People who have a longer history of being "cringe" and political, a few questions:
Once the campaign is over, how hard is it to remove a bumper sticker? I do a lot of hiking and camping and leaving my car unattended for a week in WV with a Biden sticker seems less than ideal
If you rent, how can you make use of yard signs? I figure I can stick it in my window...?
T-shirts are really not my style; can anyone suggest another way to fashionably promote democracy? Seems like the pickings are slim for people who wear neither hats nor t-shirts... maybe a button?
Hello people. I am back as a paid subscriber. I wish there was like some free tier for candidates running for office. Not just here, but for all news outlets. The more educated on the issues I am as a candidate makes me a better candidate and if I win, a better legislator. I can expense the four local papers in my district with campaign funds. But if I start expensing every Substack I want to read, or national papers, that gets hairy. Free news and analysis for candidates I say.
The reason I jumped back in as paid (from my personal funds) was because I was very excited about this post and wanted to comment. When I started my campaign (running for NC Senate in the 36th), I thought, well, this is the reddest district in the state. I'll run a shoestring budget. I will tell my story and talk about my issues and do things word of mouth.
My district is gerrymandered to R+26 on voter preference. It is also 2,000 square miles of rural. I also work a full time job. What money buys me is TIME. I have to have a revenue stream outside of me zig zagging across all these miles to meet and greet. Something that a volunteer can't really do.
But now let's say you are a candidate like me. Every political person would say, do not donate to this campaign. It's R+26. Your money is better served going to Josh Stein. Or Joe Biden. Or Rachel Hunt. And I agree with that.
Yet look at a lot of the Dem legislative candidates in rural areas across the state. Some just put their name on the ballot so that every race is contested. They don't really look to raise a lot of money. And that is great. They are brave and noble for doing that.
But once in a blue moon, some guy likes me comes up and just flips the script. Is on the cusp or raising $20,000. Gets statewide and national attention. Makes their opponent think twice about sending tens of thousands to Republicans in swing districts because they are virtually unchallenged.
I agree with everything Matt said in this post. I am not asking you to donate to me. The two statewide races that I would donate to would be, as Matt called out, Allison Riggs for NC Supreme Court, and Mo Green, running for state Superintendent of Public Instruction against someone (Michele Morrow) who has advocated for public execution of Democrats.
But I do encourage you to watch out for dark horse candidates. I'd give Chuck Hubbard at least 50/50 odds of beating Virginia Foxx in the NC-05 US House race. And just look out for NC races in general. Trump is prolly still favored to win here by a few points, but Council of State and leg races, we are on it.
>There are, of course, other House races that matter, but these are eight campaigns where your money could really make a difference: ME-2, CO-8, NC-1, NM-2, CA-13, MI-7, MI-8, OR-5
Thanks for the tip Matt, I will be sending money to all 8 Republican candidates in these critical House districts.
Here is a question for anyone who has knowledge/wisdom about giving. Is there a point at which it's most practical or helpful to donate to a candidate? I am a semi-retired person who makes enough money to sprinkle hither and yon among Matt's suggested candidates, but it won't be available until late- September. Does this make a difference? In 2020, I did postcard sending, to various states not California, and it made me feel like I was doing something for real.
I like this post. Practical and useful is good. That said, I was under the impression research suggests giving money is not that useful in politics. (I am not a political scientist.)
Changing a vote from Trump to Biden is not going to happen. That is locked in. Changing a vote from RFK (or another 3rd party) to Biden is possible. And pushing a Biden vote to the polls is definitely possible. There are a handful of States where this will matter.
The intensity of the Palestinian support is concerning. Coming back from calling a guy Genocide Joe to voting for him is a tough one.
Even smart thoughtful people have lost their minds on this. Ryan Grimm asked Destiny how Israel could be worse to the Palestinians? What? Lots of ways. I have a Russian friend who has educated me on some Russian history during WWII. I’ve then looked some of it up. The Russians basically experienced what the Jews did at the hands of the Nazi’s. Concentration camps, starving, etc. She mentioned her Grandmother in a concentration camp. I asked if she were Jewish. She fired back with insults to my historical knowledge. The images of starving Russians are horrific. I think the death toll was more than 20M.
For a smart guy like Grimm to ask how could it be worse shows an irrationality around this that could easily result in young people making bad decisions about their votes.
It would be helpful if Harris could find a way to say that if she were to inherent the Presidency - she would be true to Biden’s vision and policies. It’s a tricky thing to do, I know.
Trump obviously should raise the specter of her taking over and then say who knows what crazy stuff she would do.
I'm guessing we'll see more anti-Harris stuff as the election gets closer. Right now, half the Republicans I see on-line are still spinning theories about how Biden will in some manner be replaced by Hillary Clinton.
Well, it was the most useful, practical. It probably was not the one Matt had the most fun writing, or the most "interesting" as purely intellectual exercise. But practical! And concise AF!
IMHO, the best thing people on the Right can do to put TFG back in the White House is to sock-puppet rage and disappointment on the Left against Biden. That certainly seems to be happening, and shockingly easy.
Greetings from the future -- about 2.5 months along.
Biden shanked the 1st debate.
Trump got shot.
Biden withdrew; Kamala looks to have sewn up the nomination.
We're MUCH closer to the end of primary season...and clearly the electoral vibes are shifting / have shifted.
Any updates to your list Matt?
Useful article - do you have a more up to date version in the works?
Here is the pathetic pity: that The National Enquirer is what a deciding number of the voting public reads.
"What was discussed is the power of the National Enquirer in terms of being located at cash registers in so many supermarkets, bodegas" —
https://thehill.com/homenews/4657206-michael-cohen-trump-hush-money-trial/
People who have a longer history of being "cringe" and political, a few questions:
Once the campaign is over, how hard is it to remove a bumper sticker? I do a lot of hiking and camping and leaving my car unattended for a week in WV with a Biden sticker seems less than ideal
If you rent, how can you make use of yard signs? I figure I can stick it in my window...?
T-shirts are really not my style; can anyone suggest another way to fashionably promote democracy? Seems like the pickings are slim for people who wear neither hats nor t-shirts... maybe a button?
Hello people. I am back as a paid subscriber. I wish there was like some free tier for candidates running for office. Not just here, but for all news outlets. The more educated on the issues I am as a candidate makes me a better candidate and if I win, a better legislator. I can expense the four local papers in my district with campaign funds. But if I start expensing every Substack I want to read, or national papers, that gets hairy. Free news and analysis for candidates I say.
The reason I jumped back in as paid (from my personal funds) was because I was very excited about this post and wanted to comment. When I started my campaign (running for NC Senate in the 36th), I thought, well, this is the reddest district in the state. I'll run a shoestring budget. I will tell my story and talk about my issues and do things word of mouth.
My district is gerrymandered to R+26 on voter preference. It is also 2,000 square miles of rural. I also work a full time job. What money buys me is TIME. I have to have a revenue stream outside of me zig zagging across all these miles to meet and greet. Something that a volunteer can't really do.
But now let's say you are a candidate like me. Every political person would say, do not donate to this campaign. It's R+26. Your money is better served going to Josh Stein. Or Joe Biden. Or Rachel Hunt. And I agree with that.
Yet look at a lot of the Dem legislative candidates in rural areas across the state. Some just put their name on the ballot so that every race is contested. They don't really look to raise a lot of money. And that is great. They are brave and noble for doing that.
But once in a blue moon, some guy likes me comes up and just flips the script. Is on the cusp or raising $20,000. Gets statewide and national attention. Makes their opponent think twice about sending tens of thousands to Republicans in swing districts because they are virtually unchallenged.
I agree with everything Matt said in this post. I am not asking you to donate to me. The two statewide races that I would donate to would be, as Matt called out, Allison Riggs for NC Supreme Court, and Mo Green, running for state Superintendent of Public Instruction against someone (Michele Morrow) who has advocated for public execution of Democrats.
But I do encourage you to watch out for dark horse candidates. I'd give Chuck Hubbard at least 50/50 odds of beating Virginia Foxx in the NC-05 US House race. And just look out for NC races in general. Trump is prolly still favored to win here by a few points, but Council of State and leg races, we are on it.
Darren
>There are, of course, other House races that matter, but these are eight campaigns where your money could really make a difference: ME-2, CO-8, NC-1, NM-2, CA-13, MI-7, MI-8, OR-5
Thanks for the tip Matt, I will be sending money to all 8 Republican candidates in these critical House districts.
I want to end the Biden autocracy.
https://womensliberationfront.org/news/women-outraged-over-regulations-replacing-sex-with-gender-identity-in-federal-civil-rights-laws
Why do you believe Janelle Bynum is preferable to Jamie McCleod-Skinner?
Best post I’ve seen in a while.
Here is a question for anyone who has knowledge/wisdom about giving. Is there a point at which it's most practical or helpful to donate to a candidate? I am a semi-retired person who makes enough money to sprinkle hither and yon among Matt's suggested candidates, but it won't be available until late- September. Does this make a difference? In 2020, I did postcard sending, to various states not California, and it made me feel like I was doing something for real.
I like this post. Practical and useful is good. That said, I was under the impression research suggests giving money is not that useful in politics. (I am not a political scientist.)
Changing a vote from Trump to Biden is not going to happen. That is locked in. Changing a vote from RFK (or another 3rd party) to Biden is possible. And pushing a Biden vote to the polls is definitely possible. There are a handful of States where this will matter.
The intensity of the Palestinian support is concerning. Coming back from calling a guy Genocide Joe to voting for him is a tough one.
Even smart thoughtful people have lost their minds on this. Ryan Grimm asked Destiny how Israel could be worse to the Palestinians? What? Lots of ways. I have a Russian friend who has educated me on some Russian history during WWII. I’ve then looked some of it up. The Russians basically experienced what the Jews did at the hands of the Nazi’s. Concentration camps, starving, etc. She mentioned her Grandmother in a concentration camp. I asked if she were Jewish. She fired back with insults to my historical knowledge. The images of starving Russians are horrific. I think the death toll was more than 20M.
For a smart guy like Grimm to ask how could it be worse shows an irrationality around this that could easily result in young people making bad decisions about their votes.
It would be helpful if Harris could find a way to say that if she were to inherent the Presidency - she would be true to Biden’s vision and policies. It’s a tricky thing to do, I know.
Trump obviously should raise the specter of her taking over and then say who knows what crazy stuff she would do.
I'm guessing we'll see more anti-Harris stuff as the election gets closer. Right now, half the Republicans I see on-line are still spinning theories about how Biden will in some manner be replaced by Hillary Clinton.
Could this be the Slow Boring GOAT?
....I think so. I think so!
Well, it was the most useful, practical. It probably was not the one Matt had the most fun writing, or the most "interesting" as purely intellectual exercise. But practical! And concise AF!
IMHO, the best thing people on the Right can do to put TFG back in the White House is to sock-puppet rage and disappointment on the Left against Biden. That certainly seems to be happening, and shockingly easy.
I don’t think we are disagreeing. Voter ID and GOTV are vital.
A superb post. Nothing to add except thank Matt for this. Will definitely share.