I am now officially a down ballot Democrat

[Peacetrain]

I had one candidate I was very passionate about.. Martin O'Malley.. and my part as an Iowan in this part of the selection campaign is over.

I will vote for whoever is the Democratic nominee.. Good luck out there to all who still have the voting process in front of them.

My focus is now 98% down ballot.. I am going to do all I can to get our local Democrats elected or stay in office.

So I have decided to rename my position for the next 4 months.. Down Ballot Democrat..

That is where all my energies will go

[NurseJackie]

1. ...

[Peacetrain]

3. Good Luck NJ!!

[JaneyVee]

2. Great. Because that is where the real change happens.

K and R!

[Peacetrain]

4. It really is.. we have got to do it all

primary's caucuses and getting out the vote for all the other Democrats.. good luck in your primary/caucus!!

[elleng]

5. Ditto, Peacetrain,

and in particular, I'm strongly supporting Donna Edwards for the Senate.

She's running (against Chris Van Hollen) to fill what's now Barbara Mikulski's seat, as Mikulski's retiring.

Will be posting to inform folks about her (more than I've done in the past,) and hope to get her some DU $$$, as van hollen is one of the Dem ptb and has lots of $$$. He's not a bad guy at all, but definitely one of the ptb, and Edwards is a true progressive.

[Peacetrain]

6. ellen!!.. awesome..

Can't wait to read all you info.. will be looking for your ops!.. we are digging out here.. up to our eyebrows in snow.. but yep.. I am shifting all my energies..and excited about it..

[elleng]

7. OUR snow, from blizzard of 22 Jan>, is finally melting,

so I'll get back to my home @ rivers edge in a few days.

Glad you're able to shift your energies. I'm kind of waiting for mine to shift before I post more about Donna, but here's one link. qwlauren35's a great supporter of hers, and very involved with the campaign.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1056973

[Peacetrain]

11. Thank you for the link!!!

I have family out east and just talked to them this AM about how the snow is still lingering on in MD and Va.. when you get that much at once it takes a while even if the weather warms up..

[BlueMTexpat]

30. One regret that I have about MOM's

running as a Presidential candidate is that he didn't forego the Presidential race altogether and instead run for this Senate seat. He would have won it easily, IMO. Perhaps he was just too far committed to the first and just didn't realize that Mikulski would not run again until it was too late.

Then we could have had BOTH Van Hollen and Edwards stay in the House because both have been excellent Representatives. Instead we will lose at least one of these great people and risk losing two Dem seats in Congress. I am relieved that my own Congressman, Elijah Cummings, has decided to run for his House seat again. There was some scuttlebutt that he might declare for the Senate seat - which would have meant losing three good Dems in the House.

Like you, I am an Edwards supporter and she is running a very competitive race. But I already mourn her loss in the House and will support whoever does finally win in the primaries.

I am very sorry that MOM has withdrawn, even though it was likely the only decision he could make at this point. It is really too bad, IMO, that Bernie sucked up virtually all the non-Hillary air time and space in the Dem race when MOM's stands are every bit as "progressive" and pragmatic to boot. But I am sure that he learned a lot from the experience and VERY sure that we will hear from him again on a national level.

IMO, all of MOM's staunch supporters on DU have been among the most gracious, courteous, and admirable posters on DU throughout this campaign and reflect credit upon their candidate for his ability to attract such supporters. One of my sons is among them (although never a DU poster) and he is as disappointed as all of you are.

But downticket races are every bit as important as the race for President.

[NCTraveler]

8. Down ticket is huge. Local politics are huge.

Thank you. I'll be working local as well. Wasn't sure how involved I was going to be this year but we have some local elections that will be close. I live in a purple area of Florida where democrats really stand a good chance. Redistricting has really fucked us.

[Peacetrain]

12. You know NC.. I said last time

that was my last Presidential campaign because it is so dang time consuming even on this local level.. but I met the Gov.. and said I had one more in me.. and I think the local level is where we really need to be putting a lot of energy to get back the state houses and congress.. I am so so glad to hear Democrats are standing good in Fla. You just made my day!! woo hoo.. good luck in the primary s.. (or do you guys caucus?) never can remember.. but good luck!!

[brooklynite]

9. What part of the Country are you in?

I monitor a lot of the Congressional and State House races.

[Peacetrain]

13. I live in Iowa brooklynite..

my part of the selection process is over.. unfortunately I live in the Steve King district.. it does not get any redder than that.. but I keep going.. and we have one terrible habit here in the midwest.. and I think it is probably true everywhere.. it is once you get someone in office.. it is so hard to get people to vote for a different person.. so hard work ahead.. take care

[kracer20]

10. Great Outlook!

Now you need to decide which of the two remaining candidates has longer coat tails.

[Peacetrain]

15. Well kracer.. that one is offically out of my hands..

my part is done.. and I will support either one in the general.. I have no more votes to make in who will be our candidate..

[Ned_Devine]

14. I hear you

In MA I can vote for whomever I want in the GE, (not that I do) so my goal is always the down ballot candidates. I like Martin O'Malley and to be honest, before Bernie jumped in, I was rooting for him as my top choice to get in the race as far back as 2013. I'd like to see him endorse Bernie because I feel like they have pretty similar values. He could be a pretty effective advocate.

[Peacetrain]

17. I hear you Ned..

I really respect the fact he did not endorse right after the the caucus.. He may.. but he left it up to us.. and as a Precinct Captain in Iowa.. when it was obvious we were not viable.. I had a meeting with my supporters and told them to follow their hearts.. we heard the arguments.. and 2 went Hillary.. and 2 went Bernie. I respect that... and the rest walked because they just did not have enough information to feel comfortable about making a selection from the two.. and I respect that.. we are not ones to pull it out of thin air around here.. so they will also support the eventual nominee..

[Wounded Bear]

16. Good for you...

if more Democrats thought this way, we'd be in great shape.

Hopefully, the animosity in the primaries doesn't equate to people staying home because 'their candidate' didn't win.

If more share your attitude, we could accomplish something this year.

[Peacetrain]

18. From your lips to God's ears WB

We gotta be in this for the greater good at the end of the night.. gotta get our people on the ballot and in office in the smaller races..state races..county etc.. that is where our next generation of leaders are going to come up from

[kenfrequed]

19. Understood

Go to your caucus/primary anyhow to support whoever the most progressive candidates looking for endorsement in your local/state races too.

We have to make sure that real progressives win there too. All too often big money buys local and state elections and dumps a ton of money on corporate friendly candidates.

Whatever you can do would be great!



(edit: didn't know you were from iowa when I wrote this.)

[Peacetrain]

20. ROFl.. I know that happens to me too

I sometimes skip over sentences in a post.. good luck in your primary/caucus.. glad mine is over to be honest..

[MineralMan]

21. Thank you! That's even more important than who becomes

President. I wish everyone would focus more closely on down ballot elections.

[Peacetrain]

23. Good Luck in Minn MM..

glad mine is over.. but yep.. down ballot really is the future .. could not agree more

[Lucinda]

22. It is very very important.

And a great place to spend your energy.

[Peacetrain]

25. Actually is it kind of re-energizing me

Lucinda.. needless to say.. I was in a pretty big funk Tuesday night..but I am not one to stay down very long.. I get up and get going again.. and these down ballot elections are so important to the future of our party.. and I am a life long Democrat and politicians come and politicians go.. there is a season to all of us..but the party keeps on churning..

[Lucinda]

29. The only way we get long term progressive change, in my opinion, comes from two actions

working to get down ticket Dems in office, and moving moderate Republicans leftward, so we have a permanent majority.

Both take a lot of work. The people like Rush, Glenn beck, etc have been twisting truth and scaring Republicans to death for at least the last 20 years. I see Trump's popularity as a sign that some of them are realizing that their elected officials have not been good public servants. Seems like a great time to show them the light.

And nothing changes without the votes, so electing Dems is critical. I'm glad to hear your funk is passing. I've had my share of seeing a great candidate step aside, and it is not fun. I'm in poor health, and in a very red state, or I would be out doing what I could to help too. So for me, I am working on all the Republicans I know in my little corner of the world.

[KingCharlemagne]

24. Your candidate was and is a very decent person. The more I learned about him and

his positions, the more I liked him. I hope President Sanders can find room in his cabinet or administration for a position with high visibility and great responsibility for Gov. O'Malley. He is a real tribute to the best the Democratic Party has to offer.

Bravo on the down-ballot concentration. Makes you an unsung hero in my book (and that of many others, I'd wager).

[Peacetrain]

26. Thank you for the kind words for MOM

You know you put your heart out there.. he is a good man.. and has so much to offer.. and he does have a bright future ahead.. Oh I wish you could have met these wonderful young people who manned his office locally.. the future in action.. good luck in your primary/caucus.. as I have said to many.. I am glad mine is over.. and now getting state and county candidates on the ballot and elected.. there again is the future of the party.

edit to add.. that one is for you KC

[artislife]

27. I want to thank all the Iowans

They came out, after months of really focusing on the issues and the candidates. Who they voted for or didn't vote for belongs to them, but it sure wasn't out of apathy or knee jerk reactions. I believe they take their going first to heart and am impressed by their endurance.

I am sorry your candidate has left the race. There is an emptiness when that happens. It is the end of a grand affair, really.


The fact that you are going to continue the process so soon but on a local level is commendable. My hat is off to all of you.

[Peacetrain]

28. Yep our people are tired to the bone

and glad to see everyone off safely.. Our part is over.. and people in general..(you will always find the seed in every cherry pie) take this so seriously.. I am excited to see how everyone elses primary's and caucuses stack up.. looking forward to the NH town hall tonight..but all out of our hands now.. time to get busy on the local level.. good luck

[Attorney in Texas]

31. I fear that the Democratic party is inspiring a lot of disinterest in the national race.

[PatSeg]

32. Absolutely!

I am not putting my emotional energy into a candidate for the White House this time. We need to focus on down ballot if we want to see meaningful change.

[Peacetrain]

36. Time to get our party beefed back up

that is for sure..even favored candidates, office holders etc.. come and go.. but we have to keep the party strong for the next group of leaders!!

[PatSeg]

40. People get so caught up

in the drama of a presidential election, that they easily overlook what is going on closer to home and that suits the republicans just fine. They've accomplished a whole lot the past seven years without the White House.

[TBF]

33. That's critically important -

the repugs are beating us badly at that level.

[Peacetrain]

37. oh no kidding.. if we do not put time and effort

into the rest of our political base we will cease to exist

[mountain grammy]

34. Of course, this is as important

if not more important than the presidential race. I will always work for and donate to down ticket Democrats in Colorado, even those out of my district.

[Peacetrain]

38. Awesome..

Yep our favorites will come and go.. but we have to keep the party strong so other leaders can start to come forward.. its amazing how quickly it goes too.. seems like yesterday I was voting for Carter..

[PFunk1]

35. I support this bigtime

Even if you cant vote for either candidate voting down ticket is the way to go as it's both of the houses that usually determines the laws of this country (as the repugs have shown). And the more dems we get the more 'saner' our laws will be. Especially if a (ugh) repug is elected prez.

[Peacetrain]

39. Exactly.. we all get one shot at picking who will be the nominee.. my time has passed

but it is 24/7 and 365 days a year supporting the rest of our office candidates.. from country through state through congress.. the sure way to oblivion is to lose sight of the next generation of leaders