Dem redistricting group picks targets, unleashes Obama
Barack Obama says all the voter registration drives and first-time candidates running for office this year are “inspiring” — but that in the existential battle for America he’s been warning about, it's not enough.
“That’s all vital to protecting this democracy of ours,” Obama says in a new video being released by the National Democratic Redistricting Committee on Wednesday. “So is something else — and that’s rethinking the way we draw our congressional districts.”
The NDRC has zeroed in on a list of state legislature races for November, identifying specific targets in each priority state for the first stage of its attempted gerrymandering revolution ahead of the 2020 census. The goal, aides to the group are telling prospective donors, is to put as many as 29 House seats in 12 states within reach for Democrats.
The NDRC is preparing to do fundraising and organize campaign visits, including by Obama and former Attorney General Eric Holder, who is leading the group. The group is convening allies on the ground and orchestrating digital get-out-the-vote efforts through voter contact and turnout. It will also be redirecting some of its own money into existing organizations in the states.
The focus will be on districts with large populations of college-educated voters and minorities, with an emphasis on districts that overlap with key House races. For the House district being vacated by GOP Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick covering Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania, for example, the NDRC is targeting three overlapping state Senate races.
We have lifted up and done the analysis of competitiveness, and now we can work within that landscape of competitiveness,” said Kelly Ward, the NDRC executive director.
The aim, according to a copy of the donor presentation obtained by POLITICO, is to eliminate duplication of efforts and pour money into turning out younger people and people of color who feel the current system is working against them.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/11/democrats-redistricting-obama-708500
= new reply since forum marked as read
...or more specifically, "Obama has disappeared," I'll try to remember to add this to my reply. Still, if you could keep repeating it, it would be very helpful too.
