I have lived in my house for 18 years and never once gotten a GOP "door knock." Until this week.

[Pacifist Patriot]

Disclaimer: I'm registered Democrat, my husband was a registered Republican until two weeks ago when he switched parties. We did it like that for years so we would get info from both parties, and he likes to be able to vote for the relatively sanest Republican in our closed primary. Cannot remember last contested Democratic primary in my district.

If there was ever evidence the GOP is nervous, this clinches it for me. I live in an area that went for Trump by 16 points. I honestly cannot recall a ballot with 100% contested races since I've moved here. The GOP numbers are so strong, it has been difficult to get a complete slate of Democrats to run for every office. 2018 saw some changes on that front!

On Saturday evening, we set up lawn chairs around the perimeter of our front yard and have a socially distanced drink or two (BYOB) with three other neighbors. Imagine four couples spaced about 18 feet from one another in a square and you get the idea.

This Saturday, a guy in a pickup truck saw us, stopped and pulled over. He said he was from the county Republican party and canvassing for their city council candidates (non-partisan race). One of my neighbors started to wave him off telling him not to bother when he approached and insisted on handing us a slate card. I said, "Oh C****, I'll take it. I'm curious who I'll be voting against." I looked down at it, back up at the canvasser and said, "quite an impressive slate of middle-aged white guys you've got here." He chuckled (interesting reaction), got in his truck, and drove away.

Not twenty minutes later, a woman walked by with a clipboard, announced she was with the county Republican party and was conducting a survey. Once again C**** tried to wave her off, but S**** popped up her head, and said, "A survey? No problem, I'll save you some time. We're all voting for Biden." This time we chuckle, the woman thanked us, and continued on her way.

Just a few moments ago, my doorbell rang. Hubby answered it to a guy holding a pamphlet who said, "President Trump sent me to talk to you about absentee ballots." My husband rolled his eyes and said, "Yes, we've heard he thinks they're fraudulent. You can let him know we're voting for Biden in person on October 24" and shut the door.

The Republicans are nervous. Very nervous if they are bothering with a ground game here.

[LAS14]

1. What state is this? I've heard they're out registering in unheard numbers in Florida. nt

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. FL

[Dream Girl]

2. Wat state do you live in Pacificst?

[Pacifist Patriot]

8. FL

[The Magistrate]

3. Were the Maggots Wearing Masks, Ma'am?

[Pacifist Patriot]

6. LOL! That's a rhetorical question, right?

[The Magistrate]

12. I Did Not Think 'Yes' Would Be The Answer, Ma'am

But they really ought to be. We were called on by a census-taker (actually a neighbor we knew), and met outside, at a reasonable distance, all with masks on. These canvassers will kill people, without question.

[Pacifist Patriot]

13. That's my fear.

[moonscape]

4. What bothers me is that my cousin, who lives in

red flippable Bucks County, PA (Doylestown) has been trying to volunteer to canvas but they aren't even getting back to him.

He said Obama had his own ground game and office there, across from the DNC, and was organized and active canvassing. Maybe because of covid, but DNC doesn't seem to be using their local resources there.

[murielm99]

10. In my area, Obama's people rented

office space from one of the county Democrats' headquarters. It was done very professionally.

We went there to volunteer, and were given jobs immediately.

[Pacifist Patriot]

11. That's a shame.

I haven't seen any evidence of Democratic canvassing, but a friend of mine in another neighborhood said she had two this week. We may just be seeing the beginning of it a little later than usual. Hope your cousin hears something soon!

[DeminPennswoods]

34. Dems are calling

I've gotten at least 3 asking me how I intended to vote. They're always happy to hear "all Dems" and "in person at the poll".

[Amishman]

15. Yup, no blue ground game around here (Berks/Lancaster PA)

Pubs aren't much better in Lancaster, but they are very well organized in Berks. several times I've seen them with flag waving crowds and giving away Trump signs along major roads. Never seen anything like it in previous years.

[moonscape]

27. He said during Obama's campaigns

dem canvassers came up the driveway 8-9x. This year nada.

He’s itching to help. Smart, charasmatic, never met a stranger, CEO ... and yet they aren’t using him at all. He’s really frustrated.

[C_U_L8R]

5. Clearly they are wasting their time and money

Next time, keep them around a bit longer. They can be fun to play for a few laughs.

[Pacifist Patriot]

9. I have no doubt Trump will carry this county, but it won't be by 16 points this time.

Those neighbors I mentioned? They were all Republicans until Trump and are now enthusiastic Biden supporters.

Yep, they are wasting their time and money. There are no undecideds anymore.

[AllaN01Bear]

19. i know people like that too. hated trump to the core .

[Cracklin Charlie]

14. Last Republican knocked on my door, dropped out of his race, and hasn't run again.

It was 2016, and he was an incumbent state legislator. I felt bad for him, cause I thought he was a nice young guy, with a nice family. He seemed to get recruited into Republican politics at just about the same time his party started losing their minds.

I had to tell him that I’ve never voted for any Republican, and I wasn’t about to start now. I also let him know how I didn’t think he was anything like those tea party/info wars knuckleheads, but If he stayed in that party, he was branding himself with them. Next thing I hear, he’s dropping out.

[davsand]

16. Local Dems are doing lit drops but not door knocking.

Illinois is assumed to be Biden turf but the down ticket races outside Chicagoland are frequently a roll of the dice. As an added item of interest, Illinois has a fair tax referendum on the ballot that will put state income tax on a bracketed system just like the IRS code is. Needless to say, the big money guys are throwing a lot of time and money at defeating it. Dems are supporting it along with the Dem Governor.

Local Dems have been leaving literature on doorsteps but not door knocking due to safety concerns. Local GOP has not been seen doing very much (except for messing with yard signs, but that is a norm every year.) What has been notable, IMO, is the volume of email out of the Trump campaign. This stuff is not locally originated, and it's weird because neither of us are even remotely favorable to the GOP.

When we were talking about it we wondered if maybe we ended up on a list because we have emailed Republican Congress members regarding specific issue votes. Maybe they harvested emails and addresses from there and the RNC was using that list.





Seems like a waste of time and energy for very little return, but I'm not a GOP operative, and not privy to that thinking...


Laura

[LymphocyteLover]

21. Yeah, we are doing that in Indiana

I've been involved in some local Dem lit-drops

[catrose]

30. That's what Texas Democrats are doing also

[AllaN01Bear]

17. youve heard that " he " - he" - " he thinks they are fraudulent.

nonsensical. on a side note : someone told me once that my mail in ballot didnt count. pox ramona on them. nice way of handling it.

[gratuitous]

18. If you can stomach it

See if you can't hold them up for a few minutes, so they make contact with fewer voters during their shifts. Little comments like the "impressive slate of middle-aged white guys" can lead into more productive topics. In this example, pose the question, "Why can't the Republicans get any women or people of color to run on their ticket?" You might get one of their activists to start questioning his or her own default positions. The woman with the clipboard, for example: Why is she good enough to go walking the precincts, but not good enough to run for office as a Republican?

[Pacifist Patriot]

32. If they were keeping their distance and wearing masks, I'd consider that approach.

None respected space or had a face covering. They can keep on moving!

[Heartstrings]

20. No door to door canvassing here in WI.

Postcards, text and phone banking is about it for now. We’re not going to put our lives or the lives of others in danger With Covid running rampant here. We are being the responsible party, as usual...

[LeftInTX]

29. This precinct chair in Texas is going door to door. Lit drops

I speak to a few people, if they are outside.

[SoonerPride]

22. I enjoyed your story very much.

Thank you for posting it.

[Sloumeau]

23. Also, the Republicans apparently don't care how many people get sick

because of their ground game.

[lagomorph777]

24. Yeah, I wouldn't have been nearly so polite.

[CaptainTruth]

25. Glad to hear it! I'm in FL too.

[keithbvadu2]

26. You want me to vote for Donald who supports child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell?

You want me to vote for Donald who supports child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell?

There must be many affirming questions to ask them.

[OhioTim]

28. Trumpsters

There was a story on MSNBC last week about Biden campaign just doing phone calls (pandemic), but R's still going door to door with masks on and six feet from the door. There was some concern that "contact" with voters was going to be more effective.

[iluvtennis]

31. Thanks for sharing this Pacifist Patriot. So very happy that the rethugs are nervous. nt

[liberal N proud]

33. I was in my drive way last weekend when one approached without a mask

A stopped him in the street, I could see his shirt.

Told him not to come to my house without a mask, better yet don’t come at all.

He snuck back later and stuck the flyers in the door handle.

[DFW]

35. Trump sent HIM to talk about absentee ballots?

If he has time to do that, then he can send a repair man to my post office and fix the sorting machine.

(And I here I thought being President was a full-time job.....that'll teach me!)