Virginia Proved the 50-State Strategy

With several statehouses controlled by razor-thin edges, the potential for swings in power may be greater at the state level than in Congress, where the struggle for control gets more attention.

In 2005 I got asked to join a Virginia campaign, not Tim Kaine's race for Governor, but a 13-precinct House of Delegates race.  In those few weeks I spent in Virginia I learned more about a true grassroots organizing then I could have ever learned on a larger race.  Focusing on just over a dozen precincts we were able to have a huge impact on local voters, knocking on doors, talking to them face-to-face, building a team that was able to engage their neighbors at the precinct level and truly have an impact.

That is the sort of organizing that is happening around the country via the 50-State Strategy.  And it has the potential to change our country, not only by taking back Congress or The White House, but by electing Democrats to a majority in State Houses.
We won that race, a seat that was in Republican hands for 32 years became a Democratic strong-hold.  But that's not the best part, the best part was that the work we did in those 13-precincts trickled up to win even the reddest precinct for all of our state-wide Democratic candidates, and it's something that could happen in your backyard.

In 29 legislative chambers across the nation, a shift of no more than five seats would bring a new party to power. If the restless, dissatisfied mood among many voters produces a desire to throw out incumbents, both parties could see turmoil at the state level. If the sentiment turns against Republicans in charge at the national level, Democrats could make significant gains in elections.

Democrats appear to be in the better position. With modest gains in a handful of states, they could take a majority of legislative chambers. Republicans have prevailed since 2002, when they won a slim majority for the first time since 1952.

And the shift may extend to the Governor's Mansion in many states:

Beyond the legislatures, Democrats also hope to regain a majority of governorships for the first time since Republicans gained the advantage there in 1994. Currently, Republicans have a 28 to 22 edge. But with 36 gubernatorial races this year, a big swing is possible.

So much energy and attention are focused on the national political debate that it is sometimes easy to forget that 'all politics is local' and the kind of impact our state legislative chambers can have on important issues like the minimum wage or reproductive rights or tort reform.  

A change in legislative control can affect a range of issues, including taxes and tort reform -- as well as the boundaries of a state's congressional districts, which could affect control of the U.S. Congress. "When you flip a chamber, the conversation in a state changes immediately," says Michael Davies of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, a group helping party candidates nationwide.

In Tennessee, for example, Republicans' one-seat dominance was responsible for torpedoing a proposal this spring to raise the state's minimum wage. That has parallels in Iowa, where Democratic Senate President John Kibbie says a chamber knotted at 25-25 "can't even get a minimum wage bill out of committee."

In 2004 we saw the beginning of these changes.  Colorado and Montana Democrats took control of their state governments.  

In 2006 we could see a whole slew more.  In 2008 that trend can continue.  Imagine what kind of change we can bring about after four years of intense on-the-ground organizing in all fifty states. It's never been done before with this level of organization, with this kind of dedication to long-term party building and sustainable organized effort.

We know that the 50-State Strategy means fighting everywhere, for Democrats up and down the ballot, for The White House to The Governor's Mansions to the County Sheriff.  That is why organizing at the local level, where we can talk to our friends and our neighbors about the importance of their vote is so crucial and why we are taking steps now to ensure Democratic victories this November and in Novembers to come.

For more about the 50-State Strategy and our next national organizing event, The Democratic Reunion check out the Democratic Party website.

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