Campaign Battlefield May Grow (Dem challenge more House seats in 06)

[papau]

Expand the playing field for House seats in 2006? - a great idea! An article in TomPaine.com suggested a division of roles in which Internet activists tried to raise seed money for long-shot candidates and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee helped those who showed some potential - say what ??????. We internet types must first move the poll numbers before the party will add its funds to a given race?



http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-dems10aug10,1,1254752,full.story?coll=la-news-a_section

THE NATION
Campaign Battlefield May Grow
Liberals activists want Democrats to storm congressional races, even on GOP's turf.
By Ronald Brownstein
Times Staff Writer

August 10, 2005

WASHINGTON — <snip>An array of liberal Internet activists is urging Democrats to vastly expand the 2006 congressional battlefield by recruiting and funding challengers in dozens of districts that have been virtually conceded to the GOP, like the one represented by Pitts.

Those calls are drawing new energy from Democrat Paul Hackett's narrow defeat this month in a special election in an Ohio district where Republicans usually romp. Hackett's showing "proved that you could build the party if you pay attention to every race," said Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, founder of the popular liberal website the Daily Kos.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, has responded to the pressure from liberal activists by saying he intends next year to fund Democratic challengers for 50 Republican-held seats, about double the number the campaign committee backed in 2004.<snip>

[mikehiggins]

1. Perhaps you haven't noticed

but the Democratic Party is proving proficient at following where others take the lead.

Of course we have to pick candidates and drum up support for them all over the place. The regular Party isn't about to throw resources up against the GOPukes unless somebody makes it happen. They've shown over the years that they aren't the ones who will make it happen.

Thank God we've got Dean in there. He, at least, understands the way in which this game has to be played if we are even to get a glimpse of the goal post.

The slogan for 2006 has to be NO MORE YEARS! The GOP dominance has to be crushed no matter what it takes. We must get control of the House, and THEN we MUST start impeachment proceedings immediately.

I only doubt the Democratic Party has the balls to do it.

[papau]

2. I agree Mike - and find it sad how the party hasn't led in the past - Dean

is a Godsend -

maybe now things will change.

:-)

[UrbScotty]

3. Mike Gersh obviously doesn't like it.

"But to expand it into districts where have no chance of winning is absolutely crazy," he said.

Crazy, Mike? Look who's talking.