Rep Schrock steps down, David Ashe now has clear run for Congress!

Via Matt Stoller at BOP News:

[Virginia] Republican Congressman Edward L. Schrock resigned because of the work of this blog. Well, he's gay, hard-right, and cosponsored the FMA, but it was Blog Active that broke the story.

UPDATE: The Washington Post says it's 'unspecified allegations that have "called into question" his ability to serve.' Like gayness.

I HOPE this is a pick-up seat...I don't know if the GOP can airlift a cherry-picked Alan Keyes to run against Ashe, but we'll find out in the next few days, I suspect. Virginia's Republican Attorney General, Jerry Kilgore, recently established that the rules for getting on the ballot don't apply to friends of the GOP.

In the meantime, this story is a testament to the power of cannon-fodder candidates.

You'll note that Ashe has until now been rated as a "David vs. Goliath" candidate by ActBlue. In fact, Virginia's 3 incumbent Democratic Congressmen are all rated as "favored" or "stronghold" -- while ALL of the 7 challengers are "David vs. Goliath." (Virginia has 11 congressional districts but the Democrats have not run a candidate against Joann Davis in the 1st Congressional District.) The difference in the races has nothing to do with the caliber of the candidates and everything to do with redistricting. As Samuel Issacharoff, of Columbia Law School, has stated: “Voters no longer choose members of the House; the people who draw the lines do." Despite the steep odds created by redistricting, a well-qualified, well-backed, well-funded Dem with a commitment to shoeleather politics can still win in Virginia if he/she started far enough in advance.

Running Democratic candidates in 10 out of 11 congressional districts, in addition to Gov. Warner's groundbreaking campaign in 2001 and the Virginia state Dems's historic pick ups in 2003, have combined to put Virginia in play this year for the presidential race. The big payoff in Virginia will be when all of the field data from the Democratic Congressional races (especially party ID's) goes towards Democratic Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine's campaign for governor in 2005. In the short term, we're forcing the Republicans to spend money in Virginia that they'd rather divert to other races in swing states, and we're turning out the vote for Kerry. And, again, with real grassroots politics some of these campaigns have a longshot to actually win this year.

This one will be exciting to watch: in terms of how the GOP tries to bend the rules, and how the race effects presidential results in Virginia.

Picking up the 2nd Congressional District seat would be a major coup for Virginia Democrats. And everything I have heard about David Ashe supports that he is a superb human being who would do an excellent job of representing his constituents in Congress.

Go help Ashe!

Or click here to contribute to the Ashe campaign!

Virginia Campaign Training Sept 5

Latinos for America will be holding a Campaign Management Training in Northern Virginia on Sunday, September 5.



I took this training in July when I spoke at DemocracyFest and it is hands down the best campaign training I've ever come across.



Please spread the word, invite your friends and family, and if you belong to a Young Democrats club at school (or are starting one), make sure to get your club out!





August 26, 2004

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Carlos Soles (703) 585-9862



Latinos For Democracy and Democracy for America (DFA) are pleased to announce CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT TRAINING in Northern Virginia on Sunday September 5, 2004 from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm at the Mason Governmental Center, 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003.



This one day seminar is a great opportunity to learn key elements on how to manage and organize a local political campaign, increase your knowledge and skills as a community leader, connect with candidates who need your help and develop strategic action plans for the 2004 national campaign and beyond.



This campaign training will feature nationally recognized Latino expert and top campaign professionals leading sessions on key topics such as staff it: organizer training, media production and management, data mining, constituency outreach and fundraising.  These presentations are supported by small group sessions for in-depth work in each of the featured areas.



Thanks to the thousand of donations from national DFA supporters and the hard work of the local host committees, Democracy for America is able to reduce the regular price of these trainings from $150 to $45. Scholarships will be given to highlight motivated participants the day of the training.



The cost of the one-day training is $ 45 in advance and $55 on-site registration.



Please make check payable to Latinos for America, 912 N. Daniel Street # 3, Arlington VA 22201. You can also sponsor someone by writing a contribution and adding scholarship in the check.



Join Latinos for America at this exciting one day Campaign Management Training.



To register, please contact:

Carlos Soles

(703) 585-9862

9:00AM until 5:00 PM

Carlosinva4kerry@yahoo.com



To find out more about these trainings, visit:

www.latinosforamerica.com



Directions to MASON GOVERNMENTAL CENTER

6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003

>From I-395

· Take the Duke Street/Little River Turnpike WEST exit

· At the first traffic light, turn RIGHT onto Beauregard Street

· At the next light, turn LEFT onto Chambliss Street

· At the next light, turn LEFT onto Lincolnia Road

· Follow Lincolnia Road until it dead-ends at Columbia Pike

· Turn LEFT onto Columbia Pike

· Governmental Center is on the left in the same building as the Police Station

From I-495 (the Beltway)

· Take the Little River Turnpike East towards Annandale exit

· Follow Little River Turnpike into Downtown Annandale

· Turn LEFT at the traffic light at John Marr Drive

· At the next traffic light, turn RIGHT onto Columbia Pike

· Follow Columbia Pike past the Mason District Park (on your right)

· The Mason Governmental Center is on your right, 1.5 miles past the park entrance (in the same building as the Police Station)





SPANISH

26 de Agosto del 2004

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA

Contacto: Carlos Soles (703) 585-9862



AVISO para la comunidad Latina de Virginia, Maryland y del Distrito de Columbia



La organización Latinos Por América y Democracy for America (DFA) anuncian un entrenamiento en ADMINSTRACION DE CAMPAÑAS POLITICAS en el norte de Virginia este próximo domingo 5 de Septiembre del 2004 desde las 8:00 a.m. hasta las 5:00 p.m. en el Mason Governmental Center ubicado en la 6507 de la Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003.



Este seminario de un día es una gran oportunidad de aprender los elementos claves de cómo administrar, manejar y organizar una campaña política local, también aumentará su conocimiento y habilidades como líder de su comunidad, le brindará la oportunidad de conectarse con los candidatos políticos que necesitan su ayuda y además Usted aprenderá a desarrollar planes de acción estratégicos para la campaña política nacional del 2004 y para eventos futuros.



Las sesiones de este entrenamiento serán dirigidas por Latinos expertos en campañas políticas y por profesionales reconocidos nacionalmente.  Las sesiones que se desarrollarán serán basadas en temas claves como por ejemplo: el entrenamiento del organizador de campaña, el trabajo con los medios de comunicación y la administración/gerencia de campaña, el uso de las bases de información y datos, alcance y promoción comunitaria y recaudación de fondos.  Estas presentaciones serán apoyadas por sesiones limitadas de grupos para que se pueda profundizar en el trabajo de cada una de las Áreas ofrecidas.



Gracias a las miles de donaciones recibidas por parte de la gente a nivel nacional que apoya a DFA y del duro trabajo de los comités anfitriones locales, DFA ha podido reducir el precio normal de estos entrenamientos de $150 a bajarlo a $45.  También se darán becas el día de entrenamiento a quienes se destaquen por su participación.



El costo del día de entrenamiento es de $ 45 por adelantado y $55 en el lugar del entrenamiento. Los cheques se hacen a nombre de Latinos for America y se envían al 912 N Daniel Street, # 3, Arlington VA 22201.  Si desea patrocinar a alguien envié su contribución indicando BECA en el Área de anotación del cheque.



Regístrese temprano y participe con Latinos para América y Democracy for America en este emocionante entrenamiento para la administración campañas políticas.



Para registrarse por favor contacte a:

Carlos Soles (703) 585-9862 9:00 a.m. a 5:00 p.m.

Carlosinva4kerry@yahoo.com



Para mayor información sobre estos entrenamientos, visita la página de Internet   www.latinosforamerica.com



Direcciones para llegar al Centro Gubernamental Mason ubicado en la 6507 de la Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003

De la I-395

· Tome la salida de Duque Street/Little River Turnpike WEST.

· En el primer semáforo, dar vuelta A LA DERECHA sobre la calle Beauregard Street

· En la luz siguiente, dar vuelta A LA IZQUIERDA sobre la calle Chambliss

· En la luz siguiente, dar vuelta A LA IZQUIERDA sobre Lincolnia Road

· Siga Lincolnia Road hasta que llegue a Columbia Pike

· Dar vuelta A LA IZQUIERDA sobre Columbia Pike

· El centro gubernamental Mason esta en la izquierda en el mismo edificio que la comisaría de policía.



De I-495 (el Beltway)

· Tome la calle Little River Turnpike EAST hacia la salida de Annandale

· Siga Little River Turnpike hacia el centro de Annandale

· Gire a la IZQUIERDA en el semáforo en John Marr Drive

· En el semáforo siguiente, dar vuelta A LA DERECHA sobre la Columbia Pike

· Siga la Columbia Pike mas allá del parque del distrito Mason (en su derecha)

· El centro gubernamental Mason esta en la derecha, 1,5 millas mas allá de la entrada del parque (en el mismo edificio que la comisaría de policía).

New MoveOn Ad Targets Black Youth

Backstory
MoveOn has partnered with top TV & film talent to release a new ad every week for 10 weeks. The luminaries list includes:

Matt Damon, Rob Reiner, Richard Linklater, Scarlett Johanssen, Kevin Bacon, Al Franken, Rebecca Romijn, Martin Sheen, Margaret Cho, Doug Limon (The Bourne Identity), Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream), Donal Logue, Ed Asner, Charlie Fisher (Bush in 30 Seconds Ad Contest Winner) Moby, John Sayles (Silver City), Allison Anders, Illeana Douglas, Ione Skye, and many others.

On Friday, MoveOn released a new ad entitled "Everybody" to mobilize the youth vote and African American vote, which is scheduled to run on MTV and BET.



View the commercial here.

MoveOn discusses the issues behind the ad:

Ever since African-Americans attained the right to vote in this country those threatened by the idea have undermined their right to vote. Had it not been for the active suppression of the black vote in Florida in 2000, Al Gore would have won the presidency -- it's not a question.

In the last two decades, Republicans have used a variety of tactics to prevent blacks from voting, and when they do, to prevent their votes counted. The tactics range from intimidation, misinformation, tampering with registration rolls, and where they have control over how elections are administered, the use of separate-but-unequal voting equipment and processes.

In 2000, only 36 percent of the 24 million eligible voters ages 18 to 24 voted. The traditional wisdom has been that young people don't vote, but that's changing thanks to groups like Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Action Summit, the League of Independent Voters, Rock-the-Vote and others. As a group, young Americans are more progressive and vote more Democratic than the mainstream.

My challenge to you is this:

1. What's your reaction to the ad? Do you think it will be effective in mobilizing the black youth vote?
2. If NO, what would be a better way to reach out? What can we do about it?
3. If YES, you know the drill: forward the ad to your friends (easy to do through the MoveOn site here and put it up on your own websites.

Via Gallimaufry.