Greetings Colorado Kosserians, and to any visitors! Please enjoy your pot and then GO HOME—wait, sorry, no, I am not a grumpersticker on an SUV. A momentary lapse, there. Welcome!
This Open Thread will discuss the many Democrats running for the State Senate and House who are in competitive-uphill races, and who need your help now. The time to work on these races is now, before the races for Governor and Congress dominate the conversation to the extent that people tune out incoming information. There is no better time than now to connect with voters about candidates for offices of whom these voters have generally not heard, and to which voters generally pay little attention. When we consider whom we need to turn out for downballot votes, it is overwhelmingly young voters, and by young I mean under 50, so really, many middle aged voters who are day-to-day so busy juggling work and family that “doing the research” pretty much never happens, and suddenly it’s October and they are staring at their mail-in ballots thinking, “I have no idea who these people are.” This is where Down Ballot Roll Off begins to happen.
It’s hard to grasp how our star is ascendant even as our brand has suffered plenty of damage over recent years. Plenty of times at the doors, when I describe my candidate as a Democrat to an Unaffiliated voter, I see a flicker of distaste cross their face. This is far more true when talking with men than women, and when the opportunity for a conversation is engaged, these unaffiliated men will usually talk about guns, taxes, immigration, or the social situation generally with respect to discipline and parenting as things they see as problematic within “The Democrats” as a general impression. A longer conversation will often find points of commonality with which one can begin to dismantle the rightwing propaganda at work on these folks, but first we must get to their front doors and be lucky enough to have them answer & want to talk.
This may seem unpleasantly exhausting, but for white folks who are secure and have the time, this is critically necessary work for winning competitive seats at the local level to build the majority in the Colorado House, and win the majority in the Colorado Senate, so that we can govern on our agenda without obstruction. At the local level, door knocking is absolutely the most effective means of voter engagement that minimizes downballot roll off when these folks vote, in terms of creating a substantial name ID and recognition, as well as diluting rightwing propa impact.
What is the next most effective means? Handwritten postcards. Many people cannot commit the time to knock doors based on when those events happen, or their work/family schedules generally. Or they are flat-out introverts, or simply limited physically. For such folks, postcard writing is a terrific option that can be done whenever. All people need to do is be in contact with a campaign that is writing postcards, provide information sufficient to pick up/receive blank cards, and then deliver/hand off completed batches of written cards. Well, ok, and decent penmanship. In Colorado, just about every campaign for legislative & county office is doing postcards. And for reaching out to voters, postcards are eclipsing the phone. Anyone who has done phone calls to voters recently probably feels like a glorified robodialer. Texting is fairly useful, but many voters still don’t have verified cellphones on record. Everyone has a voting address.
The other big thing to do if you can: please host a meet & greet or house party for these candidates, and invite your own neighbors & local friends network, or allow the campaign to invite local folks to your place. If you have a nice home, & can spring for snacks and beverages, this is a great way to introduce a local candidate to local folks, while having fun rather than doing unscheduled door knocks. If you have a strong professional network, consider hosting a fundraiser and inviting them to meet your candidate and open their wallets a bit. These local House races don’t attract many dollars unless they are very competitive, but these candidates need and deserve the support to run a real campaign.
So, to wrap up: please work for the State Lege or County candidates who are in competitive races. If you live in Denver or Boulder, your State Lege seat is likely safe: please join a campaign outside your own district. I will spotlight some candidates below who are key challengers for the Senate and House.
STATE SENATE: Those You Hopefully Already Know About
Faith Winter, Senate District 24, Adams County — TAKE
Tammy Story, Senate District 16, much of Jefferson County, Gilpin, & south Boulder County — TAKE
Jessie Danielson, Senate District 20, central-north Jefferson County — HOLD (from Cheri Jahn)
Brittany Pettersen, Senate District 22, central-east Jefferson County — HOLD (from Andy Kerr)
Kerry Donovan, Senate District 5 - Chaffee, Delta, Eagle, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Lake, Pitkin Counties — Incumbent
So hey, Jefferson & Adams County folks! Got a lot on the plate no matter where you live. The Senate depends on holding two of these seats and claiming at least one if not both of the top two. Donovan’s mountain district is a likely hold but the work must get done to make it so.
If you don’t already know of these candidates and campaigns, and you live in one of these districts, please get involved now, at least at the postcard level, and on doors if at all possible whenever you are free. Their campaigns will be calling volunteer prospects, desperate to schedule you — please return their calls or texts, and read your emails.
Related to these races are several House races to either hold or take seats, and while their significance isn’t at the same level as taking the Senate, they are no less important for adding powerful voices to the State House.
***SPOTLIGHT HOUSE RACE***
Dafna Michaelson-Jenet, House District 30, Commerce City, North Aurora, Thornton, Henderson — Incumbent
This seat is notoriously volatile re: Presidential to midterm turnout. If you live here, please focus on helping Dafna's re-election campaign.
House Races PRIMARILY OVERLAPPING with FAITH WINTER: Yadira Caraveo, House District 31, Thornton/Welby — HOLD (from Joe Salazar)
Kyle Mullica, House District 34, Northglenn & Thornton — RETAKE (from disgraced & expelled former Dem now GOP Steve Lebsock: the appointed member is “Skinny” Winkler. No, I’m serious.)
Shannon Bird, House District 35, Westminster — HOLD (from Faith Winter)
House Races PRIMARILY OVERLAPPING with TAMMY STORY:
Lisa Cutter, House District 25, west/rural JeffCo — TAKE (incumbent is Tim Leonard)
Todd Kastetter, House District 22, Ken Caryl, Columbine, Dakota Ridge — TAKE (incumbent is Justin Everett)
House Races PRIMARILY OVERLAPPING with JESSIE DANIELSON:
Brianna Titone, House District 27, Arvada — TAKE, OPEN SEAT: incumbent was Lang Sias, now the GOP’s LG nominee — the vacancy-appointed representative as of Friday 7/27 is Vicki Pyne.
Monica Duran, House District 24, Wheat Ridge & Golden — HOLD (from Jessie Danielson)
Chris Kennedy, House District 23, north & west Lakewood — Incumbent
House Races PRIMARILY OVERLAPPING with BRITTANY PETTERSEN:
Kerry Tipper, House District 28, east and south Lakewood — HOLD (from Brittany Pettersen)
Districts 22, 23, & 24 as noted above
House Races PRIMARILY OVERLAPPING with KERRY DONOVAN:
Dylan Roberts, House District 26, Eagle & Routt Counties — Incumbent
You may have noticed that almost all these districts are in the North & West Denver metro area suburbs, and co-located overwhelmingly in Congressional District 7—Ed Perlmutter. Ed is safe, but these downballot races are in need of support—help the candidates trying to take or hold key seats.
In addition, there are important County races, such as Emma Pinter for Adams County Commissioner and Lesley Dahlkemper for Jefferson County Commissioner, and all the County candidates. Adams County Democrats & JeffCo Dems are your sources for the full slates of candidates and information in these counties.
So, please spread this around to your CO friends, and if I didn’t feature your area, please understand I am writing with a focus on the State Legislature. The East Metro/ Congressional 6 folks are understandably focused on electing Jason Crow, and their own State House candidate challengers such as Tom Sullivan -- Centennial, House District 37 & Chris Kolker -- Littleton, Centennial, House District 38. If you live here, please support & volunteer for these great candidates. And if you live elsewhere, please feature your people with your location in the comments.
Thanks for reading! Let’s get on with the work. What are you doing for your local candidates?
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