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Fast Walker 52

(7,723 posts)
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 10:48 AM Mar 2016

Dems have a chance to take back the House, if they can field the right candidates

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/trump-gop-house-majority-jeopardy-221004

Democrats already had reasonable odds of flipping a dozen or so House seats. But DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján recently started highlighting “reach” districts, like those of Rep. John Mica in Florida and Rep. Steve Knight in California, that broaden Democrats’ target list enough to take back the chamber — if local candidates can take advantage of the sudden opportunity. Strategists are now turning their attention to moderate suburbs around Detroit, Minneapolis, Washington and other areas where House Democrats have struggled in recent years but Trump has already shown weakness.

(snip)

One major question mark for Democrats is whether they have the candidates to ride a wave, if Trump generates one in their favor. With the filing deadline approaching in Colorado, Democrats still don’t have a candidate in GOP Rep. Scott Tipton’s district, which the party targeted as recently as 2012 and which has a substantial Latino population. Bill Phillips, the Democratic candidate in Mica’s Florida district — one of the seats Luján mentioned last week — had less than $20,000 in his campaign account to start the year. In key California districts, Democrats face primaries and feuding between local activists and the national party.

(snip)

Democrats need to net at least 30 seats to retake the House — the same number they flipped to take the majority in the 2006 wave. But John Lapp, who ran the DCCC’s independent expenditure program that year, said this year was starting to feel familiar. “The type of people who came in during 2006 — when the campaign broke late and they were able to ride that wave — I think it’s the early stages of that,” Lapp said.

A potential path toward 30 seats, once thought to be outside the realm of possibility, has become clearer for Democrats in recent days. Luján ducked when asked whether Democrats could win back the House at a news conference last week, but his committee is actively preparing to compete in districts that weren’t on the radar months ago. Democrats are targeting seats with “high numbers of independent voters, socially moderate voters, millennials and minority voters,” Luján said.
“We are going to keep recruiting through filing day because of this momentum that has been created by Donald Trump,” Luján added.

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Let's see if the Dems can actually snatch victory from the jaws of defeat for a change. Everyone knows the current GOP-led congress is a disaster and needs to go.
14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Dems have a chance to take back the House, if they can field the right candidates (Original Post) Fast Walker 52 Mar 2016 OP
But Chelsea Says We Won't Win The House Until 2022..... global1 Mar 2016 #1
First had knowledge of the absence of coat tails in mom's wardrobe. merrily Mar 2016 #4
+1 daleanime Mar 2016 #5
If my state party is any indication, they will lose by a landslide tech3149 Mar 2016 #2
is that Pennsylvania? Fast Walker 52 Mar 2016 #7
Yep! tech3149 Mar 2016 #9
yeah, I think your experience is very typical of people from the outside who try to get involved Fast Walker 52 Mar 2016 #14
The DCCC loves sensible woodchucks--so electible, the GOP victories of 2010 and 2014 were historic. merrily Mar 2016 #3
yep, they have a bad habit of picking losers Fast Walker 52 Mar 2016 #11
I think realistically they have a chance to pick up madville Mar 2016 #6
Support TimCanova.com corbettkroehler Mar 2016 #8
Until the party gets an honest, competent chairperson, tabasco Mar 2016 #10
this is true Fast Walker 52 Mar 2016 #12
the dem party is a joke. DWS is the punchline. KG Mar 2016 #13

global1

(25,167 posts)
1. But Chelsea Says We Won't Win The House Until 2022.....
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 10:52 AM
Mar 2016

looks like we threw in the towel already for 2016.

tech3149

(4,452 posts)
2. If my state party is any indication, they will lose by a landslide
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 10:57 AM
Mar 2016

It's not bad enough that they allow so many uncontested elections, they actively fight against any progressive candidate to sell us some Republican lite like Bob Casey.

tech3149

(4,452 posts)
9. Yep!
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 12:29 PM
Mar 2016

Back when I moved back home (2002) I tried to get involved in the party. They were fucking ghosts. Even when you could get face time to try and motivate the party they would just blow you off as some interloper that would steal their power.
We had a great candidate to replace Sen Single Bullet and Schumer and Rendell said that Casey was our only choice.
I will not accept someone telling me that my views are less valuable than someone else.

 

Fast Walker 52

(7,723 posts)
14. yeah, I think your experience is very typical of people from the outside who try to get involved
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 01:39 PM
Mar 2016

which might be understandable if the people in power were successful, but when they keep blowing it, it outrageous.

Nice avatar by the way.

 

Fast Walker 52

(7,723 posts)
11. yep, they have a bad habit of picking losers
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 01:34 PM
Mar 2016

it's a tough game I know, but the Dems never seem to do as well as they should.

madville

(7,397 posts)
6. I think realistically they have a chance to pick up
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 11:45 AM
Mar 2016

10-15 seats in the House (It will likely stay Republican) and possibly 4-6 to maybe retake the majority in the Senate.

2016 will really just hinge on how enthusiastic voters are for the Democratic nominee which is likely Hillary at this point unless she gets in legal trouble or has a health issue pop up that they can't hide.

The campaign committees have to put out positive messages for fundraising and enthusiasm, they always do. Remember when they were saying the Democrats could take back the House in 2012 and 2014?

Any gains will likely be given back in 2018 though if there is a Democrat in the White House, that's just how it works with mid-terms. 3/4 of the Senate seats up in 2018 are currently held by Democrats so some of them will be vulnerable. So 2020 could see Democrats trying to make up the same amount of ground they currently need to now even with some modest gains in 2016. It's always an ebb and flow.

corbettkroehler

(1,898 posts)
8. Support TimCanova.com
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 12:23 PM
Mar 2016

He's a progressive fighting to correct everything wrong with the corporate influence which DWS has invited on the DNC.

I have donated to him multiple times.

 

tabasco

(22,974 posts)
10. Until the party gets an honest, competent chairperson,
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 12:33 PM
Mar 2016

I see no great successes for the Democratic party.

KG

(28,749 posts)
13. the dem party is a joke. DWS is the punchline.
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 01:38 PM
Mar 2016

until losing has adverse consequences for those in charge, expect to continue to lose.

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