The 2016 election cycle is now over and done with.
Despite the bad news nationally for Democrats, the good guys did make gains in the Kansas legislature. Not earth-shattering gains, but gains nonetheless.
In Johnson County, our Democratic delegation in the State House jumped from 2 to 6, matching the number we reached in 2008 before the Teabagger wave wiped out all but one two years later. No gains in the State Senate, though.
Without question, Democrats nationwide need to do some soul searching. The same applies to Kansas Democrats.
We have to ask ourselves: How do we get better?
This list is just my opinion, but here are some points I feel need to be addressed by 2018 and 2020:
- First of all, we need to stop campaigning as moderates and start fielding true progressives on the ballot. If you cannot adequately tell the difference between a Democrat and a centrist Republican, the Republican will win every time. This is, in my honest opinion, the biggest problem for Kansas Democrats, especially Johnson County Democrats.
- We cannot have candidates running on any single issue. This is especially true of the single issue du jour among Kansas Democrats, education spending. You have to be able to talk credibly about a number of other issues, especially the state’s tax structure and the economy, judicial selection, and so much more. On education specifically, the other side will also claim to be pro-education even if their record suggests otherwise. Focusing all of your time and attention on this specific topic — also known as being “a noun, a verb and education” — is a guaranteed loser on Election Day.
- We’ve had way too many candidates wait until the last minute to file to run for office. This needs to change as well. If you are serious about running, take a cue from the Republicans: file at least a year before the next primary election date. This helps tremendously with your name recognition. Also — spoiler alert — the Democratic challengers who gained seats filed early.
- In regards to primaries: While they are rare in races involving Democrats, they do happen. If this happens, the candidates need to be taught to, at the very least, respect each other. Not campaigning negatively against one another but focusing your attention on a common incumbent is part of this. However, and this is important, another part of this includes not sending your campaign’s volunteers to your opponent’s house. They’re not going to vote for you anyway, so why waste your time doing this? (By the way, anyone who claims that volunteers should be given a free pass on this need to realize something right now: a candidate’s home address is a matter of public record that can easily be found on your county or state’s election office website. No excuses.)
- We have to start fielding candidates in more local races. Democrats have been terrible at this, and it must be addressed. I’m talking mayors, city council members, local school boards, utilities boards, even the sheriff. Believe it or not, on the day of the primary election, a potential voter actually asked me why there weren’t any Democrats running for sheriff. We’re missing way too many opportunities by ignoring these races.
- We have to get money out of politics. Period.
- Lastly, we need to wean ourselves of certain lobbies that have, in my honest opinion, done more harm than good for Democrats. I will not name names, but they do embody every single point I have already outlined.
I want Democrats to do well in Kansas and everywhere, but we have to change the ways we do things. That’s true at all levels — federal, state, and local.
We can, and we must, do better.