The Nation - Dean's Dozens

[realFedUp]

http://thenation.com/edcut/index.mhtml?bid=7

Dean's Dozens
Katrina Vanden Heuvel
08/19/2004 @ 12:52am

If you're a recovering Deaniac who believes that Howard Dean's presidential run inspired legions of young people to get involved in politics, leveraged the internet's power to break the grip of big money on politics, and gave the Democratic Party a much-needed spine transplant, you probably already know about the "Dean Dozens" and the newly-formed political action committee, Democracy for America. But, if you don't, here's the early report.

Since May, Dean's DFA , has endorsed more than 60 candidates running in local, state and national races--from school board member in Huntsville, Alabama, to mayor of Salt Lake County, Utah.

For years, progressives have talked about taking a page from the Right's playbook. That means many things--from building think-tanks and media outlets to pioneering new web-based communications. But if our whole is going to equal the sum of our parts, progressives need to recruit, train and support hundreds of candidates at all levels.

In fact, several Dean Dozen candidates have already scored victories:

* In Georgia, Judge Gail Tusan fought back a conservative onslaught and won re-election in July.

* Following her support of equal rights for gay and lesbian couples, State Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan was challenged in a primary, and won with 87 percent of the vote.

* In North Carolina, Debra Sasser won her place on the Wake Country District Court general election ballot and State Senate candidate Julia Boseman won the Democratic primary for the 9th District.

* In Missouri, Maria Chappelle-Nadal won her closely fought primary to become the Democratic nominee for the 72nd State House District.

One of the best ways to give muscle to the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party, empower citizens, and build a politics of passion and principle--in November and beyond--is by recruiting progressives to take back power--from school boards to Capitol Hill. Howard Dean's "Democracy for America" is one of the key groups doing just that. http://www.democracyforamerica.org

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[madfloridian]

1. That was quite an article.

He is a busy guy, and he gets a lot done.