Lucas,
For years, the Democratic strategy in elections has been to target “swing”
districts. But it’s been ruinous as a long-term strategy. We have
spent more than twenty years chasing the next election while large swaths
of the country have no viable Democratic candidates or progressive voices.
That’s why the team at It Starts Today have a strategy to compete
everywhere. Because the party won’t do it, activists like you will
have to step up. That’s what It Starts Today's "Forgotten
Democrats" project is—thousands of grassroots activists around
the country, working together to fund every Democratic nominee in every
congressional race.
Add your name if you agree: Democrats need to compete in every race.
The story of the 2016 U.S. House elections and fundraising shows a dysfunctional
party. On average, each Democratic nominee raised $928,124 to fund their
campaign. But, in 187 neglected races, the average was only $51,384,—a
fraction of what it takes to run a serious campaign.
The closer you look, the uglier it gets: 108 Democratic candidates raised
less than $30,000 and 62 raised nothing at all. Democrats didn’t
even field a candidate in 28 races.
Had down-ticket Democrats in these 187 neglected districts had enough
resources to earn a “normal” Democratic percentage of the
vote (what the Cook Political Report considers expected), they would have
turned out enough additional Democratic voters to elect Hillary Clinton
president. Those voters would have flipped Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin,
and Pennsylvania for Hillary, and Democrats would have control of the
Senate, winning Missouri, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Instead, the world is suffering under the reign of a manbaby.
We must break out of this self-defeating cycle. Every single race should
have a well-qualified Democrat who will campaign on progressive values.
We must compete everywhere.
Sign the petition from It Starts Today: Democrats must compete in every
race, build power, and take back our country. It Starts Today.
Jonathan Zucker, Founder
It Starts Today