Tag: 2018 election

DNC Announces New Program: Team Blue

In partnership with organizations including Swing Left, 270 Strategies, Obama Alumni Association, Hillary Alumni Group, Bernie Alumni, Sister District, Flippable, and MobilizeAmerica

Democrats are seeing increased enthusiasm all across the country with a record number of volunteers wanting to get involved in campaigns.  In an effort to help direct this enthusiasm and get people plugged into campaigns up and down the ballot, today the DNC is launching a new volunteer program called Team Blue. Team Blue will support campaigns’ on-the-ground efforts by making it easier for people to find volunteer opportunities that work with their schedule or to identify a campaign where they could spend weeks or months volunteering full time during the final stretch.

Additionally, Team Blue is partnering with 270 Strategies and Swing Left on a new initiative called the ‘GOTV Deployment Project,’ which is working with campaigns to identify their needs and then matching and deploying experienced and diverse campaign talent to key races up and down the ballot, including Swing Left’s targeted congressional campaigns. The GOTV Deployment Project will maximize voter contact and other GOTV activities done by volunteers, including knocking doors and making calls during the final weeks and last weekend before November 6th. Continue reading “DNC Announces New Program: Team Blue”

Obama comes off sidelines, thrilling Dems

The following article by Amie Parnes was posted on the Hill website September 8, 2018:

It was a speech Barack Obama had held off from delivering.

For months, the former president refused to come off the political sidelines, even as some activists said that they wanted him to publicly take on President Trump.

Obama grumbled privately to close allies about Trump, but said he did not want to become even more of a foil to his successor, who frequently criticizes him on Twitter and in remarks to friendly audiences.

He said he wanted to create space for new leaders to emerge, and that he didn’t want to suck up all the oxygen.

View the complete article here.

WATCH: DNC Chair Perez Emphasizes Importance of Getting Out the Vote

RNC Chair admits Democrats have enthusiasm

This weekend, DNC Chair Tom Perez and RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel hit the airwaves, with starkly different visions of the political climate less than 60 days before Election Day. While Perez focused on the issues facing voters and emphasized the importance of every American exercising their right to vote, RNC Chair McDaniel was put on defense and forced to defend Trump administration policies that are hurting working families across the country.

While DNC Chair Tom Perez touted historic Democratic turnout, McDaniel was forced to admit Democrats have more enthusiasm.

DNC Chair Tom Perez: “Progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability, Margaret. And we’re working our tails off everywhere. I feel excited because we’re organizing everywhere, we’re fielding great candidates everywhere. You see the energy out there. Democratic turnout in [contested House primaries through June] in 2018 has been up 84 percent from 2014 .”

RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel: “Democrats have energy right now… And they’re coming back strong in 2018, hoping to flip the majority.”

Continue reading “WATCH: DNC Chair Perez Emphasizes Importance of Getting Out the Vote”

Obama condemns Trump in fiery address

The following article by Jordan Fabian was posed on the Hillwebsite September 7, 2018:

Former President Obama stepped off the political sidelines on Friday and delivered a fiery rebuke to his successor, President Trump, saying he has undermined trust in government and preyed on people’s fears by inflaming racial and ethnic divisions.

“This is not normal. These are not ordinary times, these are dangerous times,” the former president, who since leaving office has avoided direct attacks on Trump, said during a speech at the University of Illinois.

The hourlong speech marked Obama’s return to the political stage and was intended to rally Democrats ahead of November’s midterm elections, which he framed as crucial for the future of the American democracy. 

View the complete article here.

 

Five biggest surprises in midterm fight

The following article by Lisa Hagen, Max Greenwood and Reid Wilson was posted on the Hill website September 7, 2018:

Two months before voters head to the polls in a midterm election increasingly shaped by President Trump, the political landscape is far different than it was when he took office.

Democrats are showing up to vote in record numbers, but so are Republicans. Trump’s approval rating has remained dismal, but consistent. And the states and districts in which the two parties are fighting for control of Congress are markedly different than what strategists on both sides expected.

Here are the five biggest surprises defining the 2018 midterm elections:

View the complete article here.

Chuck Todd scopes out Minnesota’s hot races

The following article by John Croman was posted on the Kare11.com website September 4, 2018:

Chuck Todd scopes out Minnesota’s hot races

WASHINGTON — Minnesota will attract intense attention from national Republicans and an outsized amount of campaign cash this fall, according to NBC’s Chuck Todd.

“I think the priority of national Republicans is two-fold in Minnesota. I think priority number one is the House seats. Priority number two is the House seats!” the Meet the Press host quipped in an interview with KARE recently.

“You have four House seats in play, and it’s one of the few states where Republicans can actually pick up House seats. There’s really nowhere else in the country are they actually playing on offense, other than in Minnesota.”

View the complete article here.

Despite Trump Rhetoric, Polling, House GOP Leaders Shrug Off Potential for Fall Drama

The following article by Lindsey McPherson was posted on the Roll Call website September 5, 2018:

Ryan confident there won’t be a government shutdown, saying, ’I think the results will prove itself‘

Speaker Paul Ryan Credit: Tom Williams, CQ Roll Call

Whether it was the potential of a government shutdown or President Donald Trump suggesting that his Department of Justice erred in bring charges against two Republican congressmen just months ahead of the midterms, Speaker Paul D. Ryan is shrugging off the controversy.

Consider it part of the “no drama” strategy House GOP leaders laid out to their conference Wednesday morning.

Members leaving the meeting said their leadership wants to avoid a shutdown this fall and work with the Senate to enact as many appropriations bills as they can before the end of the month, limiting the number of agencies they’ll have to fund through a continuing resolution.

View the complete article here.

It’s the ‘Year of the Woman’ — just not for Republicans

The following article by Emily Crockett was posted on the ShareBlue.com website August 29, 2018:

A record number of women are running for office in this year’s election, but the Republican gender gap is probably about to get even worse.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Credit: Bebeto Matthews, AP

Record numbers of women are running for Congress in 2018 — but Republicans will still probably have fewer women representing their party in the U.S. House after the midterm elections.

“2018 is the year of the woman — except on the Republican side, where the ranks of GOP women are likely to shrink,” David Wasserman, House editor of the Cook Political Report, told The Hill. “It’s a fairly dire situation for Republican women in the House.”

Out of 236 Republican House members, just 23 are women. And according to The Hill’s analysis, the best-case scenario for the GOP will be keeping that already-low number constant.

View the complete article here.

The Memo: Trump’s future hinges on midterms

The following article by Niall Stanage was posted on the Hill website August 31, 2018:

President Trump’s first major electoral test since his 2016 presidential victory is looming — even though he isn’t on the ballot.

Labor Day marks the start of the final sprint to the midterm elections, set for Nov. 6.

If Democrats seize a majority in the House of Representatives, they could hamstring Trump’s agenda — and potentially start impeachment proceedings against him.