The Town That QAnon Nearly Swallowed
Right-wing demagogues tried to take over a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Heres how concerned citizens stopped them.
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/sequim-qanon/
CrispyQ
(36,461 posts)They are infiltrating government all over the country. I hope all local dem orgs are paying attention. IMO, the DNC has some responsibility, here, too, in terms of funding & sharing data. We're all in this fight against the crazies. Let's work together.
The QAnon movement had made inroads into Clallam County during the Trump years, and, despite showing up for national elections, local Democrats were slow off the mark when it came to local politics. They didnt field comprehensive slates of candidates for city council and other regional offices, apparently not realizing until late in the day just how much of an electoral threat the extremists had become.
It does have a national ramification, says Bruce Cowan, a retired elementary school teacher. Cowan lives in Port Townsend and has followed local politics in both Jefferson and Clallam counties since he moved there in 1977; in his retirement, he does volunteer consulting for progressive political campaigns. Folks who dont believe in governmentpopulists, people who dont have faith in the institutions of governanceshouldnt be in charge of the government. One of the things that happened in Sequim is that people were not engaged enough to see how important it was to find candidates for city council. Now they understand the importance.
Faced with the very real prospect of QAnoners consolidating power over all tiers of city and county government, the SGGL got busy. Progressive candidates were recruited to run for office; moderate conservatives, such as City Councillor Brandon Janisse, were wooed as voices to counter the IAA; dozens of volunteers were trained to do the on-the-ground grunt work that can make the difference between a painful election loss and a head-turning win.
mopinko
(70,090 posts)dalton99a
(81,468 posts)thank ja for indivisible and the rest of the grassrooots.
electric_blue68
(14,888 posts)I don't remember if I knew of them, then didn't see much and forgot about.
I'll look them up.
You sound positive about them
mopinko
(70,090 posts)they were a big help turning my sister's red county blue.
i think THE swing demo is suburban women, soccer moms.
if they're scared for their kids, they'll vote for the person that makes them feel safe. if no one does, they'll go for the tough guy.
Rhiannon12866
(205,282 posts)pfitz59
(10,376 posts)Home of the "lavender festival" (for all the lavender farms). Glad the locals worked together to save it.