"This endeavor is bigger than all of us and I believe [it] is the future of the country. Without hearing everyone, we hear no one."
- Todd Nightenhelser, former candidate for Indiana's 3rd Congressional District
This quote makes up the website banner for 90for90, a movement founded by Dr. William F. "Fergie" Reid, the first African American man elected to Virginia’s General Assembly since Reconstruction. An organization committed to finding Democrats to run for every seat in all elections, 90for90 focuses on “Voter Engagement, Education, Activation, and Motivation” and features candidate information for all offices—local to federal—in all 50 states.
In short, think of 90for90 as an expansion and an extension of Howard Dean’s 50-State Strategy. Supporting and electing Democratic candidates in every state, county, district, and precinct is no mean feat. Yet, as Nightenhelser put it, it’s something that’s bigger than all of us, and that can impact our country’s future at every level of government.
Which is why I’m a bit bewildered at the Clinton Campaign’s decision to blast through bellwether state Florida while, except for a few well-known and established House and Senate candidates, casting a blind eye to lesser-known Congressional candidates in the state. Southwestern Florida and other “red” areas of Florida do have great Democrats running for office, but they need some motivation, support, and encouragement to turn out the vote in their areas.
It may seem like it’s a fool’s errand to reach out to Democratic campaigns in red districts, but as Hillary’s own campaign is proving, red America isn’t unreachable for Democrats. Take Arizona. For Pete’s sake, look at Texas! And even Georgia—deep South Georgia—is in play.
It can be done. These races can be won. At the very least, helping downballot Democrats in Florida’s redder regions can make these areas competitive again and give the Democratic voters in these areas reasons to believe they’re not alone and they’re not being ignored or given the short shrift. If the Clinton Campaign were to give more attention to Democratic candidates in supposedly “lost” districts, Team Clinton may discover (and uncover) many willing new voters for not only the downticket candidates, but for Hillary/Kaine at the top of the ticket.
It’s a win-win situation all around.
If Team Hillary were to help these candidates, these candidates could help Hillary in ways the DNC could only dream of doing.
Not only would Hillary become President, but the candidates in these areas, if they were to win, could bolster an even stronger Democratic House majority that can resist the Republicans’ foolishness with impeachment trials and other petty nonsense. Even if they didn’t win, they’d force the Republican candidates in those races to actually fight for their seats and make those districts competitive again.
Think of it. Those districts could move from Likely Republican to Toss-up in future races—can you imagine that? Can the DNC dare to imagine that? Can we?
Some candidates that Team Clinton—and we—should support:
April Freeman in Florida’s 17th Congressional district: She’s endorsed by Progressive Action PAC and none other than Representative Keith Ellison:
“April has proven herself to be a determined and tenacious advocate for the people she will serve” said Representative Keith Ellison, a Minnesota Democrat and PAPAC co-chair. “She is committed to progressive values and will fight for commonsense solutions to solve the problems our country faces daily.”
Jan Schneider in Florida’s 16th: I’ve already written about Schneider’s tenacious fight for Congressman Vern Buchanan’s seat; she and Buchanan recently had a debate in which she called Buchanan to the carpet over his opposition to the Affordable Care Act.
Dr. Alina Valdes in Florida’s 25th: I’ve written about her, too. She’s looking to unseat Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart in a newly-drawn-up district that is up for grabs. In a recent Naples News article, Valdes remarks that she supports moving to a single-payer health care system and that a “humane society must take care of its most vulnerable.”
90for90 gives access to information for many Democratic candidates running for Congress in Florida. Their specific stances on certain issues may vary marginally, but essentially, they want what we all as Democrats want: affordable healthcare and education for all, a stronger economy that works for everyone, and equality for all people. They want what Team Hillary and her surrogates want. Thus, they should count on us and Team Hillary to support them, and supporting them can only mean a greater victory for Team Hillary and for all of us.
It’s like Mr. Nightenhelser said:
“Without hearing everyone, we hear no one."
