RandySF
RandySF's JournalWho accounted for the high Florida primary turnout? This group may be part of the answer
It’s too soon to know for sure with precision which demographics went to the polls Tuesday, accounting for a turnout never before seen in Florida’s midterm primaries. But one demographic with historically low turnout may have helped push participation: youths.
According to NextGen America, a political action committee created by billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer, a fierce critic of President Donald Trump, voter turnout in college-area precincts jumped on Tuesday, based on preliminary turnout numbers. Turnout was nearly 10 percent higher in Alachua County, where the University of Florida is located, and youth-heavy precincts in Tallahassee saw five times more votes cast than in the 2014 primary, according to the organization, no doubt fueled in part by the candidacy of Tallahassee-based Andrew Gillum.
Precincts near Florida Memorial University also saw increased turnout.
The progressive group backed Gillum, surprise winner of the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, and registered more than 19,000 youth voters between the ages of 18 and 35 to vote ahead of the primary, said Ben Wessel, the youth vote director for NextGen. He cited higher youth turnout as helping push Gillum over the top. When young people show up, progressive policies turn out, ” Wessel said.
https://www.mcclatchydc.com/latest-news/article217544430.html#storylink=cpy
State Democrats Reach Millions of Voters
WASHINGTON -- With less than 70 days until the November midterm elections, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) Executive Director Jessica Post announced the committee has surpassed its original goal of knocking on more than 1 million doors before the end of summer, as tens of thousands of supporters came together to knock on more than three million doors for state legislative candidates.
“Traditionally, Labor Day marks the turn of election season as campaigns kick it into high gear to turn out their voters in November – but state Democrats have been in high gear all year,” said Post. “Voters know what’s on the line this November and have been showing up in droves to support their local Democrats and participate in the DLCC’s efforts to flip everything on Election Day. Last weekend alone, we saw more than 700 volunteers come out in North Carolina, knocking on nearly 20,000 doors in just two days. That’s the largest weekend of volunteer canvassing ever in North Carolina for legislative candidates, so we’re seeing a lot of great news coming out of the states to give us hope for taking back control this fall.
“We are grateful for the hard work of state Democrats as we continue to lead the blue wave of resistance and mobilize thousands of incredible supporters across the country,” Post continued. “Our field team has already trained more than 500 candidates and staff so far and reports show we had tens of thousands of supporters come out to knock on over 3 million doors to talk with voters. We need to keep this momentum going all over the country all the way through Nov. 6."
With the highest number of Democratic candidates running since 1982, Democrats nationwide have an expanded opportunity to reach more voters than ever before. Already this cycle, the DLCC has helped state Democrats set aggressive field goals and shatter previous volunteer records, and it’s led to state Democrats flipping 44 seats, including key special elections wins in what were once red districts in states like Missouri, Kentucky, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Florida and beyond.
Democrats are only 17 seats away from flipping eight legislative chambers and the DLCC is committed to helping safeguard American values by electing more Democrats and expanding our blue wall with more legislative majorities.
Of the more than 6,000 state legislative races on the ballot this year, there are nearly 800 seats up for election that will redraw the legislative lines during redistricting in 2021. In 37 states, it’s state legislators who redraw the district lines for state and federal representation, making it more important now than ever that we elect state Democrats who support creating fair maps and who will work to make sure every voter’s voice is heard
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is the only organization exclusively committed to electing Democrats to state legislatures all over the country and winning Democratic control of chambers. For over two decades, the DLCC has been working with state legislative leaders to invest strategically in state programs, which has led to Democrats flipping 44 seats since Trump's inauguration. The DLCC is building on Democrats’ winning momentum and continues to lay the groundwork for substantial gains in 2018 in statehouses nationwide. State Democrats recently scored critical victories in Missouri, Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Florida, Minnesota, and elsewhere, while also leading the resistance against the Trump administration’s extremist policies. You can learn more about critical upcoming elections and follow DLCC’s Spotlight Races at races.dlcc.org.
http://www.dlcc.org/press/state-democrats-reach-millions-voters
Robocalls Tied to Neo-Nazi Group Target Gillum
Robocalls against Florida gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum (D) that say they were paid for by a neo-Nazi group in Idaho are going out to voters, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.
“The automated calls are narrated by someone pretending to be Gillum and using an exaggerated minstrel dialect with jungle noises in the background. The calls end with a disclaimer that they were funded by The Road to Power, an anti-Semitic, white supremacist website and podcast linked to Scott Rhodes of Sandpoint, Idaho.”
https://politicalwire.com/2018/08/31/robocalls-tied-to-nazi-group-target-gillum/
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Gender: MaleHometown: Detroit Area, MI
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