but, weren't the seats they needed to flip mostly in the southeast and midwest?

this question of whether the democrats need to reach out or rev up their base is missing the point. obviously, it's better to rev up your base - and if you lean left, it's easy to understand why you'd prefer it, even if it's a bad tactic. do you want this because you think it's going to work better, or do you want this because you want this.

the point is that the votes aren't being counted. you can rev the base up all you want, it means nothing if they get to the station and can't vote, or can't get to the station to vote at all. and, standing in california - or in canada - it is hard to understand how hard it is for the base to actually vote in the south, and increasingly in the midwest.

obviously, you want to fight for these people to be able to vote. but, you have to win the elections, first. even if you get the buses out and everything else, you still can't be sure the votes are going to count - or enough of them will, anyways.

so, this isn't a choice.

the democrats must find a way to win back enough white voters to flip enough districts to undo the longterm damage.