Please explain Mike Tate's strategy

[HelenWheels]

Why is Tate running fake Dems on the Dem ticket for the recall primaries? Can any one explain this? Every one in our area is totally confused about it. And the only action we are told to do is make sure all the Dem voters understand this tactic. How can we make any one understand it when we don't understand? I think this is a huge mistake.

[sybylla]

1. It's not Tate running fake Dems. It's the Republicans

Their strategy is to delay the actual election.

Causing a primary means the July 12 election day is actually a primary day and the general election will happen four weeks later.

[AleksS]

3. Actually

Actually Tate just announced that in the races where R's are NOT running falsies, the Dems WILL run "placeholder candidates" (his words, not mine) to make sure that all the general elections will be on the same day.

So:
some races will have R's in D clothing false candidates in a primary,
and some races will have "the real D" and "the placeholder D" candidates in a primary,

all so that there won't be any races without primaries, and therefore all general elections will fall on the same day.

Mike Tate apparently feels the simultaneous elections are vitally important.

[sybylla]

7. Thanks. I hadn't heard that.

And it wasn't clear in the OP.

[AleksS]

2. Seconded

It must make sense somehow, but I'd really enjoy a clarification.

It seems we're just legitimizing the republicans' sleazy maneuver. I don't see how the benefit (all the elections will be on the same day) exceeds the costs (added confusion, opportunities for R's to vote for placeholders--possibly launching the "placeholder" into the general election, legitimizing the R tactics, etc.)

As Rachel would say:

Talk me down!

[murielm99]

4. I think it is meant to neutralize their sleazy behavior.

If you are in a recall district, speak to your local Democratic party about whom to cast your vote for. And if you can, help GOTV. I think the whole world is watching you.

Best of luck, Wisconsin.

[AleksS]

12. Trouble is that this has shades of that Senate race down south

Trouble is that this has shades of that Senate race down south. I don't rememebr the state, but in the D primary, one fellow didn't do a single bit of campaigning, just paid the $ and got the sigs to be on the ballot. Was, in all important respects, identical to a "placeholder" candidate. Except he WON the primary.

Apparently it can happen. Then what?

[midnight]

5. The Republicans primary as Dems.,so the Dems., primary...

as Republicans....

[Yon_Yonson]

6. The way I see it ....

The GAB says and Mike Tate does!

[sybylla]

8. Not so.

But I'm sure my saying so won't change your mind.

[Yon_Yonson]

10. To much time to sit around and think

To much time to sit around and think on what the GAB has accomplished against the DEMS but I shall soon be back on the picket line especially in light of today’s WI Supreme Court developments. The shits gonna hit the fan!

[AleksS]

11. Edited: Oh. D'oh.

I guess I'm just not surprised by the SC ruling. I mean, the (R) contingent on the court is not shy about being bought-and-paid for.

Sad, but not surprised. And now that the iron is decidedly cooled down, what's left.

[HelenWheels]

9. Call Mike Tate

His number is 608-255-5172. I couldn't talk with Mike but one of his staff tried to explain it to me. It all boils down to having all the elections on the same day. But I think it will be confusing to have "place holders", fake Democrat Repukes and the real Democrat. We are going to have to inform our voters big time.

[HelenWheels]

13. "Place holders" gone

The Dems will not run "place holders" in the recall elections. The Repukes are running candidates in every primary so Tate says we don't need the place holders. I still don't understand it. I do know that Tate got complaints about his strategy.

[PeaceNikki]

14. I think it was simply an effort to keep races on same day to maximize and consolidate resources?

I dunno.

I was at the Waukesha County Democratic generla membership meeting last night. We had a guy from state party discussing efforts in recalls and a lady from OFA. I was happy to her that OFA is dedicating all local resources in state and some national to the recalls. I was fully expecting them to use our local resources for 2012 campaigns.