Welcome to Nuts & Bolts, a guide to Democratic campaigns. I’ve helped write this series for years using information from campaign managers, finance directors, field directors, trainers, and staff responding to questions from Daily Kos Community and staff members, and addressing issues that are sent to me via the site’s Kosmail platform.
Twice a year, the full body of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) meets. Much of the meeting is open to the public, and the party sets forward our plan for the future. While there will be a lot of focus on what is said by the president and vice president at this meeting, a lot of party decisions get made that will have a significant impact on the party for the future. In this week’s Nuts & Bolts, let’s talk about some significant changes being proposed.
Welcome to a new schedule for primaries
The DNC is looking for a major change in the way the primaries are scheduled, moving away from Iowa and New Hampshire and putting South Carolina in the prime position for the 2024 primaries. Some members have voiced concerns over the size and market, others cite the fact that New Hampshire has Democratic senators and is a contested state while South Carolina is unlikely to yield electoral votes. Those facts are frequently outweighed by the fact that choosing our nominee is a process determined by Democratic voters, and Black voters are the backbone of the Democratic Party. This matters because both Iowa and New Hampshire do not show the diversity that the party is looking for in the selection process.
There is expected to be some pushback, but the leadership and the White House are whipping hard to get their new schedule approved.
Proposals for resolutions and youth interaction and more
At every DNC meeting, the party is presented with resolutions that represent the values of the party. Some of the resolutions will be presented at the winter 2023 meeting. One proposal that will get quite a bit of attention is Resolution 12, supporting youth voting and youth engagement by the party.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) recognizes the vital role that young voters played in the 2022 election, and reaffirms its commitment to engaging and empowering young people in the Democratic Party; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the DNC is committed to working closely with the HSDA, CDA, and YDA as we prepare for Joe Biden’s reelection and other races up and down the 2024 ballot; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the DNC will continue to work to better understand and respond to the needs and concerns of young voters, including by finding ways to increase youth representation, both in the DNC and throughout political decision-making processes.
Resolutions reflect the will of the party but they do not change the platform, rules, or governance of the party. The expression of the interest of the party is meant to show what we believe more than the demand of what we must do.
Other resolutions support the Biden administration’s policies on the environment, Ukraine, and calls to change the involvement of dark money in Democratic primaries.
A change in the acceptable behaviors of members
One major proposal being laid out in this meeting is for the ombudsman committee. This committee is designed to handle transgressions by DNC members against the charter and bylaws of the party. “The Ombudsman Subcommittee of the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee (‘the Subcommittee’) shall review allegations of violations of the Charter and Bylaws of the Democratic Party of the United States (‘the Charter and Bylaws’) by elected or appointed Officers of the Democratic National Committee. The Subcommittee shall report to the Executive Committee.”
This would be a major change and is seen by many as a move that is designed to prevent DNC members from campaigning against the sitting president in reelection or to address issues where a DNC member may create problems for the party through their own behavior and actions. This effectively provides a way for the party to remove a DNC member in a special committee.
Others argue this proposition is dangerous and could quickly be used to remove committee members who raise legitimate policy concerns or more progressive points that the committee is refusing to take on.
This kind of policy has never been tested, so it is uncertain how this would actually play out once a committee is put into place.
This is our party
We all have a role to play in determining what we want from our own party. If you haven’t, take time to talk to your own state DNC members about how you feel in regards to resolutions for the future, rule proposals, or anything that the national party does so that you can have your own role in setting the future of the party.
This is how we build strength for the future, and how we determine what our party will look like from today going forward.
We're chatting with one of our favorite fellow election analysts on this week's episode of The Downballot, Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball. Kyle helped call races last year for CBS and gives us a rare window inside a TV network's election night decision desk, which literally has a big button to call control of the House—that no one got to press. Kyle also dives into his new race ratings for the 2024 Senate map, including why he thinks Joe Manchin's unlikely tight-rope act might finally come to an end.
In their Weekly Hits, co-hosts David Nir and David Beard recap big developments in two Senate contests: Rep. Adam Schiff's entry into the race to succeed Dianne Feinstein, and the GOP's unexpected show of unity in the open-seat election in Indiana. They also dissect the first poll of this year's hotly contested race for governor in Kentucky and highlight another 2023 battle that shouldn't get overlooked: the race for a vacant seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.