[statecom-discuss] Re: [IPPN] CounterPunch 7/24/07:

[Ron Francis]

I agree with running at low levels....and building local bases... (and even doing issue work prior to running)

But do you think it makes sense to run at a higher level and get defeated, with the argument being that one can gain experience and attention, and build a stronger organization afterwards.... Isn't there some merit to such an tactic ?

We've had quite a few people do this.... 

Ron

BillCunningham <etwee at earthlink.net> wrote: Do we have a candidate who can win a seat in the State legislature? We do have candidates who can win City council and school committee seats. Let's think about supporting them.

If someone comes along who wants to run as GRP for higher office, she better bring along a campaign organization with her as far as I'm concerned.

STOP STOP STOP tilting at windmills and chasing the will o the wisp. FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS on strategic thinking and the world outside our door.
Otherwise GRP can go to hell—and it will.

-----Original Message-----
>From: Ron Francis 
>Sent: Jul 25, 2007 11:32 PM
>To: statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>Subject: [statecom-discuss] Re: [candidate-development] Re: [IPPN] CounterPunch 7/24/07: "Why I'm challenging Pelosi" by Cindy Sheehan
>
>I agree with Jamie, but would say do it at an even lower level.
>
>Try school committee or city council or zoning board if there is one.
>
>Best to establish some kind of base in your own local community before taking on people that usually already have some base.
>
>Even better is to establish yourself on some issue, for a couple of years, and also get yourself known in the community as "a player" and then use that status to make a move.  Some of the "progressive" democrats have done that and have been effective.
>
>We need to put our laps in before jumping into the pool against serious contenders or else risk having a negative experience rather than a building experience.,...we also build trust among residents when you are a known quantity rather than just running out of the blue.
>
>Cyndi Sheehan is a good example of someone who has a passionate issue, and thus a passionate following behind her.    She is in a good position to run at the lowest possible level on federal issues (Congressperson);  She is a great model; her people will be with her as she runs.  She has an easily identifiable reason why people should vote for her and not Pelosi.
>
>And also, there is no upsurge for running for the State legislature because there is no surge in issue activism among party members at the staterep level.  I am working on encouraging that by organizing people (Local Organizing Initiative) in their own Staterep districts / cities with a bias toward ballot questions.   We'll see what happens; it would be great if we had 5 or 6 ballot questions and some common ones too ....
>
>If anyone is interested in starting up a local using the LOI technique, then let me know.
>
>Ron
>
>Mike Heichman  wrote: Hi Jamie,
>
>Maybe 13 candidates for the state legislature would be better than one 
>candidate for Congress.
>
>The problem that I see is that right now it might be a lot easier to 
>"find" one person to run for Congress than 3/5/7 people to run for the 
>state legislature. Who knows what's really going on out there with the 
>members of our party? As of now, I don't detect an upsurge of candidates 
>for the state legislature. There is some talk for the national 
>presidential election, the US Senate race, and John W talking about 
>Congress. However, I haven't heard anything relating the state 
>legislature. Hopefully there is an upsurge that my radar hasn't picked up.
>
>As for me, I want to encourage everyone to run.
>
>So, I say this to John Walsh: "RUN! JOHN! RUN! And now, you have an 
>additional incentive to be nice to everyone-you just announced your 
>potential candidacy.
>
>Mike
>
>
>Jamie O'Keefe wrote:
>
>> On 7/25/07, John Walsh  wrote:
>>
>>> Draft Chuck Turner to run against "Cappie" in the 8th CD.
>>
>>
>> Chuck has a lot to do on the Boston City Council.  Better to run more
>> candidates in Boston.
>>
>>> In fact I may take another stab against Jimmy McGovern in '08.
>>> With Grace's support in an all out assault on Jimmy from her City
>>> Council perch, I  bet I could beat the Prince of Pork in '08.
>>
>>
>> I said this in 2003 and I will say it again in 2007, running for US
>> Congress gains us nothing, but takes a huge effort.  For the effort it
>> takes to get one US Congress person on the ballot, we could get 13
>> State Rep. candidates on.  Plus if half fail to get on, we still have
>> 6-7 who did get on.  With US Congress it is all or nothing.
>>
>> Jamie
>>
>
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Bill Cunningham
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