A Political Strategy for Democrats in Heavily Republican Districts

( – promoted by lowkell)

Last time out, I was the Democratic nominee for Congress in Virginia’s 6th District. Though not a politician, I ran because I’d spent the previous six-plus years investigating full time the destructive force that has arisen on the political right, and I saw an opportunity to wage a good battle against that force by running against the 20-year Republican rubber-stamp incumbent, Bob Goodlatte.

I’ve had plenty of time to think about the question:  how can Democrats, in a District like this, where Republicans greatly outnumber Democrats, best contribute to the political battle against the atrocious thing that the Republican Party has become?

While I am not at this time planning to run again for office, I am continuing to “campaign” for the same purposes that led me to enter that race. I’m here now as part of that “campaign” to confront and defeat that sick and broken spirit that’s hijacked the Republican Party.

Here’s an intro to my thoughts about political strategy, which I am seeking to present for the consideration of Democrats in my District and other Districts where the Republicans have relatively safe seats.

At one level, Democrats in a District like the 6th –where the Republicans have a roughly 2:1 advantage, and in which Republican politicians like Bob Goodlatte can count on the votes of a whole lot of people whose minds are closed and whose politics are rigid– have a big problem.

But at an equally important level, this reality represents a great opportunity.

In the next two weeks, I will be coming to two of the major cities in the 6th District to talk about that opportunity.

What’s necessary, I will try to explain, is that we think rightly about the larger political battle and our place in it, and that we wage it with a well-chosen strategy.

I will be proposing such a way of thinking, and such a strategy.

I hope that people in my District will choose to attend.  I also encourage those in other Districts in Virginia where Republicans hold relatively safe seats to send a representative to check out what I have to say. I’ll be willing to travel anywhere in Virginia to share these same strategic ideas with groups of Democrats facing similar situations to those we face here in the 6th.

In these times, when America’s biggest problem is the crisis in our politics that is disabling our nation from addressing constructively all our other problems, it is important that we use our forces in the strategically most effective way to drain power from the force that has brought so much toxicity and paralysis to the political process.

Here are the two upcoming events already scheduled.  

The first of these talks will be in Harrisonburg this coming Thursday evening, April 18, at 7 PM. The location will be at Adona Music, at 34 South Main Street.

The second will be a week later in Lynchburg. That one will be on the evening of Thursday, April 25, at 7 PM, at the Main Branch of the Lynchburg Public Library at 2315 Memorial Avenue.

I intend to talk for about 20 minutes, and then open it up for discussion.