Democrats Seek Rebound In Nebraska

Lincoln Journal Star ^ | 8-10-05 | Don Walton

[UCAL]

Determined to rebuild their party after a decade of decline, Nebraska Democrats are embarking this week on an ambitious 93-county grassroots strategy. A regional training session for Democratic activists and candidates in North Platte this weekend is the marker jump-starting a determined bid to create a two-party state.

"This will be a concerted effort to build a structure in all 93 counties (and) compete in areas that now may be considered hostile," said Barry Rubin, the Nebraska Democratic Party's executive director.

Not since the party-building days of Jim Exon in the 1960s and during his governorship in the 1970s has there been "a commitment to compete everywhere in the state," said Heath Mello, the party's deputy director. The party plans to create a permanent "political force that still is operating the morning after the election," said Ian Russell, who will travel the state as field director, building upon what the party calls its "Democratic community" in every county.

Today, Democrats are organized with party chairpersons in only about half of Nebraska's counties. The majority of missing county organizations are in western and central Nebraska's vast 3rd Congressional District.

But in many unorganized counties, Democrat regularly meet in coffee shops or restaurants in small towns and county seats.

The state party plans to tap into those local resources, build Democratic communities in every county and help with candidate recruitment, voter registration, campaign services and grassroots training.

"Give them the tools," Russell said.

Out in sparsely populated Arthur County, where President Bush defeated John Kerry by a 10-to-1 margin last year, Becky Swanson, a Democrat, said she's become accustomed to Republican domination.

"It used to be that a Democrat didn't vote for anyone but a Democrat, but party is not as important to younger voters anymore," she said.

Swanson is the elected county clerk and also serves as assessor, register of deeds and clerk of the district court.

Although Arthur County is not one of the counties Democrats need to win because of its small population base, it provides a dramatic glimpse of the political disparity in some portions of the state.

Arthur County voter registration: Republicans, 253; Democrats, 60.

Presidential vote: Bush, 240; Kerry, 24.

Nebraska's Democratic Party was "on the brink of extinction" after the 2002 election, Rubin said. Republican

Sen. Chuck Hagel and GOP Gov. Mike Johanns were re-elected by historic landslide margins in a Republican sweep.

In the two years since Rubin has been executive director, the party has built its donor base, greatly increased its resources, added staff, sharpened its visibility, taken advantage of Internet-driven technology and enjoyed considerable candidate recruitment success.

But those gains have not yet paid off in election victories for major office, although Democrats did pick up three seats in the nonpartisan Legislature in 2004.

"People can see the blood is flowing again," Rubin said. "Our heart is beating now (and) we're here to stay."

Voter registration is one of the more daunting challenges. Nebraska Republicans have built a registered voter advantage over Democrats exceeding 179,000, which gives GOP candidates a clear edge at the starting line.

The Democratic rebuilding strategy in Nebraska has been bolstered by a $100,000 commitment from the party's national committee.

But the key ingredient for success lies at the local level, party leaders said.

"It's your plan," Mello said. "We got it from you" by seeking community ideas and feedback before building a strategy.

"They know better than we do" about what will work, Russell said, and who the local candidates should be.

In devising its plan, the party decided its first obligation was just to "show up" in counties it had previously abandoned or simply forfeited to Republicans.

No longer, it decided, would Democrats in some communities be left alone on an island.

What the Nebraska party is doing is similar to the effort now under way nationally, Rubin said.

Under the leadership of Howard Dean, the national party is committed to no longer write off so-called "red states" like Nebraska that dependably vote Republican, especially in presidential races. Hence, the $100,000 commitment to one of the reddest states.

[UCAL]

Wish we could read of a similar GOP push in Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Connecticut, ....etc.

[Clintonfatigued]

With Jeanine Pirro challenging Hillary Rodham Clinton, look for that kind of push in New York.

The only Nebraska Democrat to win statewide office in the last 10 years is Ben Nelson, who often votes with Republicans. I see that as a good sign.

[UCAL]

What do you think our response should be to states like Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Should we just write these off or is there a strategy to make them competitive again? Are the dems onto something here?

[goldstategop]

If the Democrats want to waste money in Red States, I don't mind. If they run as pure-blooded liberals, I don't see them reaching the finish line.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[clee1]

"Give them the tools,"

They are ALL a bunch of "tools".

[JohnnyZ]

Wish we could read of a similar GOP push in Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Connecticut

Those states have had more GOP successes than Dems have in Nebraska. Granted, some have embraced liberalism (NY, CT, MA), but RI has a conservative governor, VT has three decent statewide Republicans, California .... well at least they're organized, not sure to what end, Maryland has a good gov and a top Senate candidate.

[newgeezer]

If NE is such a one-party (R) state, how is it that one of its U.S. Senators is a D?

[NeoCaveman]

Wish we could read of a similar GOP push in Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Connecticut, ....etc.

I'd rather we focused on 'purple states' like PA, WI, and Minnesota.

[Aetius]

Do any of these three decent statewide office holders in Vermont plan to run for the vacant Senate seat? I've read that the Gov has said no, but what about the other two?

[Aetius]

Sen Nelson of Nebraska is a legitimate moderate, and often votes with conservatives. He voted for the Federal Marriage Amendment, to cite one big example.

He's almost the Dem equivalent of Lincoln Chafee, who is a liberal Republican representing a liberal state, and like Nelson, would be vulnerable to a strong challenger.

[newgeezer]

I'm left wondering how bad a Republican candidate would have to be, in order to have been defeated by a Democrat in a statewide election in an allegedly one-party, Republican state.

(I'm reminded of the Seinfeld episode where George's girlfriend left him and decided to become a lesbian...)

[JohnnyZ]

Do any of these three decent statewide office holders in Vermont plan to run for the vacant Senate seat?

Vermonters appear to be enthusiastic about electing Bernie Sanders to the Senate. Lt Gov Dubie appears more likely to run for the House seat. Auditor Randy Brock just got elected to his current office so he's likely to stay put. CEO Richard Tarrant has the $$$$ to put together a good Senate run, and if a Democrat gets in the race it may actually be competitive.

[George W. Bush]

I'm know this area around North Platte and Arthur county pretty well.

In many of these counties, there are only a couple of Democrats under the age of fifty. And they'll all be past fifty in the next couple years.

What the article doesn't say is that Democrats are facing extinction in Nebraska's rural areas.

Not even 5% are registered Dems in many counties. And about half of those who are are only maintaining their family's historic registration. They're Dems because mama and papa were Dems. Nothing else. And except for one or two couples, very few are in households where both parents are registered Dems.

Nebraska is one of 3 all-Red states in both 2000 and 2004. But it is also hard for really conservative people to be elected. We still don't have concealed-carry, for instance. And even a fairly liberal big-spending Dem like Nelson can be elected senator if he tosses out a few conservative speeches or votes from time to time.

But there's no real reason to think that Dims have any chance to improve their standing in Nebraska in coming election cycles. In fact, I anticipate only decline as so many of the remaining Democrats are often very elderly and could be described as FDR Democrats who quite often vote for Republicans. My own grandparents, fiercely loyal Democrats, did in fact vote Republican often in their later years, repelled by what had become of their Democrat party.

Among young people under forty, I don't know any who aren't Republicans. Flat out, I just don't know of a single one. And we have even fewer independents than we do Democrats here.

These Dems should be declared an endangered species in many areas throughout rural America.

[Aetius]

I think Nelson defeated a former state attorney general named Stenberg. To be fair to Stenberg, it should be pointed out that he wound up coming much closer than anyone thought (a couple of points I think) he would, and I believe Nelson was a fairly popular governor, though that didn't help him in 1996 when Chuck Hagel easily defeated him.

These things happen in both red and blue states.

[Aetius]

Its hard to believe that Vermont stands ready to send an admitted socialist to the Senate.

[George W. Bush]

If NE is such a one-party (R) state, how is it that one of its U.S. Senators is a D?

Because he so often votes with Hagel. He is the closest thing to Zell Miller left among the Dims in the Senate. You might check out their scores with ACU to see how they tally up on key votes for conservatives.

	Party	2004	2003	LifeTime	YOS
Chuck HAGEL	R	87	100	85	8
Ben Nelson	D	52	42	52	4

I don't expect to vote for Nelson. But he and Hagel actually represent Nebraska opinions pretty well. And Nelson doesn't owe anything to the national Dims so he can actually do about what he wants. Personally, I'd like both of them to be more conservative yet but I try to be patient...

Much is made here at FR about Hagel and Nelson being doomed or Nelson switching parties. I simply don't see it happening.

[UCAL]

Blue States with Republican Senators:
Maine - 2 GOP
Rhode Island - 1 GOP (sort of)
Pennsylvania - 2 GOP
New Hampshire - 2 GOP
Oregon - 1 GOP
Minnesota - 1 GOP

Aside from Rhode Island, none of the above are as Blue as Nebraska is Red. Still, it shows that we can win Blue States and visa-versa.

[newgeezer]

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but my point was not that NE is a red state. It was that it's portrayed as a one-party state.

To that end, the Rhode Island comparison is likely a valid one.

[JohnnyZ]

But he and Hagel actually represent Nebraska opinions pretty well

That's a horrible thing to say about a state!