Last cycle, the Secretary of State Project did tremendous work in raising money and awareness for several contested SoS races across the country. These unheralded but crucial state-level office-holders are crucial for protecting the voting franchise. Corrupt Republicans like Ken Blackwell in Ohio and Katherine Harris in Florida have used their powers for evil; keeping these offices in Democratic hands is a vital mission.
So I'm very pleased to see that the SoS Project is once again in effect, raising money for four races this year:
There are two states we are targeting with open races for Secretary of State in 2008: Oregon and West Virginia. In Oregon, Democrat Kate Brown is running against GOP nominee Rick Dancer. In West Virginia, Natalie Tennant won the Democratic primary on May 13, despite being outspent 6 to 1 by her competitor. She is now fighting for the seat currently occupied by Betty Ireland, a partisan Republican who is currently working hard to oppose Election Day Registration.
In Montana, Democrat Linda McCulloch is trying to unseat ultra-conservative Brad Johnson. Johnson has been involved in an attempt by conservatives to roll back the state's Election Day Registration laws.
We are also working to protect the seat of a progressive Secretary of State in the key battleground state of Missouri. Democrat Robin Carnahan is a strong reformer who should win reelection. But given the importance of a fair election in Missouri, we need to be vigilant in this state.
The hottest race - and the only one in which the SoS Project is trying to unseat an incumbent - appears to be Montana's. We all remember Jon Tester's super-narrow victory two years ago, when he won by just 3,000 votes. Republicans haven't forgotten either, and they are eager to unseat him in 2012. Brad Johnson is in the mold of Harris and Blackwell, and he'll help his party use every underhanded trick in the book to thwart Tester and the Democrats. Election Day voter registration is a key tool in expanding the franchise, so it's hardly a surprise that the GOP would like to get rid of it.
To give you an example of just how important Democratic Secretaries of State are, just take a look at Ohio. The SoS here of course used to be the infamous and odious Blackwell, but thanks to a big victory in 2006, Dem Jennifer Brunner is now in charge. She just helped usher in a major change in how elections are conducted in the state, allowing people to register and vote early in a single visit to their local board of elections. This will help relieve the stress on polling places on election day and allow more people to vote - exactly the opposite of what guys like Blackwell always wanted.
If you're interested in learning more and in helping out, please visit the Secretary of State Project's website.