More notes from RootsCampDC...

 

State innovations -- Matt Singer (Comms director for Progressive States Network)

 

State blogger

 

Exportable models for changing a state from red to blue

 

Garrett Downey (the bus project) - youth engagement in particular and others who would not be involved. How do you snag them and broaden the pool of talent. Politics and fun combined. "Candidates Gone Wild": Rent 1,000 person venue and charge $3 a ticket. Candidates make fools of themselves on stage. Talent contests, karoake, to hard hitting questions. MTV cribs type clip. "Trick the Vote": canvass on Halloween.

 

Dan - dir of western states center. bus project strategy works well. we see elections as a part of a broader process in building progressive power. Tactics in elections narrows our field of focus. this is different from building a broader movement. How do you make those less likely to vote more likely to vote? We can take a longer view and work on those that take more lead time. this cycle in oregon house flipped by one vote. salem keiser coaliton for equality worked in high latino section. addressed school district issues - via parent organizing. Getting more local allows them to learn key skills that will help not just in local issues.

 

Bobby - ProgressNow Denver, CO

 

Launched just before last years elections. Online tools allow people to self organize. blog, events, groups, listserve. Veterans for Progress example of issue group (50 or so), also environmental groups. Letters tool. new tool is voter contact tool (letter or phonebanking). Multi-issue...with as much of local focus as possible. Generate earned media. Election ends and we continue to look at what we can do. Lowes coming in to open space area. Group will oppose using our tools. We'll get them earned media also. Able to set message using "Both Ways Bob" in the Governor's race against Bob Beaupreuz. Humor was essential. Billboard contest. Site tool let users design their own billboard. Made real billboard and drove around when Bush visited. Got TV coverage. ProgressNow's model allows for multi-issue and avoids the single issue focus and adds resources that allow for a media component.

 

Tracy Russo: What can states that aren't strong in progressive infrastructures do?

 

Matt Singer: Policy and politics

 

Flagship issues - min wage, etc. coalition building

 

Wedge issues - gay marriage, etc. family time at work (Rs voted against)

 

Structural - change rules of game. election day registration. voter ID, etc. pay to play contract reform. Clean money elections.

 

75 different policy items.

 

Dan: wyoming and utah and idaho.

 

Tracy: west is coming together

 

Dan: the map 10 years ago - 1 of 16 chambers in nevada were dem. '94 loses. crawling back. The problem you are up against is resources flow in terms of presidential and targets. 50 state strategy is turning that around. Staff of 5 in those states make huge difference. Had smaller race pickups. Things start changing slowly from bottom up. Take a long term view. Look at it one seat at a time.

 

List of innovations would be good:

 

fun volunteer events

 

 

strong state blogger network - build it

 

lisason to candidates and party structure to minimize conflict

 

texas site lets anyone nominate candidates...list of race was biggest challenge. gets bloggers feel hopeful. allows a voice.

 

maryland 6th - state leg. issue with wal-mart. 10k employees or more had to pay 8% of payroll to healthcare or pay to a fund. walmart only one that didn't. impacted election.

 

Jeff Hauser: CO question. what is the next trend in how you reach out to persuadable voters?

 

Bobby: post election shows that one in ten are influentials. 7 of 10 engaging online are influentials. created a group of bloggers to talk internally. not blogger only. think beyond bloggers. included some freelance comms people. other organizations. Can be used as a defuser. Create a C3 list and invite others to talk. Hard to do. Create C4 list also. 527 as well. Coordination.

 

Virginia (Josh with Webb Campaign, blogs at raising kaine) - working directly outside the party. Singular mission. Activist organization.

 

Bobby: blogger brown bags. opening day of legislative leaders invited bloggers in.

 

Smaller newspapers willing to take LTEs due to content problem.


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