2014 2014 2014

[cali]

There are people here who are constantly saying that we shouldn't talk about 2016 and that doing so is a diabolical plot to somehow harm dems in 2014.

Honestly, I don't know what to say about 2014. In my state, dems are as safe as can possibly be. Bernie isn't up and neither is Pat and that leaves our sole Representative, Peter Welch. I don't want to see him challenged in a primary and he won't be. He's a solid Progressive and a really good guy. As far as a republican challenger, he may get one, but there isn't a chance in hell that he'll be defeated by one. When it comes to state politics, I'll be phone banking for T.J. Donovan if he challenges William Sorrell in the dem primary. Sorrell is a good guy, but he's running for his 9th term. I'll be supporting Governor Shumlin and my dem state reps and senators..

In Vermont, a state where most people support single payer health care, I'm not concerned by any potential fall out over the ACA. There is nothing on the horizon here that suggests that anything but the status quo will hold: A dem governor, all but one statewide office held by dems, dem super majorities in the VT House and Senate and an independent and two liberal dems in D.C.

Closer to the election, when it's actually some help, I'll do some phone banking in close House elections in other states.

If you have any suggestions of what I could do now, please suggest away, keeping in mind that I'm physically disabled and in quite a bit of pain all the time.

[treestar]

1. Not real concerned about my state either

So it would be good for DUers in states or district where it might make a difference to comment. Especially ones with current Republicans who might be beatable.

[cali]

2. that's good idea. I'll do some research on individual districts

that are or could be swing distrcts.

[questionseverything]

29. cd il 13 should of gone blue last time

dem only lost by 1000 votes and a 3rd party candidate took almost 7% splitting the dems

http://www.callisforillinois.com/

ann callis will probably be the "blue dog" dem candidate

[brooklynite]

3. You might look at Gov Shumlin's campaign...

(had lunch with him yesterday)...probably safe as well, but he'll be campaigning on a Single Payer health plan, so he might become a r/w target.

[cali]

9. were you at the VT dem fundraiser yesterday?

yes, he's safe. Guv Lite Scott has said he's not running. The republican party in vermont is in dismal state.

I'll be phonebanking for Shumlin as a I said in the OP.

[brooklynite]

14. No, Shumlin was down in NYC for the Democratic Governor's Assn

[Nuclear Unicorn]

4. I don't understand the whole 2014 vs. 2016 kerfuffle

As if we can't walk and chew gum -- 2 years apart.

[polichick]

11. Some people think this is DNC headquarters...

instead of a message board.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

13. I'd wager that the conversations here are a microcosm of sorts

and may even carry a resonance outside our humble borders. It just seems to me we can simultaneously discuss 2014 and 2016 and hell, just to feel quirky, 2018 as well.

[polichick]

17. I could see corporate Dems reading here just to...

see how much they can get away with.

[treestar]

22. Because there is a ton of threads about gum chewing

And almost none about walking.

[polichick]

24. People are free to post all they want about walking.

[treestar]

25. They can but some are just so obsessed with gum chewing

And that gum will be 3 years old by the time it really matters.

[polichick]

26. Just post the walking threads and interested people will show up...

If you don't like the gum threads, skip 'em. It's pretty simple.

[scheming daemons]

5. your individual situation is not like the majority of us

Most people are in states where the GOP and TP has to be constantly beaten back.

The barbarians aren't at your gates in the Utopia of Vermont ..

... but the rest of us are in a constant battle.

Helping us get rid of Governor Corbett in PA would help ... if I can selfishly ask.

[cali]

7. give me some suggestions of things I can do from home

now, and I'll be happy to do them. I guess the best thing is just to contact the PA dem party.

what about House contests in PA?

I'd like to do phone banking for Michaud in Maine. Few things would plese me more than the revoltion Govern Le Pew going down.

[scheming daemons]

10. due to gerrymandering, 13 of 18 PA house seats are GOP held

Even though Obama won the state comfortably.

I would say the PA Democratic party is a good place to start.

In most of those 13 districts, the only way a Democratic candidate can win is if he or she runs in the center especially on guns. The way they've been drawn, a true progressive can't win them. And that is why some of us aren't as big on party purity as others. In order to have a Democratic speaker of the house, we will have to elect the lesser of two evils in some of these places.

In a perfect world, progressives could win everywhere.. but we don't live in that world. We can't take back the house running progressives in GOP held districts, not in PA at least.

I want to eliminate Tim Murphy (R) in my district. But the only way is to run a candidate that can appeal to the center. That's the world some of us live in.

In any case, I got off point. We all need to find a GOP held house seat near us that we can work to flip. In your case, I don't know where that is... but maybe in a nearby state there is one you could work for.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. Vermont is not the only very Blue State, the entire NE and the entire West Coast

is in good shape, had strong midterm turnouts in 2010, enhanced Democratic standing in 2012. We don't have any 'Tea Party' members in Congress, we have one Republican out of 5 Reps, two Democratic Senators, and we are fully capable of discussing both upcoming election cycles.
Do 'most people' really live in TP Republicanistan? California has no people? NY is devoid of DUers? Washington State? Seattle is a ghost town!
Some of you live in conservative regions and States. But is sure as fuck is not 'Vermont' and then 'the rest of us'.

[cali]

19. Where do I say it is? I don't.

I'm fully aware of how New England votes. More so, I'm sure than you. This is my backyard

and btw, Maine elected a tea party gov do to a split of the vote beween the dem and independent candidate. LePage is running again. Rep. Michaud, who's a good guy is running. So, alas, is the indie, who's name slips my mind. Last time, he got more votes than the dem. Michaud is a different story, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that the vote could again be split, leading to the same dismal results.

[kydo]

6. cali, you know what you can do to help?

Keep doing what you are doing. Post the truth backed with facts and often.

Seriously, so many lies are concocted by the baggers and their mega media noise machine it muddles the real issues and the facts. And we need the truth out there. On the internet it really gets out there - even if people don't visit this site to read it. The internet still records everything and when people search for info your post with the truth does show up.

Plus we know bagger sock puppets both post and read this forum. I went to one such place a few months back, to see what they really say and it was pretty much the way I already assumed it would be - sad example of how truly demented baggers are. There was no need for a follow up visit.

But that's beside the point, cali, they read what you write because they talk about it. The day I ventured to the dark side I saw several threads solely about you and what you said.

Just keep posting info.

[LWolf]

8. I'll be supporting my Senator.

That goes without saying. I think he's pretty safe. I've heard rumbling from the right about coming after him, because he's a great Senator. Jeff Merkley. I'll be there for him. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say on DU that would be helpful to his campaign; I don't know any Oregon voters on DU who'd vote against him.

That's probably why there's not as much talk about '14 as some would like; it's local, and DU is not.

My house rep is not, unfortunately, at risk. I wish he were. I'll be voting for anyone who shows up to challenge him, as usual. I've heard NOTHING about anything more local, and don't expect to. I often don't know anyone was running for anything until the ballot shows up, local campaigns can be so invisible. It's another reason to be glad for our vote by mail system that gets us our ballots a few weeks early; time to investigate when I know what's on the ballot.

[Gothmog]

12. Battleground Texas could use help

http://battlegroundtexas.com/pages/meet-our-team

My county is working closely with Battleground Texas. The people running Battleground are Obama field workers. This group has been franking out the establishment GOP types in Texas. This group is already phone banking. I have out registering voters with this group.

You could also consider supporting Wendy Davis. The GOP candidate for governor is a real jerk. Search the term #abortionbarbie if you to see who nasty this guy's supporters are

According to Paul Begala, Texas is not a red state but a non voting state. Wendy Davis is trying to change this by motivating single white women and Hispanic voters. The GOP can win 270 electoral college votes without Texas

[Gothmog]

28. Here is some good news from Battleground Texas

http://quorumreport.com/quorum_report_daily_buzz_2013/battleground_texas_says_theyve_made_more_than_1000_buzziid21248.html

The folks over at Battleground Texas claim they're taking outreach on behalf of Sen. Wendy Davis to another level by completing over 100,000 calls during the first 48 days of her campaign for governor. In an email to supporters, Battleground Field Director Victoria Zyp noted that their original goal was 48,000 calls.

"Those phone calls got more Texans involved in the democratic process, added more voters to the rolls, and brought us closer to making Wendy Davis the 48th governor of Texas," Zyp wrote. "This is exactly the kind of organizing power that battleground states are made of. Now let's keep working."

There is a phone banking session planned a couple days this week at my County's headquarters

[Myrina]

15. Would Bernie have to step down if he ran for Prez?

It would be a shame to vacate his seat.

[cali]

18. No.

and if I doubt he would, he loves being Senator almost as much as Pat does.

However, here in Vermont, we have a deep bench of replacements for both- and I mean deep.

[L0oniX]

21. You have a strong progressive movement there ...I am envious.

[LuvNewcastle]

20. My district might be up for grabs, which is Mississippi's 4th district.

Stephen Palazzo is a teabaager; I think right now he's on his second term. He unseated our ten-term blue dog Congressman a few years ago. He's not very popular now; he voted against one of the funding bills for Sandy victims last year, and this is a district that was devastated by Katrina. Most everyone was appalled that he not only voted against that bill, he was quite vocal about it. He also stood with the shutdown group this year and we have military bases and lots of military vets here.

Even Republicans here have talked about bringing back the blue dog, Gene Taylor, next year. I think Palazzo will also have a challenger in the GOP primary. I hope his time is up. He's truly awful.

[treestar]

23. That sounds like a hopeful flip

A turning back of Tea Party tide.

[hrmjustin]

27. I will be supporting Domenic Recchia for congress.

He is running against Michael Grimm-R NY 11. Grimm is a two term member and won in 2012 with only 51% of the vote.