Running candidates in every single district is the secret to winning statewide Karl-Thomas Musselman
Burntorangereport
The remark by Musselman points to the importance of the Democratic Party not only making an effort but succeeding in running candidates in all local and state races this cycle. Conceding a district by not running a candidate is the equivalent of conceding a large percentage of potential Democratic votes for statewide offices such as Governor, Ag Commissioner, Rail Rode Commissioner, Comptroller, or U.S. Senator as well. This is particularly important in the case of Senate elections which impact voters not only state-wide but on a federal level as well.
It is in all our interest to make sure that viable Dem. candidates have the opportunity to participate in well run campaigns, even in areas that are likely republican locks.
I would like to elaborate on this statement taken from today's Burnt Orange Report. I diaried some months ago on the issue of GOTV efforts in 06 as a precursory measure to increase turnout in 08.
What do we do about Texas? Building a Voter Machine:
The remark by Musselman points to the importance of the Democratic Party not only making an effort but succeeding in running candidates in all local and state races this cycle. Conceding a district by not running a candidate is the equivalent of conceding a large percentage of potential Democratic votes for statewide offices such as Governor, Ag Commissioner, Rail Rode Commissioner, Comptroller, or U.S. Senator as well. This is particularly important in the case of Senate elections which impact voters not only state-wide but on a federal level as well.
That said, it is not enough simply to attach a name to a ballot, these must be viable candidates that have enough financial support to produce the attention necessary to make voters aware of their candidacy. As anyone who has ever worked on a campaign knows, just getting your likely base to the polls in more than half the battle. The first step to getting these voters to the polls to vote in Senate and Gubernatorial elections is giving them visible local candidates for whom voters feel making a trip to the polls is worth the time and effort.
It is far too easy for Dems to give up on these large statewide races, to in fact give up on voting in very Red districts all together; while Texas (and I'm sure this is true of other states as well) may be cut up into districts that are Republican, statewide, the ratio of Democrats to Republicans is actually much closer than this would imply, when you throw in a large percentage of Independent and Undecided voters, you could have a real race on your hands. But again, it takes giving Dems in the very red districts a reason to get to the polls, this requires supporting a candidate for them to feel encouraged about voting for in their local races.
This takes me back to a comment I made on Chris Bell's Diary Taking on Delay: One year later. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/15/113145/527
Chris Bell is running for governor of the state of Texas and his diary stated,
But let's commit ourselves on this anniversary to taking the reform mandate one step further and changing the way we run Democratic campaigns are run in this state. .
There are no shortage of Dems willing to run in the state for these local offices, but they are constrained by a lack of support both moral and financial from the state party. I believe we should call for the state party to support these candidates and back up that call with donations to our state parties. At least through the 06 cycle, we should be taking care of home first, the rest of the country second. Texans, (and this likely applies to other states as well) should donate to their local and state candidates as well as their state party first, the national party second. Texas historically has not gotten a great deal of support from the national party and there is little sign of this changing in 06, in order for Democratic candidates in Texas to have a fighting chance they need the support of both our voices and our checkbooks.
I would like to add to Bell's call to change the we run Dem. Campaigns to include changing the idea that it is not worth the state party's money or the money of individual contributors to support candidates in local red district races. This money may be some of the best spent money in the cycle, even if in the end Dem. Candidates do not win these local races, the voter turn out that running real campaigns in these districts bring may just give Dems for State and U.S. Senate positions the edge they need in what are sure to be some hotly contested races in 06.