It’s time to start thinking about where you want to make a difference in November’s midterm elections. You can, of course, stay home and work in your own state. And while you are at it, you might be able to remotely help out in other states. But if you are interested in being a traveling campaign volunteer and willing to trek to a state where your participation can have a large impact, it’s time to start thinking about your options.
In 2018 and 2020, I posted a number of “trifecta briefs” for folks who were interested in traveling to a state with several high impact races.1 In 2018, we considered states with competitive governor, Senate, and House races. In 2020, we considered states with competitive presidential, Senate, and House races. (Thus: a trifecta.)
This year is different than others. The stakes are higher than a normal midterm and important races are everywhere as well as up and down the ballot. So, instead of focusing on the “trifecta” – that is three different elections that matter — let’s focus on some high target states. Every House district is important this year. This is one year in which in many states staying home and focusing on winning the Congressional districts in your state is really important. I will point out the House races that are worth your attention, but just about any district you can work in will be worth the effort. However, if you are in, say, Massachusetts or Arkansas, then maybe it makes sense to hit the road if you want to make an impact.
I also encourage you checkbook activists2 out there to double your contributions. In the past I have argued about halving your donations and giving half to organizing groups and half to candidates. (I do not advise donating to the DCCC or the DSCC unless you really just want to give them the discretion over where your money goes.)3 I have been discussing fundraising with a lot of practitioners over the past two years and the evidence seems pretty clear: most donors will give more if given a good reason to.
Starting this week, I will post a series of target state reports for you. I have categorized several states into two tiers of importance. The first is for people who are willing to travel around the country to a state that has a number of high-impact contests. One thing I am taking into consideration this year are races for state Attorney General and Secretary of State. Considering the Republican attack on voting rights, election officials, and democracy in general, presidential battleground states with competitive races for these offices (or where one candidate appears to be a danger to democracy), I think these races are as important as the federal races. If it were not for this criterion, Wisconsin would probably a second tier state.
The second tier is for people who might be willing to travel to a neighboring state. These states could become first tier states over the next six weeks or so, but right now they only show some promise in one or two contests.
First tier – These are states that (1) have a Senate race that might tip the balance of power and (2) have a governor’s race and other races (AG and Secretary of State) that will be important in overseeing elections in 2024 and 2026. I will post a target state report (the “trifecta brief”) for each of these states.
Arizona
Georgia
Pennsylvania
Nevada
Wisconsin
Second tier4 – These states have an important race that is either attracting interest or should be. These are important states to work in if you live there already or it’s easy for you to get there. I will post a single target report for this tier instead of individual state reports. If one or more start to look more like a first tier state as we get into October, I may post a first tier type report for it.
Florida
Ohio
Oregon
New Hampshire
North Carolina
Texas
If you are wondering what use these reports will be to you, I suggest you review this post. However, unlike earlier trifecta reports I plan to include ways to donate to campaigns and organizing groups and contact them to volunteer. I did post information on that separately as we moved through the election cycle, but this year I will include it in the report. So, while you are mulling over what you can or cannot do this year, here are some things to consider:
Pick a state to focus on, travel there and volunteer with the coordinated campaign, a single campaign, or a labor/community campaign doing GOTV.
Can’t travel this year? Pick a few states to work on and do so remotely.
Send money to candidates and local organizing groups. Whatever you decide to give, double it if you can. Although we have evidence that many people can easily double their contributions, do not let that discourage you. We can only do what we can do, and every dollar counts. If you double your donation budget, give the other half to local organizing groups. I will include suggestions for donations to organizing groups in the briefs for each state. If you know of other groups you would rather donate to, do so (and let me know who you are supporting so I can help amplify the effort).
Call, text, or write postcards. If you have the time, you can do multiple states – but if not, focus on one state; ideally the one you would travel to/focus on for GOTV in November.
Do not let organizers or anyone else push you around or make you feel guilty about the level of your participation. Some are just doing what they were trained to do, some unfortunately are just jerks.5 You contribute what you can and feel comfortable doing. No one should expect more. However, be prepared that there might not be something for you to do other than phone bank or canvass, which are often the most important things a campaign does during the last few weeks of a race. There are other tasks to do on campaigns, such as cutting up canvass turfs, visibility (holding signs at an intersection, e.g.), logistical support for events, etc.
Don’t expect to be writing white papers or putting together campaign ads. Even if you have skills in those areas, the former is a waste of time and the campaign already has a media consultant or team.
Remember this: you are volunteering your time, which might mean giving up vacation or taking unpaid leave from work. It’s your time and it has a cost for you. Good organizers will recognize this. They’ll push you, but the good ones know not to insult people working for them for free.
First up is first tier target state Arizona. It should be posted tomorrow. (I am not promising to release these alphabetically, but it might turn out that way.)
Later this week, I will start posting about how you can juggle your progressivism with the practical limitations and challenges of the American two-party system. It’s hard for a lot of people work on campaigns for candidates or a party they are not passionate about, but we can multi-task our politics and I will offer some suggestion on how to do it so you can work towards the world you want to see while also playing an inside game that pragmatism often requires.
And once we hit Labor Day, we’ll start following the polls regularly.
The 2018 briefs were not posted in Margin of Error Blog, so you will not find them by reviewing the archives. You can find the 2020 briefs in the archives.
I say this with no disrespect. The term checkbook activist is sometimes used derisively, which is unfair. Most people cannot afford to - or are not comfortable with - volunteering on campaigns. Money is essential for campaigns to pay staff, materials, advertising time/space, and other things. I volunteer most every election cycle, but there have been a few in which I was only a checkbook activist because that’s all I could do then. I use the term checkbook activist more broadly than some do: everyone who has an extra buck in their pocket (and I know that is not everyone) should be a checkbook activist in addition to the volunteer work you do.
Giving cash to these party organizations is better after the primaries since they always support incumbents, and you might prefer your money going to a progressive insurgent rather than a six-term centrist.
There is a lot more art than science to the second tier. I am sure we could add plenty more. If there is one you think I really overlooked, please let me know along with your reasons why. If I agree with you, I’ll add the state to the second tier report.
The organizers who are demanding and overly pushy are often young and new at it (they are learning the ropes, too). Most will learn to dial it back a little and respect the fact that you are volunteering time you could easily have spent at the beach or a cookout. Expect organizers to push you a little, that’s part of their job. But they should be motivating you, not threatening you or rolling their eyes at you when you tell them you are not comfortable knocking on doors. You may run into an older, experienced organizer who is awful to you. Do not tolerate toxic behavior from organizers, especially ones seasoned enough to know better. You are doing them a favor, not the other way around. (Also, toxic behavior is not okay in any work environment, period.)