2016: how can we take back the senate and win state legislatures?

[0rganism]

All the talk of presidency this far out seems premature - it's one race, admittedly an extremely important one, strongly affected by nation-level special interests and big money, dependent on the candidates themselves to not fuck up in some ludicrous way that impacts or appears to impact the electorate.

But let's face it, we need some wins that aren't the presidency, or else the presidency itself is just putting a bandage on a sucking chest wound. Don't get me wrong - the presidency is important, and if we lose it under the current congressional format our country turns into Kansas. Still....

Which senate races can Democrats win to get back to a 51-seat majority? Without this, no Democratic president will be able to get liberal judicial nominees through the "advise and consent" process.

Which state legislatures can Democrats pick up so when 2020 rolls around we have a fighting chance of undoing the gerrymandering that keeps the house out of reach? Without a house majority, congress is just a place where liberal ideals go to die.

Sure, these aren't the serious headline grabbing issues like OMG Hillary eating at a Chipotle, but i think they deserve some consideration.

[VanillaRhapsody]

1. It is not premature....its how it works...

[0rganism]

10. if that's what you call working; the hype seems premature to me, and distracting

get everyone worked up over a single media circus horse race where the deciding events won't even happen for 12 months. it's that presidential-year-only personality cult mentality that has Democrats losing every off-year election since 2006, so to even be viable we need to kick ass in 2016 and 2020.

meanwhile, there are 34 senate seats and 50 state legislatures up for consideration. We need to win a bunch of those to keep the country from sliding into further decline, but they get jack shit for coverage and interest, losing out to a goddam burrito bowl. i don't know, maybe it's better this way, but imho it wouldn't hurt us to start thinking about it now.

where are the 5 senate seat pickups we need going to come from? Pennsylvania and Wisconsin usually vote D during presidential years, maybe we can defeat Toomey and Johnson. That's 2. Who else? Ayotte? Grassley? Kirk? Portman? Maybe Rubio's presidential ambitions will leave his seat vulnerable. i dunno, but it seems like a conversation we should be having.

[VanillaRhapsody]

12. How long have you been interested in politics?

Are you calling the FACT that Hillary has a 75% approval rating among Democrats hype?

[0rganism]

13. 30 years. you?

HRC's approval ratings among Democrats mean she's unlikely to have a significant primary challenge which imho is fantastic in terms of saving up campaign funds for the general election.

Which is great because she's going to need that money. 75% of 40% isn't going to win the general election by itself, and the GOP nominee is going to have an amazing amount of money to campaign with, to go along with their 24/7 propaganda "news" network.

We need HRC to win, and win big. She needs to win "with coattails" so the elusive liberal electorate will get off its ass to vote D in the down-ticket races too.

[VanillaRhapsody]

16. the same....

But 75% of of 48% just might (new percentage of self reporting Democrats)....particularly with the clown car in opposition!

[0rganism]

18. the GOP clown car truly has been a great benefactor

as long as 6+ republican candidates spend a significant portion of their campaign funds beating on each other and tracking further to the right, we have an edge. i like that.

However, if the GOP candidate actually wins in 2016 that won't help us in 2020, there won't be a clown car and they'll just rally behind the incumbent.

Not to mention all the other awful shit that a GOP presidency would bring with it.

i hadn't heard the 48% number -- that's excellent.

[VanillaRhapsody]

19. Yes 48% now self identify as Democrat...

[Dawgs]

2. Getting people out to vote for their best interests is more important than anything else right now.

Electing a real progressive for president will take care of itself.

[jwirr]

3. We need to get involved on the local level. Caucaus if your state has one, supporting your

candidate for local office through the usual tactics (letters to the media, lawn signs, telephone campaigns and GOTV), give donations to them, vote in the primary.

We are seeing that no matter what happens in DC the programs do not work if the local and state level candidates do not want it to. Just look at the difference between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Oh, and one more thing. As a older American I am seeing more and more of my age who are listening to faux news fall for every line. Don't forget to talk to grandma and grandpa and tell them how their vote can effect you and your future. I have watched too many young people listen to them and just shake their head. Talk gently but tell them what is happening from your point of view.

[0rganism]

7. i'm thinking maybe we need an "adopt a legislative candidate" program

me? i'm in Oregon. we pretty much have an optimally Democratic state government now and it's likely to stay that way, there's not much i can do to help candidates at the state and local levels.

But Wisconsin... oh how that formerly-Democratic state has fallen. And there are several more like it. i'd like to help but i don't know where to start.

[jwirr]

8. This is an excellent idea. It should be at all levels of the party and be a site we can go to. I

don't know who should set it up but it should be created. Maybe our progressive caucus in DC could facilitate this?

[Orsino]

4. By abandoning fear and voting hope. n/t

[jwirr]

5. I like that. Thanks.

[L0oniX]

6. By begging the 1% for campaign money.

[Takket]

9. mobilize mobilize mobilize mobilize mobilize mobilize mobilize mobilize mobilize mobilize mobilize

This is a left/progressive country, but we have to get people to the polls... and we need to be engaging people NOW in voter suppression states to make sure they have their papers in order to vote. Pathetic we need to do it but it is what it is.

[Savannahmann]

11. We aren't.

We're going to see the Senate remain in Republican hands. The reason I say that is because the national strategy is to win big by having long coattails. With all our hopes pinned on Hillary already, and the bar set low at the beginning, I think we're screwed on that front.

The only saving grace for 2020 will be it being another election year. Perhaps our candidate then will be strong enough to pull a Clinton and get the Republican out of the White House, and perhaps then the Democrats will have a winning strategy other than We Suck, but they suck worse.

[0rganism]

14. i hope you're wrong because 2016 is a "must win" for us

if HRC doesn't win "with coattails" the republicans will start another war, route a ton of federal money to "defense" contractors, and use war industry campaign contributions + pro-war agitprop to fuck us in 2018 and 2020. meanwhile, say hello to more photo id requirements and literacy tests at the polls.

[KamaAina]

15. Turnout. Turnout. Turnout.

Did I mention turnout?

[0rganism]

17. we sure won't win without it

but we have to go beyond that -- so many of the states we need to tip are putting up additional barriers to voting. the more i think about this, the more i'm seeing that we need to have a nationwide strategy to support specific local- and state-level candidates from now to next november.

[MineralMan]

20. You do it by getting involved in your local

Democratic Party organization. Now, not later.

Candidates will be selected early next year. Now is the time to become part of that process, wherever you are.

[Shankapotomus]

21. +1

This question can't be asked enough.