2020 is a Census year. Democrats have to do well in state and local races.

Republicans cleaned up the last two census years (2000 and 2010). By controlling state legislatures and governorships, Republicans have been able to gerrymander districts, pass oppressive voter ID laws, restrict voting hours, and purge voter rolls.

We're still feeling the effects of the 2010 debacle, which included huge Republican gains in local races. Not only was it a huge roadblock to President Obama's agenda, the timing was terrible in terms of its overlapping with the Census.

So this fall and especially in 2020, Democrats need to know who their state representatives and senators are, who is running for secretary of state, and treat local races with the excitement that we tend to save for high profile races.