs are heavily GOP. However, he says Republicans were wrong to assume after 2004 that they have a grip on them. His research shows most voters in such areas are not ideological; rather, they look for candidates who share their concerns about practical matters such as schools.

"They're a force that you can't take for granted," he says.