Non-Swing State DUers

For those of us not living in swing states, and perhaps in very very blue states what the hell is the point of campaigning? Illinois is going to go like a billion percent for Kerry especially with all of the peeps lining up to vote for Obama( the thought of that guy as senator is thrilling!!!). I want to get involved and get out the vote for Kerry I just don't see much of a purpose doing it in a state where all of eleven people will be voting for Bush. I'm kind of stumped on this one guys and any input from people who maybe in the same situation would help. I just don't know though. Maybe somehow help Kerry efforts in other states?

Probably one of the reasons I took such a liking to him when he ran. A grassroots version of "pick yourself up by the bootstraps". Drag the party out of its slump by yanking it up off the ground yourself. Thanks for your input.

We are sorely lacking in Blue-ness! Keep telling people about stuff... you never know who someone talks to who might live in a swing state! Particularly with blogs/chat forums/ IM etc., you never know where your message gets to, even second-hand. So it never hurts to keep getting good info out there!

in Virginia. I'm bolting as soon as I can.

We just had city council and school board election. 10% of the people voted.

They voted all of Pat Robertson University (Regent) graduates into office. It is really too bad.

I am thinking/looking to find a swing state to move to. Need to be there and registered at least 30 days before the election

...and if THAT'S safe, support another House race that isn't.

Here in Texas, we're a non-swing state to the red, big time, but there's still PLENTY to do, starting with trying to unseat Tom DeLay (a stretch, sure, but HOW SWEET WOULD THAT BE?). :D

Remember, it's the House that impeaches!

Replacing DeLay that is. Texas is reallllll red for sure but you guys deserve a real Republican if it's going to be someone other than a Dem. Not that faux Repub. But yeah I'm gonna work tirelessly for Obama because even though I think he's safe you can never be too sure about how things turn out. Having a great Congresslady like Jan Schakowsky though lifts the burden of having a crap rep off my shoulders. And if the House ever gets to push for impeachment it's Jan who will be on the front lines. She is one rockin lady.

n/t

A. DON"T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED! (sorry about the volume, but this is an important point)

B. Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri and Iowa are all battleground states. Try to volunteer in one of those states. You can even do it from home if you have a cell phone with free long distance and alot of weekend minutes.

After 2000 no one can neglect any election being an easy win or whatever. I was thinking about my surrounding buddy states as potential places to help out. Wisconsin is very reachable and a nice place so maybe I'll traipse my ass up there and lend a hand. Thanks!

:hi: from San Francisco, the bluest city in one of the bluest states - where all our reps are dems and no republican has a chance! I'm also interested in learning what I can do to help Kerry (other than send him $).

It's completely badass to have almost all political levels who represent you hardcore Dem. But at the same time it's like what the hell...political spice is lacking that makes elections interesting.

which is as I'm sure you know the total opposite. The overwhelming redness of that state is just more than I can take. Some of the LTTEs in the Indy Star are positively chilling.

OTOH, they have a Dem governor, so why couldn't Indiana be persuaded to vote for Kerry? But nobody (that I've seen) considers Indiana in play this year... a fact which doesn't speak well of my fellow Hoosiers, I'm afraid.

Look at the suburbs, where that rat Hastert comes from. My county, south of Rockford, is pretty red, too.

Work for people who are running against the repukes in those parts of the state. Help get the vote out there!

Ask your county central committee people where there are contested races in this state. They will be glad for your help.

Outside cook county and such places it can get pretty red for sure. Thanks for the idea of reaching out to those areas. The state is in a mood of dumping the whole Republican party as a collective whole and we should try and capitalize on people's frustration by offering them sensible alternatives. Many places in Illinois are culturally Repub but I guess the best time is now to help people find better peeps for representation. Awesome idea Murielm99. thanks again.

my sister, B-I-Law, and assorted friends will be goin' door to door. NM is fundamentally Liberal. We will work to assure that the liberal vote is utilized

better informing voters in those places; and doing media rapid response - that is, writing to correct inaccurate articles and editorials, asap after they are published. there are teams doing this, so when you do, media receives many responses at once, and it really is effective. chipping away at the media bias.

there is a sign-up place for media response on Kerry's site, and there have been numerous excellent lists of media contacts here on DU. maybe someone can put a link for you? i do not have search privilege for that. or time, for that matter - lately, media rapid response is a far-overtime devotion! all help appreciated!


peace

I'm in Maryland, so Kerry is pretty much a given here. It never hurts to help out a little bit -- just to be sure. I do want to spend some time in PA, however, if possible.

If you don't want to just get involved with Obama (which would be worth it by itself) you should think about Michigan. I still think it's going to go blue, but it's closer than Illinois. It can't be more than a few hours away?

And if you're really serious, GO TO OHIO!

In Santa Barbara we dems are kicking. We have organized a tremendous voter registration effort locally - and we plan to install dems up and down the line. Let's make the popular vote for Kerry a total blowout!

Plus, we have a few "swing state" efforts going.

Number one, distribute postcards to local democrats listing the swing states and asking them to contact friends and family in those states.

Number two, write letters to the editor to those states.

Number three, donate $$ to Kerry and to groups like America Coming Together, and the important Senate races. (Even if we get Kerry, we won't get much done without the Senate or the House!)

Just a couple ideas to get things going!

I live in NY, but I'm going to campaign, I'm hoping, in PA, OH and MI.

offer to Nader trade with a Nader fan in a swing state (then vote for Kerry anyway)

swing state. I live in KS and hope to go to MO to campaign. It doesn't look like my House or senate race will be cometitive so I want to do something.

I live in Chicago too, and the great part of this town (besides the architecture, the Democrats, and the Cubs) is that we are sitting on loads of cash. For example, zip code 60614, which is the Lincoln Park/Wrigleyville area, donated over 2 million to political candidates, and the zip code went something like 70/30 Dem in 2002. Contact the Kerry office at 432 N. Clark Street (312-832-0220) and they will tell you how to raise money for both the party in general and Kerry specifically.