Tonight, the Montgomery County Democratic Party will do what amounts to an undemocratic thing: they will screen the congressional candidates and possibly give an endorsement. I always thought that we had primaries to do this, but I should know by now, the Montgomery County Dems depend on a large number of voters who call in and ask who should they vote for? The party treats them like sheep.
The screening is done by a select committee of party faithful in a closed-door session upstairs. Invariably, the first question (although it’s too late to do it in this case) is “If we don’t endorse you, will you drop out and back our choice.”
It’s a litmus test that I’ve already failed many times. I think that if you have to explain your campaign behind closed doors, you shouldn’t be running. However, I can’t shoot myself in the foot by ignoring the people who hold so much valuable data that is needed to run a successful campaign against the person they should really despise- Mike Turner.
I had to fill out a questionnaire [1] for them- and need to bring 40 copies. The instructions include this line:
Your answers to this questionnaire will remain confidential. After the interview process all copies will be collected by the Chair of the Screening Committee and subsequently destroyed.
I will get 10 minutes in front of the committee. Probably 3 to speak, and then answer questions. Then, at 7:00 they will meet with the whole central committee- upstairs, behind closed doors and tell them their decision. Then at 7:30 they will have the general meeting- and pronounce their decision where a token vote will be taken.
I won’t be there- because I need to be in Fayette County for the only Candidates’ Forum [2] they are having. Hosted by the Tea Party, they will have 5-minute speeches plus questions moderated by a radio talk show host, Mike Callahan who is the “left” side of the duo on the “Common Sense Politics” [3] radio show. I will video the event and post.
When the Fayette County Dems saw on Facebook that I was going to this event, they tried to warn me off that this was a Tea Party event. I reminded them that once I get elected, I have to represent everyone in the tenth district . The response was that they would come see the candidates at a Democratic function. My response: “I thought a Democratic function was one where we actually hear all sides- and take a vote. Why can’t you reach across the aisle, so to speak, and co-sponsor the event?”
This weekend I’ll need volunteers to start walking neighborhoods and distributing literature and yard signs. If you want to volunteer: www.5pointsmobile.com/electesrati [4]
To take this campaign to the next level, I still need to get more money- if you can spare as little as a $1 it helps. Please donate [5]. If you want to see congressional races done for a lot less than a million, I need to raise $10K for the primary and $90K for the general.