Off the wall question: Do peole here go to State Dem Conventions

[TayTay]

The election for my State's Dem convention is in 3 weeks and I hope to be a delegate. (Sad case. I live in a Repub town. I got to be a delegate last year cuz I got an e-mail from JK which basically said, go show up at the caucuses in town and support Dems. There were 6 slots for my town. 6 people showed up. I was a delegate. Sigh!) I think I can be a delegate again cuz I will show up. (Again, sounds good but is not a healthy thing.) I really want to go this year, cuz it's a nominating convention and Teddy K will be re-nominated for the Senate and that other Sen from MA will probably show up and so will the Gov candidates and stuff. (And the parties can be fun.) And I loved the forums where Dems talk about issues, procedures and policies.

So, anyway, anyone else ever been a delegate at their State Dem Conventions? I highly recommend it. It's a lot of fun and you can meet really interesting people. (Including that tall guy, and maybe his wife. I bet he gives a speech this year, maybe a nominating speech for Teddy K. Should be a red-meat barn-burner. Not polite like the Senate floor speeches, but a real go-get 'em speech for the faithful. I will take a lot of pics, if I go. Ah, I can at least make alternate if some sudden wave of Dems appears at the caucus of which there is a fat chance. Sigh, not good.)

[jillan]

1. I haven't - yet. Always do to scheduling conflicts

I don't have alot of flexibility in my job.
Saracat is extremely involved in Az politics. She goes to everything.

Sounds like fun. And it should be, you have two of the best Senators.

[wisteria]

2. Well I haven't but I just might try to go.

I'm still trying to figure out the party structure. I have been dying to mention this, and I am bring it up here because I know you despise Santorum as much as I do and you support Casey.
Today, I attended a grassroots workshop in the Pa area I live in and I have to tell you, I was impressed.Despite miserable weather there was a large turnout- well above expectations from what some of the speakers said. Our DNC Regional field Organizer was there-his name was Fred Terling and in his presentation he had kind things to say about John Kerry and how after he read about him he fell in love with his ideals and really respects the man and when he asked who had worked on the Kerry campaign- everyone in the room raised their hands. I thought it was interesting the room was filled with former Kerry supporters and they all still felt compelled to get involved and try to resurrect the grassroots.
Anyway, I am now deciding if I want to petition to be a Committee person. It would be a big help to the Democrats in the area to have people fill these positions. up until now the Dems in my area seemed to be all displaced and lost in the wilderness.
All and all, I think things are looking up for the Democratic party in my area and for Casey. Many good local Dems are running against the Republicans in the area too. As you can tell, I excited about these developments and I have to applaud Dean for his efforts and his "50 State Strategy".

[jillan]

3. That sounds great.

And also great to hear there are still so many Kerry supporters in your area.

In Az we are starting to see dems come out to run in this years election.

This could be a pretty exciting year.

[MH1]

4. Excellent news!

I'm working with a local Casey "meetup" group. The turnout has been pretty heartening. Mostly seem to be Kerry supporters, too.

I'll be running for committee person too - they need everyone they can get in my area.

[ProSense]

5. That's great news. Thanks for the insight.

I'm in a area where a significant majority vote for Democratic candidates. Our representative in the House is Donald Payne. Other Democratic reps in the area are Robert Menendez (now Senator), Rush Holt, William J. Pascrell and Frank Pallone. Corzine took no chances though, he canvassed this area like it was GOP territory. The surrounding area are interspersed with couple of GOP districts represented by Mike Ferguson and Rodney P. Frelinghuysen. The rest of the state, north and south, has some deeper GOP pockets.

I'm still trying to figure out how to get involved (besides writing letters and signing petitions).

[Luftmensch067]

6. I have never gone, but now I'm considering it for the future!

Tay Tay, I feel better knowing that you'll be there speaking for ME! And great news from PA about the Casey supporters!!!

[TayTay]

7. Last year was just an 'issues' convention

This year, we nominate candidates for public office. (Which means, ahm, sort of something. Ahm, I remember a certain MA pol who didn't win the endorsement of the convention in '82 for Lt. Gov and still won the office and didn't win the endorsement for the Senate in '84 and still won the office. So it means, ahm, something, but I'm not sure what. Plys, you go to the main fun-party at the pub or bar, you get two chits for free drinks. I liked that part. Plus, you get to hang out with Democrats and that's always a good and rattling thing to do.)

Still the parties are awesome as are the wonky policy meeting.s (My husband was put on a local aid panel last year when he showed up. Oh, you speak 'local aid,' good, get up on that panel and hobnob with your fellow local aid geeks. Sigh! I saw Mrs. Ted speak last year on the problem with gun control, real and imagined.)

[ProSense]

8. I went poking around

and found quite a bit of very interesting information (groups, meetings, people involved who I know indirectly, etc.) about the the goings on in my area. Thanks for this post TayTay. Nothing like a little inspiration.

[ProSense]

9. Another opportunity for a Congressional seat?

A few weeks back, I posted an article in GD-P about a couple of Republicans switching parties. I found more details:

Democrats showing strength in Atlantic County
by BILL ALBERS
PoliticsNJ.com

Snip...

Democrats running on top of the ballot in Atlantic County generally outpace their GOP rivals. Jon Corzine got 52.6% of the vote in Atlantic County, besting Republican Doug Forrester by nearly ten percent. John Kerry and Sen. Frank Lautenberg both carried Atlantic County in their most recent bids, as well.

Downballot, however, Republicans had usually dominated. The GOP had controlled the Atlantic County Freeholder Board since its inception in 1975 and have run the office of County Executive since 1984. Up until last year, Republicans had only lost two Assembly races in the last 20 years: once in 1989 when Democrat Fred Scerni defeated incumbent Republican J. Edward Kline, and again in 1993, when then-Freeholder Tom Foley defeated Assemblyman Frederick Nickles - both while Jim Florio was winning the county in landslide victories over both Jim Courter and Christie Whitman.

Republicans reclaimed both seats after just one term.

Last year was another banner year for Atlantic County Democrats. Democrat Alisa Beth Cooper picked up an at-large Freeholder seat for her party, while Democrat Jim Carney won his race to become the first Democratic Surrogate for Atlantic County in at least thirty years.

One key factor in the Democrats' new found resurgence is a successful campaign to get key Republicans to switch parties. Carney was initially elected to the Freeholder Board in 1991 as a Republican and switched parties in 2005 to become the Democratic candidate for Surrogate. Cooper similarly switched parties to first seek election to the State Assembly in 2003.

Atlantic Democrats enlisted another key Republican member this week in former Assemblyman Paul D'Amato. D'Amato, in a written statement, credited his switch to a dissatisfaction with Republican leadership in the county, and encouraged others to do the same.

"I am asking all disenfranchised Republicans sick of the present Republican leadership to join me in changing their affiliation," the statement reads.

Democrats will no doubt be relying heavily on their new farm team to continue their gains in 2007. Both Cooper and D'Amato are being mentioned as possible candidates for State Senate or Assembly. Another key factor in the Democratic resurgence in the county is money. In recent years, Democrats have invested heavily in once-Republican counties. Democrats out spent their Republican rivals in their successful bid to defeat Assemblyman Conover last year.

The county is represented by Frank LoBiondo who is up for relection in 2006. I found this:

LoBiondo Facts
U.S. Representative Frank LoBiondo has painted himself as a moderate. Our mission is to educate the public about his arch conservative voting record and to unseat him in 2006.

About Me
Name:Citizens for Progressive Representation Location:New Jersey, United States
Citizens for Progressive Representation (CPR) is a nonprofit grassroots organization, founded in New Jersey, with a mission to bring truth to politics, to remove targeted incumbents from office, and to elect progressive and socially responsible candidates.

more...

http://breathingnewlife.blogspot.com/

I think this is fascinating.

[GRLMGC]

10. I went for the first time last year

I'm gonna go again this year. This year should be fun since its an election year