Despite 100+ degree temperature, and a normal size crowd (about 50/60) the event in Hutchinson quickly went viral, with a few thousand watching the streams online, thanks to agressive sharing, emailing and people encouraging others to spread the live stream of the video.
I want to thank everyone who did. But if you didn't catch it, I wanted to give you a brief recap of how this event went, because in Hutchinson today, Democrats set a new tone for how we should handle the race in 2014.
We began with an endorsement from AFL-CIO, who announced they would be supporting all of the Democratic Candidates on the stage, and gave us the answer as to why.
Scott Butler, an AFL-CIO Delegate tells us why AFL-CIO made their endorsements this election cycle.
Our first Democratic Candidate to speak was Jean Schodorf (show her some love here: https://secure.actblue.com/... )
Jean's speech addresses the issue of a part time secretary of state - and our need for real representation as an Attorney General.
Jean cut to the chase with the problems in Kansas, including voting rights issues and a SoS who spends more time representing other states in court than he does the citizens of Kansas.
Brian Davis, speaker in the 102 to me, really hit a home run. There are a few excerpts from his speech I think everyone should hear:
We need jobs which provide a living wage. We need access to affordable quality healthcare. We need adequate funding for our schools. We need support for new businesses and quality housing to go along with those businesses. We need an economy that supports and includes everyone---not just a few.
I am reminded of a passage in Ezekiel from my graduate theology education, "You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally." (Ezekiel 34.4).
This biblical passage sums up what has happened in Kansas under governor Brownback.
This is a strong assessment of the problems under the Brownback administration, and a reminder of what Jan Pauls is actively supporting.
Finally, Jim Sherow finished off our speeches by pointedly addressing Tim Huelskamp and his desire to tell us what women really want.
Sherow reminds us that Tim Huelskamp isn't a doctor offering a solution, he is a congress-MAN, and as such he is the wrong person to decide what women need in their life.
Give Jim Sherow some love.. he's pressing a difficult case but his efforts to help organize western Kansas do more to help extend the Democratic message and help the entire party grow. https://secure.actblue.com/...
I would like to thank all of the candidates for turning out, for everyone that came in person - and for all of those who watched the live stream on their home computers. Our email responses and statistics are boggling to me. Thank you to all who participated, sent messages and emails.
I'm sure the candidates are glad to know they had so many who were interested in seeing Kansas change.
We are looking forward to Hays, Kansas on August 9. Due to heat issues, the meeting in Hays will be moving to an indoor facility, I am currently working on that right now.