Reading comments on DK diaries, it seems there are some here who want to help with the Markey Campaign but are waiting to be asked or have signed up somehow, somewhere but haven't heard from anyone.
This campaign is not the Elizabeth Warren Campaign. There is much less time and there is much less money. Please be proactive and pushy if you want to help.
IF YOU WANT TO HELP AND HAVEN'T BEEN CONTACTED:
Contact the campaign directly via the website:
http://www.edmarkey.com/...
To see a sign up for a specific volunteer event (use drop-down menu):
http://ejm-campaign.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/
Contact your local town Democratic Town Committee - many are remaining nuetral, or might endorse Lynch, but they will have contact information for the local campaign - they are listed on the massdems website here: http://www.massdems.org/...
or contact the MassDems and ask them to help you find a local person to contact:
http://www.massdems.org/...
EVEN IF YOU AREN'T IN MA there are ways you can help - money is number one - the campaign needs it, especially as we get closer to the general election as the Rovettes are expected to jump in with their Corporations-are-people money.
DK has set up an donation page: https://secure.actblue.com/...
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign is involved: http://www.dscc.org/...
Beyond money, the KEY to a win in MA is going to be the grassroots work.
The campaign is not going to be as streamlined as the Warren Campaign because they just don't have the time. They won't have the same number of staff people because the money isn't the same and again -there isn't time - to train staff.
Local campaigns need volunteers who are willing to make calls and knock on doors. Most will train volunteers. In our area there are always people who want to volunteer to help with a campaign, but aren't comfortable knocking on doors or making calls. There will be opportunities to help on election day(s) at polls and some areas campaigns may be organizing standouts now or in the coming weeks - so there might be ways to help by holding signs for those who aren't interested in the other volunteer options.
We often hear, "Signs, don't vote." Well, OK, but I believe when one sees more signs for a single candidate that old "band wagon" marketing thing kicks in, mostly for people who really aren't studying candidates closely. (When I drove through a particularly wealthy section in our area during the last election and discovered a surprising number of Warren signs, even on lawns with Romney signs, it fueled that feeling that we were heading in the right direction.)
Lynch has two local TV ads, both feature him with iron workers. The most recent features women iron workers, two of whom are minorities. I happen to know first hand that women make up a small percentage of iron workers, however the actual stats are hard to come by. There are quotas that must be met when they do certain jobs, ie gov work, and those are the places you'll find women. There still appears to be no women in leadership roles in that union organization. That ad feels a bit disingenuous.
Markey has only one ad playing local to SE Mass so far - featuring a gun-control message. Perhaps his campaign needs to do more to appeal to wider audience with more television ads.
It's hard not to be negative with someone like Lynch, but we need a united front when the general election rolls around. The bottom line is, as a woman, I don't want Lynch as my Senator, BUT, even worse? Michael Sullivan or Dan Winslow ... please, not again.
Ed Markey: Why I'm running for the Senate: