Lincoln, Baucus team up with farmers and rural groups

[election_2004]

The American Corn Growers Association, the League of Rural Voters, the National Farmers Union, and the AFL-CIO are among the groups that have formed the beginnings of a rural coalition, with key Democratic allies such as Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Senator Max Baucus of Montana.

http://www.lincoln2008.com/news2.html

These groups will be working with red state Democratic lawmakers to oppose Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security while linking it to the economic needs of working people in many of the red-leaning “swing” states that have given the Republicans marginal electoral victories in recent years.

Democrats would be wise to take advantage of such opportunities, if they hope to make some electoral inroads in some of the “purplish-red states” in 2006 and 2008.

Emphasizing the connection between economic prosperity and a Democratic labor platform - - while also emphasizing the harm of anti-worker Republican policies - - could help the Democrats make potentially huge gains on the electoral map in some states with large rural populations.

This will be especially critical in U.S. Senate races for 2008, when Democratic incumbents such as Mary Landrieu, Tim Johnson, and Mark Pryor (all from states that Bush carried in 2000 and 2004) will be up for senatorial reelection, and they will be potentially vulnerable if the wrong candidate is on the presidential ticket.

Democrats also could pick up U.S. Senate seats in Oregon, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, but they will need to nominate a Democratic standard-bearer (to be the new face of the party) who can identify with people who hold rural issues close to their heart.

[illflem]

1. Another new group forming in our favor

http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0617-21.htm