Fun Facts E-mail From My Momses Superdelegate Friend, Chairman of NC Dems: The Democratic Surge

[Hissyspit]

From Jerry Meek, Chairman of the NC Democratic Party - Fun and Interesting Facts:

The Democratic Surge

North Carolina saw a record-breaking turnout with nearly 1.6 million voters coming out for Democrats.

In more than 30 counties, turnout exceeded 40 percent of registered Democrats. Early and absentee votes accounted for 500,000 of those votes, which was more than six times the number of early and absentee voting in 2006 and more than half the total votes in the primary in 2004.

More than a half-million voters have participated in early voting. More than 80 percent of them chose to participate in the Democratic rather than Republican primary. Forty-percent of the early voters were African-American.

These numbers reflect a national trend in which 35 million people came out this election season to support our Democratic candidates, and an estimated 3.5 new voters were added to the national voter rolls.

Republican turnout, in contrast, has either stayed relatively stagnated or decreased since 2000, the last contested GOP primary. Sinking turnout throughout the country for Republicans shows the contrast between Democrats and Republicans this primary season.

This record turnout during the primaries has been transformational for the Democratic Party as record numbers of new voters are being registered and our candidates are campaigning in all 50 states, running a truly national campaign.

"Democrats are energized all across the country and we're competing in all 50 states, proving that if Democrats show up and talk about our values, we will win," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "As we head towards November, I'm confident we will unite behind our nominee and harness this unprecedented enthusiasm to beat John McCain."

Record-Breaking Jefferson-Jackson Dinner

"It is amazing that just three weeks ago, we were planning for a 500- person dinner in a hotel ballroom and we ended up selling 5,000 tickets in an arena," said NCDP Chairman Jerry Meek. "This is a great show of strength for our party and it bodes well for our chances this fall."

The Party was able to raise more than $250,000 dollars through the sale of 5,000 tickets.

The vast majority of ticket sales came from North Carolinians who paid $25 to come and see the candidates.

"This was more than a fundraiser," Meek said. "This was about building the future of the North Carolina Democratic Party. We strengthened local and state grassroots efforts, as well as saw a large number of new donors and new Democrats sign up for tickets."

Party officials and both presidential candidates cited high early voting numbers and swelling party registration figures to demonstrate the growing number of North Carolina voters who are voting Democratic or switching their registration to vote in the recent Democratic primary.

John McCain - More Mockingbird than Maverick

John McCain claims he's a moderate maverick who bucks the Republican Party line whenever possible, but his record tells a different story. Apparently when it comes to his own record McCain hasn't been giving the voters straight talk.

In the same week that we found out McCain has never voted against a Republican judicial nominee during his entire time in the Senate, the Arizona Republic reported that he rarely bucks his Party on close votes.

The presumptive Republican nominee arguably cast the decisive vote 14 times since 1999 to ensure Republicans got their way, and he had five other close cases where his vote may have made a difference, Senate records show.

Yet at the same time, McCain is having trouble rallying the Republican base around him. In our recent primary, with 54 percent of the precincts reporting, McCain had 73.8 percent of the vote, Huckabee 12.1 percent, Mr. Paul 7.7 percent, and others 6.3 percent.

His campaign claims McCain will win over Democrats in November. But exit polls revealed McCain lost a quarter of his own Party in Indiana and North Carolina this week and more than half of Republicans in his own state.

How will McCain attract Democrats when he can't even keep his own base from fracturing?

Democrats are Gaining among Young People and Independents

More than 5 million young voters nationwide have participated in this election season.

Turnout for voters ages 18 to 29 has increased dramatically, tripling or quadrupling in many states, during this primary season.

According to a Pew study released month, 58 percent of voters under 30 now self-identify as Democrats or leaning.

Democratic, while only 33 percent associate with Republicans. The gap is even greater for young female voters - 63 to 28 percent.

Among unaffiliated voters in North Carolina, 19 percent self-identify as Democrats

[Coexist]

1. that is good news!

[ShortnFiery]

2. Thanks for this informative (and excellent) NEWS from the Great State of North Carolina.

Hissyspit & her Mom :yourock:

[mmonk]

3. Yes, exactly what we've experienced here.

Both a new level of excitement and participation. It bodes well for the fall unless we somehow mess this gift up.

[babylonsister]

4. Rec'd for some good news! nt

[flpoljunkie]

5. Great news! Thanks for your post.

[gateley]

6. VERY good news -- Thanks for posting! Recommend!! nt

[izzybeans]

7. Same thing in Indiana. In my mother's district the Democratic vote was something like over 60,000 to

the republicans 4000. Similar patterns were found all over the state. If CNN still has their county by county map up then you can see this is true pretty much all over the country. And in some very strong republican areas.

[mnhtnbb]

8. Our just turned 18 yo son registered and went to NC polls just to vote Obama

he didn't care about any of the other races, but made a special trip just so he could vote for Obama in the NC primary.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Many new Democrats

Here in Oregon also. Thanks to the long and intersting primary. For those of you who have been wanting it over for your own peace of mind, this is what we get for doing a real 50 State run. It rocks. Thanks to Barack and Hillary and Edwards and Kunicich and Biden and Dodd and Gravel and Richardson for making a Primary noise that put ballots into Democratic hands.

[unc70]

10. Would not have happened w/o presidential primary and campaigning

If the presidential race had been decided on Super Tuesday or even in Pa, turnout would have less than half this much and registrations would have been some less. If only for this reason, we should continue the campaigns through the remaining few states. NC voters were excited to finally be part of it all and not dismissed and ignored as usual.

I wish there were some way to avoid the incredible level of attacks against our candidates and their supporters by supporters of other candidates, almost always with the worst of the RW talking points that Dems are liars, say anything to win, only care themselves, about winning power, weak, unpatriotic, corrupt, ... We have to stop assuming the worst about each other, stop promoting the latest TP from the RW designed to divide Dems and drive away Independents, and become aware of just how much of this originates in the Repub dirty tricks area. Look at what they did in 1968 and 1972; remember how they painted Gore as a liar, how Kerry was swiftboated.

This is not just Obama vs Clinton. Still see a lot of attacks on Edwards that make me wander who benefits from things like "Edwards, quit being a wuss, be a man and endorse Obama." or similarly "endorse Clinton".

How many of you really believe that Clinton is trying to weaken Obama so she can run against McCain in 2012? This a Repub talking point that the RW media has been pushing for months and "mainstream" media echoed loudly.

Don't get your hopes up too much about beating McCain in NC. The Repubs will vote for McCain after their symbolic protest vote. Probably 5-8% of registered Dems but really DINO will vote for McCain like always. Are there enough new or newly motivated Dems and enough Independents for Obama to overcome the usual 7-10% Repub advantaged combined with those scared away from Obama.

Everyone will also be highly motivated by the Senate race.


Ultimately, demographics trump everything.

[Hissyspit]

11. kick n/t