Great news from the Democratic Coordinated Campaign: more than 400 volunteers set a June record for Virginia Democrats by knocking on over 18,000 doors this past weekend. This is a fantastic kickoff to the coordinated door-to-door campaign this year and this sort of effort and enthusiasm has got to be making the Republicans very nervous. With Warner well out in front in the polls (with no sign of easing up in his campaign efforts) and Obama just nipping McCain in recent Virginia polls, Democrats enter the next stage of the campaign on solid footing. Next up - break more records as the enthusiasm continues to ramp up and the message of hope and change spreads across the Commonwealth.
The full press release is below the fold, with links to more coverage.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 23, 2008CONTACT: Jared Leopold 703-636-7268 jared.leopold@vavictory08.org
Virginia Dems knock on 18,000 doors for kickoff weekend, setting June record Democrats launch expansive Obama-Warner field campaign with hundreds of volunteers statewide
RICHMOND - Virginia Democrats launched the 2008 Obama-Warner door-to-door campaign this weekend, with hundreds of volunteers knocking on more than 18,000 doors across the Commonwealth.
Some 423 volunteers signed up to canvass their neighborhoods for the Virginia Democrats' "Commonwealth Campaign Kickoff," marking the beginning of the 2008 coordinated field campaign. To kick off the campaign, Democrats held 25 simultaneous neighborhood canvasses across Virginia on Saturday.
All in all, the volunteers knocked on 18,217 doors - a record for Virginia Democrats on a June weekend.
"Knocking on 18,000 doors on a hot June weekend is truly unprecedented," said Jared Leopold, Communications Director for Virginia Victory 2008. "We're seeing record numbers of volunteers for this early in the campaign season. Virginia Democrats are ready for change in Washington and we're eager to do the work to make it happen."
Virginia Victory 2008, the campaign arm of the Democratic Party of Virginia, will be running a record field program this fall, engaging volunteers to talk with their neighbors about Mark Warner, Barack Obama and Virginia Democrats' record of results.
"The people we end up electing in November are going to have a significant impact on our lives," Albemarle Supervisor David Slutzky told 19 News in Charlottesville on Saturday. "The Democratic Party has to get out and make sure that voters understand who's on the ballot, why it's important for them to vote and why it's important for voters to support the Democratic candidates."
Over the weekend, Democrats ran more than 25 simultaneous canvasses in the following areas: Roanoke County, Winchester, Charlottesville, Loudoun County, Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Manassas City, Prince William County, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Henrico County, Chesterfield County and Hanover County.
For local information, please contact Jared Leopold at 703-636-7268. For footage and coverage from the kickoffs, please click on the links below.
Victory 2008 is working to elect Obama, Warner and the Democratic slate of Congressional candidates. From now through November, the campaign will be running an expansive field and volunteer program in hundreds of communities across the Commonwealth, reaching out to new Democratic voters and building the Party.
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Local coverage of Commonwealth Canvass Kickoff:
* Roanoke -- "Virginia Democrats Campaign for Warner and Obama," WDBJ7 (CBS): http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/st...
* Charlottesville -- "Local Democrats Hit the Pavement," NBC 29: http://www.nbc29.com/global/st...
* Charlottesville -- "Dems Go Door-to-Door for November Races," 19 News: http://www.charlottesvillenews...
* Winchester - "Winchester, Frederick Democrats kicking off campaign" Winchester Star: http://www.winchesterstar.com/...
* Winchester - "Democrats go Door to Door," TV3: http://www.tv3winchester.com/h...
* Hampton Roads - "Democratic Grassroots kickoff in Newport News Saturday," The Daily Press: http://hrblogs.typepad.com/the...