Who Will Be Running in Your Districts?

[MineralMan]

It's almost the end of July, 2013. All across the US, wise people are thinking about the 2014 mid-term elections. For everyone, those elections will include elections for representativea in the US House of Representatives. Depending on where you live, there may also be elections for your state legislature, US Senate, and other local races.

Each of those elections is important. Your districts are important. Your congressional district will decide who represents you in Congress. Your state legislative districts elect people to go to your state capital and make the laws that affect you in very important ways. So, who will be running in your districts?

Right now, potential candidates are thinking about that. Your local Democratic Party organization is thinking about that. You should be thinking about that, too. Who will your Democratic candidates be? Right now, you can play a role in selecting those candidates and help likely candidates make decisions. And it's a tough decision for people who will be running in your districts' primary elections or working through the caucus process, if your state uses the caucus system.

Check in with your local Democratic Party organization. Ask them what's happening right now in terms of the 2014 election and how you can help. In the summer of 2013, decisions are being made that will have an effect on the candidates you vote for in both the primary elections next year and in the General Election later on. You can make a difference.

If, right now, you know people who are progressive, have good name recognition in your districts, and might be considering throwing their name into the hat, get in touch with them. Ask about what they're thinking and how you can help. Your district elections are all local elections, including your US Congressional elections. Who do you know who would be an excellent candidate? Talk to those people who you think would represent your districts well. Talk to your local Democratic Party leaders and see what you can do to help select excellent candidates who can win in 2014. Become a local leader yourself.

Maybe you have the characteristics of a good candidate yourself. If you are well-known in your local community, are respected by people who live there, have leadership experience, and are politically active, maybe you are the ideal candidate in your district. Think about it.

The decisions being made right now will have a huge impact on the 2014 elections. It's not too early to start getting involved in election activism in your own districts. Soon, though, it will be too late to make an impact. Today is the time to start. Make a difference!

GOTV 2014!

[Squinch]

1. Thank you MM for the reminder to offer my assistance to my local picks. We NEED 2014!

[MineralMan]

3. Thank you in advance for helping to elect the best people

in your own district! There's nothing more effective as individual activism than that.

[ananda]

2. I don't know yet.

For US Congress, my district has been gerrymandered to elect the trog Mike McCaul.
The district snakes all the way out from northwest Austin to Katy, TX near Houston.

For governor, I will vote for any Dem ... but all money bets are on Greg Abbott, the
current snaky and smart though heartless AG.

[Squinch]

4. Then the governor's race might be where to be. Nothing is set yet. How many of us

heard of Obama two years out from the election? And he beat Hillary Clinton.

Even if you back the losing horse, these elections are a good way to educate the non-reading public about what the GOP is doing to women, minorities, anyone who works, anyone who wants to retire, anyone who might get sick someday.

[MineralMan]

5. Despite gerrymandering, choosing an ideal local candidate

for your congressional district can change things. It's tough, in a district that seems like a lock for some Republican, but it's always a possibility. If you can find someone willing to run who has the respect of the people in the district, can lead, and is willing to personally contact as many voters as possible in the district, anything is possible.

Is your state legislature up for election in 2014? If so, that's another opportunity for change.

[cali]

6. Midterms will be a snoozer in Vermont

Peter Welch will be handily reelected without so much as breaking a sweat. The burning question is will the repubs even put up a candidate to oppose him. Peter's margin of victory was 48.5% in 2012. I'd never heard of the repub before. Expect a repeat. In local races, democrats will maintain super majorities in both the Vermont Senate and Vermont House.

I will make calls for my local rep.

[MineralMan]

7. You are fortunate to live in your state. However,

that does not apply to many others. In many places, those local district elections can seem just as fixed for the Republican candidates. I also live in a district that consistently elects progressives. That does not mean that I let local elections see to themselves, though. Every election is an important one. Every district can benefit from a close look at the candidates who might run. Almost every district could improve its representation at some legislative level, right down to the local city council or county board.

Election activism builds majorities. That has always been true, and will continue to be true.

[MuseRider]

8. LOL most likely no Democrats

or at least no Democrats anyone will ever hear of. No liberals, not even moderate Republicans. We are served a selection of crazy Teabaggers or crazier Teabaggers all supported and funded to the teeth by our local state heros, the Koch brothers.

I am kinda bummed at the moment but I guarantee it will be pretty much just what I mentioned in most of the state and Sam Brownback, with a 32% approval rating will win a second term overwhelmingly.

[TreasonousBastard]

9. My rep, Tim Bishop (NY1), has been mercilessly attacked the last two times out and...

this time, since he's one of less than a dozen House reps considered highly vulnerable, the millions have started pouring in already.

His home base is Southampton, where parties in hundred million dollar homes have started for both sides, even though no one knows who his challenger will be. I just got invited to one of his where the ticket price starts at $1,000 and I politely declined. There will be many more.

Tim stepped down as a college provost years ago to run for Congress and has done a great job. His knowledge of the real issues is encyclopedic and his solutions are usually right on. He's an academic, not a lawyer, and we need more of him and Rush Holt (who is in a similar mode, but I can't vote for him).

[MineralMan]

10. Looking at his election results, it looks like

strong efforts will be needed in 2014, once again. I'm sure you'll be helping to get him re-elected. Thanks for the info.

[TreasonousBastard]

11. We're on the case, but we all remember that recount...

and I gotta admit we're worried.

It's not just about the party or numbers with Tim-- we really do think he's one of the good guys in DC.

[MineralMan]

12. Sounds like someone we need in Congress.

I'm lucky. My congressional representative, Betty McCollum from MN CD-4, is a strong progressive, and our district likes her very much. She wins handily, but we're always watching for the Republicans to put a strong candidate against her. So far, they haven't, and I don't expect a strong challenge in 2014.

My plans are to put my energies into the campaign of the Democratic nominee for the seat currently held by Michele Bachmann. Her district, CD-6, adjoins mine, so campaigning for the Democrat will be easy for me.

My districts are all strongly Democratic, but I still do a personal GOTV campaign in my precinct for every election.

[hay rick]

13. Progressive in a conservative area of Florida.

Patrick Murphy (the one who defeated Allen West) is my congressman. I started volunteering for his campaign 3 months before the primaries in 2010. Story here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021798362
I don't expect to work on his campaign this time around. I think he can win without me, although I will pay close attention.

I have agreed to be a campaign manager for someone who will be running for one of the 120 seats in the Florida House of Representatives. She has not announced yet. This will be her first run for office and she is taking on an incumbent who has an almost 2 to 1 registration advantage. The incumbent is a tea party zombie who ran unopposed in her first election campaign in 2012. In her freshman term, the incumbent supported a number of bills that are unpopular with most voters. We will be using her record against her.

I'm also looking to recruit a candidate for an adjacent House district. That district has a much smaller registration disadvantage and, I believe, a vulnerable incumbent.

[MineralMan]

14. Outstanding! You're demonstrating how this can work.

[dsc]

15. I live in one of North Carolina's gerrymandered vote sinks

My Democratic Congressman won by 48.8% (David Price). He may not run again as he had said that he was considering retiring in 2014. That said, the action will be in the primary. My state Senator ran unopposed. My state house member won by 75.56%. In short, my districts will be represented by Democrats unless we nominate a candidate who is so corrupt that Democrats can't vote for him or her.

[MineralMan]

16. I wish you and your districts great success.

North Carolina needs a complete turn-around, I think. Perhaps the current group of Republicans has pissed off enough people to make that happen.

[dsc]

17. actually our districts need far less success

Last edited Sun Jul 21, 2013, 11:35 PM - Edit history (1)

I would much rather Price win by a mere 20% and have the rest of his margin help knock of Elmers or Holding. In the state House I would rather my candidate win by a mere 20% and knock off two or three GOPers with that excess margin.

[dsc]

18. kick

[mick063]

19. "Doc" Hastings

Firmly entrenched. Not a drop of underground oil reserves remotely close to where I live, yet he is completely aligned with big oil.
Certainly a clue that he is a puppet of the oil companies.

He is an ALEC prototype at the federal level. He is also over 70 years old and ready to go.

The Democratic party better jump on this district in Washington State or we will likely entrench another Republican for multiple reelections.

If I thought I had a snowball's chance in hell, I would personally run against him. Not that I have the slightest chance to win, but I would certainly welcome the chance to call him out on his rigid Republican agenda. A non-compromiser that has been in lockstep with the Tea Party every step of the way. A firm believer in holding the debt ceiling hostage to get cuts in Social Security.