Over the last few days, my diaries earlier in the week regarding the Kansas Democratic Party circulated in a very, very wide way. I heard about it at the Johnson County Democratic Party Meeting. It was read on public radio in pieces. This morning, on KAKE Wichita, they discussed it.
Most of the response I've had could best be called VERY positive. I'm glad. I think part of that is that rather than just whine about the problem, I'm taking time to work on the solution.
On a Sunday afternoon, though, I want to talk about the journey I went on in the last year.
I spent last September & October going through the southeast corner of the state, and thinking about what issues would matter in 2014. Coming back from Crawford, Labette, and Neosho I thought: OK. Maybe I should do something about this. Could I, in 14 months, tour all 105 counties?
That November, we setup one of the first DailyKos C!U!A! Events here in Johnson County. The meeting ended up in two shifts - people who came for the dinner, and those who stayed for a while.. and a second, impromptu meeting of people who were mostly wait staff, hotel employees, and just people who hung around outside who wanted to talk.
As winter dawned, I made my way through the North Eastern Counties, spending time at home to prepare for the new year. The new year quickly moved to the fight at the capital over RFRA.
I started to tour the North Central of the state, and kept track of what was happening in Topeka, eventually called back for the teacher fight, 2453
From Derby Kansas to Hays, I made an effort to attend teacher led rallies, and to promote them here:
I met with representatives across the state, and talked to them about message.. and the lack of message.
(pictured above: Gail Finney, Kansas House, that was April)
I flew to LA to meet with fundraisers for those who would help with make sure I wouldn't go homeless on this adventure, and I met with people like Sandra Fluke, to get her to show Kansas some love.
Although I'm not a "Young Dem" I took time to attend the Young Dem conference, to offer advice, to help the candidates, and to list to what the future of our party had to say.
Whether it was Russel Kansas
Or Luray
Walking a parade in Wamego
Setting up an event in Hutchinson
From meeting with Women for Kansas in Wichita
To spending time in Hoisington.
To providing video feeds of the debates at the state fair.
I took time to attend events for State House candidates who asked as far away as Dodge City (a 5 hour drive from my house easy)
County Commissioners meetings in Salina
And I took time to attend Drinking Liberally in Lawrence, while helping to organize and help campaigns.
I met with farmers, I met with conservatives, I met with anyone that would talk. We stopped people in quick trips. We joined people in bars. We held meetings after meetings from Republican town halls from Lynn Jenkins to Tim Huelskamp to Kevin Yoder.
I know there are so many that view my attempt to change the party as wrong, or who think I should be quiet. Some tell me Kansas is just a state that isn't worth fighting for, and this is what we get.
But here's what I know..
Total vote turnout in Kansas?
In 2014, total Governors race voters: 847988
In 2010, total Governors race voters: 838790
The same people are voting. We aren't bringing new people to the table.
And they want to come. Farmers who were concerned that the price of fertilizer is going up, up and away because Koch Industry controls Nitrogen. Farmers who worried about Monsanto seed, because if a neighbor plants it and they don't, they may end up owing because of cross-polinization.
We didn't agree on every issue.. but no one at any point treated me badly. No one pulled out fists or kicked me out. (Admittedly, we got pretty close in the North West corner for a short second...)
I was asked today why I would fight the way I'm fighting for what the Democratic Party should be. So I'm going to give you the answer: Staying behind a keyboard and talking is easy. Going out on the road and talking to people is hard - but you learn so much.
14 Months, and I've been through every one of the 105 counties at some point.
The electoral results were not what I - or anyone wanted - but they aren't entirely unexpected.
But when I hear from people: "What kind of work did this guy do on a campaign? How many doors did he knock." All I can do is shrug. I didn't knock doors. But I had more dinners, walked more parades, and spent more time talking at length with people who asked me directly: when will they speak about my issue.
Over the next two weeks, the schedule I kept up last year will seem tame. I began this weekend talking to several groups in Kansas City. And I will continue through the week in counties that have asked me to talk to them.
I'm a lifelong Kansan. I moved here in the 3rd grade, my mother was born here. Her parents, and those before them.
I will have to figure out how we can help our son in a new way now. But regardless of what we do there - Kansas will always be my home. Right now, my house is on fire. My time is the only thing I have to give. And, when the house is on fire you can't haggle over the price of the garden hose, to paraphrase FDR.
Carry on.