An organization is seeking to endorse progressive candidates

[Padme Amidala]

I belong to an organization that is planning to endorse progressive candidates in the Texas primaries. BTW, there are a lot of right-wing Republicrats running in the Texas Democratic Primaries.

For Congressional canididates, the issues the organization wants to know about are:

1) Immediate withdrawal from Iraq


2) Iran and other countries targeted for future wars


3) Lowering the voting age


4) Yucca Mountain


5) The Death Penalty


7) Free trade

We are asking candidates for governor their positions on

1) Corporate cleanup of their own waste

2) The environment

3) The Death Penalty

4) Lowering the voting age

If you have any information on where any candidates stand on these issues, please post the information.

Gammage's campaign has responded with some good answers regarding corporations and the environment.

[crispini]

1. Day late and a dollar short if you ask me.

Early voting in the primaries is almost over, and the election is NEXT TUESDAY. I don't think your endorsements are going to make any difference at this point. :shrug: Or were you planning to rush them out in the next day or so?

[derby378]

2. Some practical advice for the next election season...

Hit the ground running early, early, early.

I say this from personal experience. In conjunction with Amendment II Democrats (a site for pro-gun Democrats), I started e-mailing every Texas Democratic candidate for the House and Senate that I could get my hands on. This was about 6-7 weeks before the primaries. And even still, response from candidates has been light. I was fortunate to get hold of Dan Dodd (who's challenging Sam "Nuke Syria" Johnson in the 3rd District) and Roger Owen (1st District), and they supplied me with some great answers. John Courage declined to participate. I've got two others who are saying they'll get back to me after the primaries.

But once again, I started doing this project about six weeks ago on behalf of a website that most Democrats haven't even heard of yet. Your project is worthwhile and noble, but it sounds like you're starting to poll the candidates one week before the primaries. I would not count on a heavy response at this point.

Next time around, start sending out the questionnaires the day after New Year's. If they don't respond within a couple of days, hit them with another e-mail. Persistence is key, but so is a suitable timeframe.