Democrats Question Decision To Give Up Canvassing During Election

[liskddksil]

A number of Democratic elected officials, candidates and campaign operatives believe that the national party’s decision not to canvass and hold in-person campaign events until the final days of the general election hurt Democrats down-ballot.

In order to avoid exposing volunteers, staffers and voters to the coronavirus, the presidential campaign of former Vice President Joe Biden did not sanction door-to-door campaigning in battleground states until October.

House Democrats’ campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, advised candidates against it and declined to finance any new hiring that campaigns conducted for the specific purpose of door-knocking. State parties and state legislative candidates, who frequently coordinated with the national party, generally steered clear of the practice as well.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democrats-joe-biden-canvassing-2020-election_n_5fada666c5b6c582dacb1f77

[redstateblues]

1. Joe beat Trump by 5 million+ votes.

The bad messaging was what hurt the down ballot candidates

[Demsrule86]

2. It was the right decision. It is my opinion that we were blamed for the lack of a stimulus.

This is very unfair of course, but there it is. Also, the defund police seems to have hurt us even in places like New York. Again , people don't understand the meaning. But I doubt canvassing would have helped.

[Turin_C3PO]

5. I was saying in another post

that we can't really control the "defund the police" movement. Many of those protesters aren't necessarily Democrats. I think we have to somehow work around that and overcome Repub framing on the issue. I agree also that the lack of stimulus hurt us. I guess we should have put out ads placing the blame where it belongs, on Mitch McConnell.

[LakeArenal]

3. Hey Covid screwed up everything.

Doing the right thing usually involves a bit of self sacrifice. Joe did the right thing.

[oswaldactedalone]

4. Defund the police

hurt us badly. The republican exploitation of the wird “socialism” hurt as well. The messaging problem is obvious. Why is it never fixed?

[Thekaspervote]

6. Biden stated dozens of times he was not for defunding the police, as did other dems

I disagree that we never fix things.

Some of the messaging the gop did brought us millions in campaign donations..just sayin

[kansasobama]

8. All it needs is a few Dems supporting Defund the Police

In a Presidential year, it is easy to transfer slogans. Trump managed to do that well. BLM helped Biden win. However, BLM looting events did not help Democrats in the non-urban areas. Things get magnified in a Presidential year. You only need one looting incident for Trump to jump on it. I was afraid when there were a few incidence of looting.

Labeling "socialism" and its misuse will not go away unless AOC and Bernie Sanders work more tactfully. I suggest both of them to come to purple or slightly red districts around the country to see how hard it is for liberals like me, who fully support the New Green Deal to convince. I cannot convince anyone if my opposition starts bringing Bernie and AOC as "socialists." You have to realize uneducated people do not understand difference between "Democratic socialist" vs "old-style socialist." Instead of working on progressive ideas, we get stuck with defense. Bernie and AOC need to work quietly behind the scenes so that we can help the cause. There are many hard core liberals in red states but we want top-notch Democrats to be aware of how hard it is.

[LovingA2andMI]

9. This is some BS

"However, BLM looting events did not help Democrats in the non-urban areas" --- So, now BLM coordinated "Looting Events?" Really Now....

[kansasobama]

10. It is BS but you need to know who Trump is

Trump needs only one incident. He will magnify one looting in many non-urban areas. I know this happened in many rural areas. They picked up one incident somewhere and highlighted it. You have to see from the eyes of liberals in red areas. It is very frustrating for us. We are more than a "Green New Deal" and pro-BLM. But rural areas are nuts.

[OneBro]

7. Post-election review is always a good idea.

But down ballot Republican wins were and will continue to be mostly due to Republican lies and blatant Democratic vote suppression.