Report from the Field #2

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An update from a TPM Reader in Tennessee. It’s an interesting update on a lot of fronts, much as the one I posted over the weekend from Maine. But one key point is the importance of political organizing, building organizational capacity at the state and local level, even if a lot of the results may only show up in future elections.

I wanted to send you a quick update from the deep red state of Tennessee. I don’t know if Democrats will win any new seats here, though Bredesen has a shot at it and we should pick up some state legislative seats. But I wanted to let you know that Democrats are energized and more importantly ORGANIZED here like never before.

The Democrats have been running a coordinated campaign, which means that volunteers work for ALL the candidates. They’ve got well-run field offices in key areas, specifically the outer loop suburbs/ ex-urbs that have increasing populations of African American and immigrant/first generation voters. I tried to canvas in an ex-urb of Nashville 4 years ago, and the “field office” was run by a woman who showed up an hour late and didn’t have a walk sheet for me. I was the only volunteer that day (possibly the only volunteer all month) and I never heard from her again. This time around I’m working with a professional staff, there are tons of volunteers, and they gently but firmly nag me to sign up for as many shifts as I can. From the ex urbs we are even venturing out into rural areas and small towns — Columbia, Lewisburg, Shelbyville and more. Candidates are running in these weird gerrymandered seats and working hard in all parts of them.

Beyond the structure of the party are a ton of other political organizations that have formed and are VERY effective. We have “Women For Tennessee’s Future” (WTF) which has effectively supported some first-rate women candidates, mostly through fundraising and endorsements. In Nashville we have the Equity Alliance, which is possibly the most inspiring group I’ve ever worked with. I’d sum them up as saying the NEW face of black politics — young black professionals who rejecting the old system of corruption, patronage, and tokenism and instead are building a base of voters, training candidates, and training campaign staff.

Another thing: The Democrats here are running the first state-wide voter protection effort in our history.

Here’s why I think this all matters. Even if we don’t win any new seats here, the Democratic party is alive here in Tennessee for the first time in a generation. This is all laying groundwork for 2020. When I moved her 20 years ago we were in the last gasps of an old white “Solid South” Democratic party. All old white men. Now we’ve got an amazing crew of highly qualified candidates (mostly women!) who may not win this time around, but are poised to be leaders in some way or other. We’ve got a new generation of African American political leaders (also a lot of women!) and an increasingly political population of young first-generation voters and campaign workers. We’ve got networks of volunteers, energized allied groups, and really just an increasingly savvy core of people who understand what it takes to win.

I hope some of this pays off this election cycle. The Republicans here aren’t used to working hard. As far as I know they are relying exclusively on paid canvassers (who are completely useless) and barely have any kind of ground game. Please watch our state house races in particular tomorrow . If we can break the Republican super majority in the House that will be a great first step.

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