Progressive Democrat Issue 89: THOUGHTS

This week's newsletter is going to focus more on issues than elections. I want to remind myself and readers of some of the issues I included in my original statements of why I was writing this newsletter almost 2 years ago. But first, some elction news with reminders that we have to be donating and working very hard right now if we want any chance of winning big in November.

This last week has seen Republicans playing catchup. Polls around the nation are showing that the great chance that Democrats can pick up both houses of Congress are slipping. Our chances of picking up Senate seats in Tennessee, Missouri and Virginia are slipping thanks to HUGE efforts by Republicans to hold onto those seats. I should note that things have looked up for Democratic incumbents as well. New Jersey, for example, is now a dead heat rather than a possible Republican pick up. I think in terms of the Senate, we are seeing a gradual trend towards keeping seats with whichever party holds them now. That is worrisome. I predicted that would happen. By seeing it happen, we can do something about it. It all comes down to donations, volunteer hours and letters to the media.

PLEASE help win the Senate in these states:

Virginia (my Virginia readers are not donating the way my New York readers have!)

New Jersey (same as Virginia...New York readers are quicker with the money)

Tennessee (this race is complicated by the issue of a woman's choice)

Missouri (the best and most likely pick up that is still in question)

Things are more mixed in the House. We have a better than expected chance to take the NY-26 Conrgessional seat, and are slipping in the PA-6 race.

Remember that NY State is one of the areas where the most upsets in our favor are likely to occur due to a Republican state party in complete disarray and Eliot Spitzer's coattails. I think we will pick up some seats in NY State that aren't clearly on the radar. NY-20, -24 and now -26 are the most likely pick ups. NY-29 is a more distant possibility, though actually my Republican source give us a better shot than we think we have, so maybe they know something we don't! And from some inside info I have gotten, NY-13 is starting to look very competitive. This last goes against common wisdom, but fundraising is up (thanks in part to help from Chuck Schumer and Anthony Weiner) and the DCCC is starting to take notice. A poll that was leaked to me suggests a statistical dead heat...but because it was leaked I can't judge the methodology. So we have a good chance at having three pick ups and I think a better than expected shot at at least two more seats. But it won't be easy to win ANY of these. The Republicans think we won't win any of them...I think we can if we work hard at it.

Pennsylvania is hotly contested both in terms of three or four House seats, and also in terms of Senate. We have to win pretty big in Pennsylvania to win both houses of Congress. There are four House races in PA that we have a shot at picking up: PA-6, -7, -8, and -10. If we win PA's Senate and three or four House seats, we will be doing very well. Republicans think Dems will win Senate and MAYBE one House seat. If we work hard, we can beat their expectations.

Let's do our best to sweep New York State (my second most successful fundraising page) and to win big in Pennsylvania.

Now, on to more issue oriented actions.