Ultimately, Social Issues Trump Economic Ones.

For John, BLUF:  The Democrat Party Central may be able to engineer Hillary Clinton into the nomination, but Jim Webb wrote the book Born Fighting.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Well, at least in the Democrat Party, per National Journal Reporter Josh Kraushaar.  The article is The Curious Case of Jim Webb.♠  Reporter Kraushaar uses this article to make the case "Webb's long-shot presidential campaign says as much about the evolution of the Democratic party as it does about his qualifications."

The Instapundit quotes these three paragraphs:

In a vacuum, Webb would be a compelling candidate.  While independent-minded groups like No Labels obsess over liberal Republicans or independents (Jon Huntsman, Michael Bloomberg) as credible third-party candidates, Webb’s profile better fits that bill.  He’s one of the few politicians who caters more to the populist grassroots than to elite public opinion.  He has angered Democrats by expressing skepticism about increased immigration and has been downright critical of affirmative-action policies, but he is passionate about the issue of income inequality.  He’s ticked off Republicans over their foreign-policy interventionism, with his outspoken opposition to the Iraq War fueling his 2006 Senate campaign. He’s skeptical of the free-trade deals that most Republicans champion, and is so at odds with the ascendant environmentalist wing of the Democratic Party that the online magazine Grist headlined its profile: “Jim Webb sucks on climate change.”

In a Democratic Party that’s been shedding white working-class voters during the Obama era, leaders would be wise to pay closer attention to Webb’s views on economic and cultural issue—and consider co-opting some as their own.  On paper, his resume is first-rate:  decorated Vietnam War veteran, secretary of the Navy under President Reagan, swing-state Democratic senator, and an acclaimed author.  At a time when economic anxiety is a defining feature of American politics, Webb’s record on the subject is as impressive as Elizabeth Warren’s.  That he’s treated more like a fringe figure these days is a testament to how far his party has drifted from its roots.

Consider:  There will be only five red-state Senate Democrats left in the next Congress if, as expected, Sen. Mary Landrieu is defeated in next month’s runoff. Even more striking, there will be only five House Democrats left representing districts that Mitt Romney carried in 2012.  The once-influential Blue Dog Caucus of fiscally hawkish Democrats is all but extinct.  Republicans now boast twice as many blue-state senators (10) and five times as many blue-district representatives (25) than their Democratic counterparts in red territory.

Did you see how Senator E Warren snuck in there?

Hat tip to the Instapundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Here is the more extensive, and honed, Wikipedia bio for Senator Jim Webb.