We need to use this as a template. Because it works and Gets Out the Vote. No perfect candidates but Democrats all.

I feel the ground moving, shifting in our direction.

We. Can. Do. This.

This needs to be the standard that all DEMs follow.

way it should be done, and the DNC should welcome, support and for the most part yield to these grassroots forces at all times.

save face. They wanted their Horse Race in order to capture Eye Balls. And today the Media is making excuses for Trump and the GOP. Never seen do many False Narratives in a one hour segment.

If Dems had lost said media would have been reading everything and then some into the losses.

Should know by now,Electronic Media is,for the most part,very conservative. Finding a liberal on air commentary program is limited at best. Having had a family member working behind the scene in a script writing position,one sees the nuances that come through. It is all up to the Production Manager and they receive their direction from the Executive Suite.

That said today I heard one of the female GEN$NBComcast hosts saying Democrat Party. I screamed at the TV.

again she is and has been a GOP shill. Her tell is,watch her body language during interviews and her voice inflections during give and take with conservative panelist. Damn near as bad as Mrs.Greenspan who is a Randian.


It is the production Manager who has control of the Scripting and the visual aides used in every broadcast.

Notice also,Maddow and O'Donnell have Production Control of their Programs.

several cuts

that Comcast Media is just a Propaganda Organ of their Board of Directors.

They suck most of the time

The Media being one of the most powerful corporate entities to benefit. Until somebody in the media wakes up and starts to examine & expose the way in which they have benefited, nothing will change.

These folks were on the ground doing stuff for MONTHS ahead of Election Day. They weren't waiting on the party pooh-bahs or the big money to come in, they were working from the local races to the state-wide races, and when the DNC got around to helping in July, they already had their work going and their strategy plotted. The DNC provided some additional (and welcome) money and other resources, but Virginia Democrats were forging ahead long before that.

This is a very good model for a lot of areas. The earlier you start, the more you're organized, and the more outside help you can attract all lead to better than expected results.

In my neck of the woods -- a red district in CA's central valley -- several resistance groups formed almost immediately after last year's election. Most (not all) are young people disillusioned with the party. Several of these activists won positions on local city councils and school boards. It looks like similar grassroots movements is what propelled us to victory, and they will hopefully do the same next year.

Good on your district not to just sit around waiting for permission from headquarters. The national organization is run by human beings, and as such is susceptible to all the prejudices and predilections of those human beings. They look at an historically red district in California, and compare it to a more evenly-divided district in Texas or North Carolina, and they're going to put money and effort where they think they might produce results. Also, they're going to put money and effort into places and with people that are familiar.

Howard Dean's 50-state strategy was an effort to overcome some of that party inertia, and it made some progress that way. But the strategy was terminated. I suspect it was because it challenged the turf of several party regulars who were used to getting all the money they wanted (and then some) from the national organization, even when they were defending safe seats and districts.

Get your local people motivated, turn out the vote, and win some elections, and I think the national party will take notice. They'd better, because that's where the next generation of party regulars is going to come from. They'll have unfamiliar faces (for a while) and have unconventional ideas about running a campaign (that may or may not translate to other districts), but it's how the party grows and sustains itself. If the national party didn't want to contribute any resources this time around because the district is presumed to be heavily Republican, you can show them concrete results. Next time around they should be more interested in how to make political inroads there; and your resistance groups will be the experts they depend on.

Wish I could have participated but family health issues make that impossible.

Whaaa? Well, that won't fly with a fair amount of DUers with "deal breaker" requirements.

All his work and unifying efforts after his primary defeat.

Virginia was the incubator ... this is working ... run with it

Go Virginians!

Or wherever they need me. Looks like there is quite a team, an experienced team, already set up.

where the rubber meets the road could be where the action is.
help the bottom of the ticket, and they will help the top.

We did it anyway. My daughter has been out there daily, with her daughters, handing out leaflets, offering to help folks to polling places, offering to babysit while parents go vote.

And I really like your closing line. Polls show that it might be possible.

K & R

The special election down there is December 12th.

The delegate races drove up turnout. They elected progressive candidates in the state legislature and voted for the ticket up-ballot.

Especially in conservative, Republican strongholds, I think this is the model to follow. Recruit some excellent down ticket candidates and have local people that voters can relate to drive the turnout. We also need to run more female candidates in blue states.

"Grassroots activists.... No egos.... No turf.... boots on the ground...."!!

Thanks for this inspiring post.

Thank you for your service! And, that goes to all those who did anything towards this positive outcome. And, to those whose only effort was to get out and vote.
Thank You.
Now, Let's go get the rest of them!

Thank you

My family and I are boosting our support of our state and local Dem organizations.

This is what one could call good blowback!

Well stated.

I'm searching for the article, but Howard Dean said the national dems should support this candidate & Schumer said the local guy is doing okay on his own.

Here it is: https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-big-wins-top-democrats-still-shying-away-from-alabama-special-election

snip

Still, national Democrats appear content to keep a distance for now. Party leaders say they expect more money to ultimately be sent to the Alabama state party. There may be additional fundraiser appeals for Jones as well. But no major surrogates are expected to swing through the state before the vote on December 12. And there is little expectation that the party will even emphasize the race as a priority, lest they raise expectations or encourage Republicans to respond in kind.