In his latest National Journal article, Ron Brownstein argues that the most important voting demographic of the 2012 election is one that Democrats traditionally have trouble with, but Obama is making inroads with in swing states this cycle: Non college-educated white women.
While President Obama lost this group -- or as Brownstein refers to them, "waitress moms" -- to John McCain in 2008 by a 41%-59% margin, the Obama campaign has targeted these voters by airing ads on networks like Bravo and Lifetime and on shows like Dr. Phil and Judge Judy.
The results so far are striking. The President is currently polling at 52% among this group in Ohio and Iowa, 51% in Pennsylvania, 50% in New Hampshire and Wisconsin and 48% in Florida, according to National Journal's analysis of recent swing state polling.
Brownstein writes that in addition to the 47 percent remarks which were very damaging to Romney among this subgroup of the electorate, he has also been hurt by the "skirmishes over defunding Planned Parenthood and access to contraception in health insurance. Many of these women view such women's-health matters not as moral issues but as practical pocketbook concerns."
Today, Alex and the panel looked at how the campaigns are appealing to women and another critical voting block -- Latinos.