This is the first diary in a new series called “Special Election Watch” where we will bring you updates on the many special elections through 2018. The vast majority of them are in the state legislatures. We would especially like to give these state legislative elections some extra attention.
From 2008 to 2016 the republicans took over 900 state legislative seats from us. Even though most of the focus is, naturally, on the White House, the Senate and House of Representatives, the state legislatures are immensely important.
The Republican dominance over state governments have changed America for the worse. This is the front line in their war on the middle class, on working men and women, and especially on the right to vote. All their efforts to make it harder for Americans to vote happens at the state legislature level -- everything from gerrymandering to closing DMVs (where people can get voter IDs).
We must also remember what an asset it is for the Republican party to have 900 extra elected representatives out there. 900 extra people spewing out their propaganda to people all over the country. We need to take them back.
We have 15 flip opportunities in February alone (listed below). And a lot more to come. Se the full updated list for all the special elections in 2018, in the Special Elections Calendar diary written by Glenn Magus Harvey. (The descriptions of each district’s geography is also taken from his diary.)
There are several reasons why we want to get some extra attention on these elections. The most obvious one is that it literally makes the world a better place to replace Republicans with Democrats. We can help enable these candidates to get out their message and the message of the Democratic Party to a lot of people in red districts that have not necessarily heard from us in a long time.
Another effect of winning these races is that it feeds and accumulates the ever growing storyline that Democrats will batter Republicans in 2018. It will grow optimism on our side and pessimism on their side. More of their incumbents will retire, and more good people will run on our side. More people will join our winning team as organizers, donors, volunteers and public servants. Help build the wave!
We can win!
These races are all winnable, if we support our candidates! In these low turnout special elections, it is all about bringing out the Democratic vote. We know from all the other special elections after Trump became President, that Republican turnout will be low. If we manage to keep the drop off of Democratic voters lower than the drop off of Republican voters, we can win in any district.
Earlier this month The Hill wrote the story “Why Democrats Keep Winning Special Elections”. It’s worth the read. Here is an excerpt:
Schachtner took 12,139 votes in Tuesday’s election, about a third of the total vote that the last Democratic candidate in the district won. But her Republican opponent, state Rep. Adam Jarchow, took 9,865 votes — just 11 percent of the total the last Republican incumbent won.
The Republican drop-off differs in each election, but if it drops as much as the recent special election in Wisconsin, to 11 percent (!), we can win any district in the Union. Especially since Democrats are very motivated. In three special elections in 2017 the Democratic turnout was higher than in the general election! It is all about Democratic turnout. If we manage to get the word out about the election and motivate Democrats to vote, we will win.
4 elections in Missouri on Tuesday
We have 15 flip opportunities in February, and they are all listed at the end of the diary. But today we will mainly feature the four flip opportunities next Tuesday, February 6th, in Missouri: the special elections in house districts 39, 97, 129 and 144.
Democrats have been winning red districts in special elections all over the country lately. But the situation in Missouri is probably particularly favorable for Democrats. The already controversial governor, Eric Greitens (R), is engulfed in scandal involving adultery and perhaps blackmail. So there is reason to believe the Republican vote will be extra depressed. Meanwhile, Democrats could sure use the win — Republicans currently have super majorities in both the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives.
This is why we think that a donation or other assistance in these races is probably the investment where you can get the most “bang for your buck”. Helping these candidates get the word out about the election and funding their GOTV is probably where you can — more than any place else — be the drop that tilts the election.
So we hope you will consider helping these candidates. Meet them here:
Ethan Perkinson
Ethan Perkinson is the Deomcrat running in MO-HD39. He’s a law enforcement officer who is strong on unions, public school funding, affordable healthcare, and finding revenue to keep the Missouri DOT operating in the black. He’s thrilled at the prospect of our help to boost turnout and counting on it to flip this seat.
When we contacted him, he said:
“I'm running to protect public education, defeat right to work, and ensure the economic future of Missouri. My opponent has been in politics for 30 years, it's time to say no to establishment politics and elect someone with new ideas.”
His opponent has been in politics for 30 years and has the support of wealthy donors.
This is an election with a career Republican vs a grassroots Democrat. So Ethan needs all the help he can get. If you want Missouri and the country to move in the right direction, and stop the Republican war on voters and workers, support Ethan Perkinson!
Ethan is running in a very conservative district, but as we have learned before, these are very winnable races with the right GOTV-operation.
About the district MO-HD39: Carroll County and parts of Chariton and Ray counties: a long district northeast of Kansas City spanning almost half the width of the state, including Richmond, Norborne, Carrolton, Tina, Mendon, Knoxville, Plymouth, Sumner, Salisbury, and Wien. Incumbent Joe Don McGaugh (R) was appointed to a judgeship. Obama 36.5% Romney 61.1%, Clinton 24.45% Trump 70.95%, last elections unopposed (2016 and 2014), D 44.1% R 55.9% (2012).
Stop the Republican war on voters and workers by supporting Ethan!
You can help Ethan flip the 39th by:
Donating to his campaign on ActBlue.
Following his campaign on Facebook.
If you live in or close to his district, contact him on Facebook for information on how to volunteer!
Mike Revis
Running in MO-HD97 is Democrat Mike Revis. He comes from a working-class family, raised as the son of a carpenter and a teacher, saying he recognizes the value of hard work and how labor unions helped shape the middle class. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri, with a degree in Business Administration, specializing in marketing. Revis comes from a family who gave him a natural interest in such issues as labor, education and the working class.
He once interned for former Gov. Jay Nixon (D), but he became more active in politics when Gov. Eric Greitens (R) took office earlier this year and swept right-to-work legislation through the General Assembly.
Mike was interviewed by callnewspapers.com:
“So that’s always been something near and dear to my heart is those types of working-class people and wanting to make sure that they get their needs heard and that people are looking out for the working class,” Revis said.
“The news about the so-called ‘right-to-work’ really set me off and motivated me to run,” Revis said. “For some, saying you are pro-worker is just a bullet point. For me, it’s real life because I grew up in a union family, and I have seen firsthand how unions help their members provide for their families.”
Mike comes from a long line of union family members and has been endorsed for the District 97 seat by the St. Louis Labor Council and the Jefferson County Labor Club.
In addition to defending the rights of working people, Revis’ goals include supporting public education, standing with first responders and veterans, opposing cuts to healthcare and senior services and attracting more quality jobs for Missouri.
Mike is a procurement manager at Anheuser-Busch. He has bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing from the University of Missouri at Columbia. While in college, he was intern for Missouri Governor Jay Nixon through the Civic Leaders Internship Program handling constituent services.
About the district: MO-HD97 holds the far-southwest exurbs of St. Louis; parts of Jefferson and St. Louis counties: from Murphy to Arnold (part) and points in between on both sides of state route 141, including southern parts of Fenton. Incumbent John McCaherty (R) resigned to run for county executive. Obama 42.6% Romney 55.4%, Clinton 33.31% Trump 61.14%, last elections R 74.38% L 25.62% (2016), D 33% R 67% (2014).
Stop the Republican war on voters and workers by supporting Mike Revis!
You can help Mike flip the 97th by:
Donating to his campaign on ActBlue.
Following his campaign on Facebook.
Volunteering on his campaign.
Ronna Ford
Ronna (King) Ford is the Democrat running in MO-HD129. She is retired from the Lebanon R-1 school district in 2013 after 30 years of recognized excellence in the classroom. In 2007, she was named a finalist for Missouri Teacher of the Year, the first family and consumer sciences teacher to be so honored in more than a decade.
Ronna was interviewed by
“My goal if elected would be to strengthen the smallest voices, especially those of public school children,” says Ford. “I love Missouri and the Ozarks, and I don’t want to see our great state walk the path of Kansas, our westerly neighbor-state that has been so bankrupted and poorly managed that it has become a national hazard tale.
“Education is essential for democracy,” Ford said. “People must be critical thinkers.” “University of Missouri tuition is up 15 percent from two years ago,” Ford said.
She was a long-time legislative chair for the National Association for Teachers of Family and Consumer Science (NATFACS) and the bylaws chair for the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE). Ford was also a founding member of the Missouri Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher-Leader Cadre established in 1997. She served two terms on the Joel E. Barber School Board.
Around the same time her last grandchild started school, Gov. Eric Greitens (R) was elected to office. Ford observed continual budget cuts to higher education, as well as cuts to rural transportation.
She stressed that big corporations benefit while vulnerable populations receive a cruel cut to social services. Ford questions whether or not some state leaders are loyal to their constituents.
She lists education, job creation and health care as main campaign issues on her campaign site.
About the district: MO-HD129 is largely rural areas northeast of Springfield; Dallas County and part of Laclede County: points west and south of Lebanon (part), including Celt, Tunas, Urbana, Eldridge (part), Wood Hill, Windyville, Cedar Ridge, Buffalo, Long Lane, Philipsburg, Evergreen, Morgan, Conway, and a dip that approaches Tin Town. Incumbent Sandy Crawford (R) elected to MO-SD28. Obama 27.8% Romney 70.0%, Clinton 16.36% Trump 80.03%, last elections: R 88.56% - I 11.44% (2016), D 16.9% R 83.1% (2014)
Stop the Republican war on voters and workers by supporting Ronna Ford!
You can help Ronna flip the 129th by:
Donating to his campaign on ActBlue.
Following his campaign on Facebook.
Jim Scaggs
Jim Scaggs is the Democrat running in the MO-HD144 special election. Scaggs is a pro-union and pro-education rural Democrat who is in his third year as Iron County Presiding Commissioner.
He is quoted by local the Daily Journal Online:
“I have worked to create a balanced budget in the county and for the first time in 10 years we are operating in the black. I’m running to be your representative because I will fight for job creation, to fully fund our schools, and I will not cater to special interest in Jefferson City.”
Jim has the endorsements of the American Federation of Teachers, the Mineral Area Labor Legislative Club and the Southwest Central Labor Council.
Watch his campaign video:
About the district: MO-HD144 is a large rural district spanning the areas between the Salem-Potosi, Fredericktown, and Poplar Bluff parts of the Mark Twain National Forest; Iron County and parts of Reynolds, Washington, and Wayne counties: Potosi (part), Springtown (part), Ironton, Black, Lesterville, Annapolis, Des Arc, Ellington, Piedmont, Greenville. Incumbent Paul Fitzwater (R) "resigned to join state Board of Probation and Parole". Obama 36.1% Romney 61.4%, Clinton 19.14% Trump 77.84%, last elections unopposed (2016), unopposed in general (2014), D 34.2% R 65.8% (2012).
Stop the Republican war on voters and workers by supporting Jim Scaggs!
You can help Jim win his fight to flip the 144th by:
Donating to his campaign on ActBlue.
Following his campaign on Facebook and Twitter.
There are 11 more flip opportunities in February. Here is the full list for the month:
We will feature all of these candidates before their elections. But feel free to donate to them now. The earlier they get support, the more effect it has.
If you are not able to donate, you can support them for free by liking their Facebook-pages and their posts. More information on why that is helpful in this diary by Ectoras.
You could also consider donating to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, who helps Democrats get elected to the state legislatures around the country.
If you have any information that can help us, we would like to get in touch with the campaigns of Michael Showers, Philip Young and Phil Spagnuolo.
Special thanks to fellow Kossaks Glenn Magus Harvey and Mattrek for great input. And special thanks to Ready2Vote for being a great source of information.