Democrats launch massive battleground plan led by Obama general

[RandySF]

Some of the Democratic Party's most powerful factions are joining forces behind a massive organizing program in six battleground states — an effort aimed at minimizing the damage from a potentially protracted primary and giving the party's eventual nominee a fighting chance against Donald Trump's political machine.

Dubbed Organizing Together 2020, the effort was assembled by one of Barack Obama’s battleground gurus, Paul Tewes, and is hiring hundreds of staffers in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida, North Carolina and Arizona. The party's biggest union supporters and top progressive groups, as well as several governors, are powering the initiative, which has not been previously reported.

“We may not have a nominee until July. This could be a protracted primary,” Tewes told POLITICO, acknowledging that the battle between Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren and the other eight presidential candidates could leave bruised Democratic feelings along the way.

“The idea is that we should get the organizing done earlier. Let’s give people a home, foster a little unity,” he said.

Tewes added: “We’re under no illusion that this is the salve.”

The organizing effort, which experts estimate could cost between $20 million to $60 million, would end after the nomination, at which point the nominee's campaign would absorb the cost of staff and field offices. It is being funded by a political nonprofit called the Strategic Victory Fund, whose donors are anonymous.





https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/31/obamas-field-guru-leading-massive-organizing-effort-109805

[EarnestPutz]

1. The political nonprofit mentioned in the post, Strategic Victory Fund, supported a measure...

....in Colorado, Proposition CC, that allowed the state to keep excess funds collected beyond budget requirements and spend them on education and roads. It was indeed "dark money" whose sources lacked the transparency we desire for such things and the group was briefly criticized for this by right wing opponents to the measure. Supporters acknowledged the criticism and pointed to ongoing efforts to reform Colorado campaign finance laws, including applying the laws to ballot measures as well as candidates.

[Scotch-Irish]

4. Republicans take dark money --- Russian money -- with impunity

but Democrats are ready to throw the book at their own money raisers.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Best hundred bucks spent

for the best cause.

[OnDoutside]

3. Brilliant. Anyone who has read Rick Wilson's new book will be

A little calmer to hear this news.