It has been easy to forget, but primary day is this coming Tuesday, April 30.
Back a few months ago, the Markey campaign swore up and down that it would be a grassroots, field-level, person-to-person effort on the model of the Obama, Patrick, and Warren campaigns. So this weekend leading up to Tuesday is the time where that effort comes to fruition: GOTV time.
I just talked with Carl Nilsson, field director for the Markey campaign. They’ve targeted 500,000 voters, people whom they’ve contacted multiple times. (For a sense of scale: The 2009 special Democratic primary brought out some 660,000 voters total, split between four candidates.) Now that those voters have been identified, the Get Out The Vote operation will consist of making sure people get to the polls — door-knocking, having conversations about polling hours and locations; leaving door-hangers with that info.
I asked about the local strengths of the organization: Some places (Boston, Cambridge, certain places in MA-05) were naturally going to be stronger than others, but was there one place he looked to as a bellwether, as a great “get” for the campaign? He said (as I suspected) — Lowell. He was impressed by the size and strength of the organization; and he claims that Markey’s progressive message on health care, climate (and its effect on jobs and innovation), and gun control were resonating there.
The current Markey organization consists of many folks who are veterans of the previous grassroots-oriented campaigns: Regional field directors Gabe Frumkin, Mark O’Halloran for central MA, Christina Pacheco for MA-09 all worked for the Warren campaign; Chelsie Oulette (FD for MA-3) worked for Obama and Patrick; and Taryn Hallweaver (name??), (FD, MA-06) worked for Obama. Along with campaign veterans Amaad Rivera of Latino Vote for Markey and Lydia Vega, the Coordinator for Latino and New Americans Vote, these are the folks who will be driving this train home.
It’s time to bring this one home. Markey’s a great progressive who’s been getting it done, actively, for 36 years
What can we do now? Knock and call. Sign up here.
maxdaddy says
Not much of a positive comment on Markey’s campaign that at this late date just about half the Democratic respondents either think Lynch has a better environmental record than Markey, or they don’t know. Environmental protection is supposed to be one of Markey’s marquee issues!
fenway49 says
Markey led by a lot on those questions, but there were many people who just didn’t know. People are not that informed and there’s not a ton a campaign can do to pierce the veil of non-political distractions. I’d bet 40% wouldn’t know labor is Lynch’s signature issue. I have a friend who has lived in the district for five years and never heard of Lynch. Probably voted for him, though: “Oh, I don’t remember the name. I voted for the Democrat.”
bobvm says
I canvassed Saturday in Acton with about a dozen others. We were hitting mostly ID’d voters and likely Democratic primary voters. No decectable support for Lynch in Acton which is as you might expect.
John Tehan says
I only had a couple of folks not at home, spoke to about 25 voters. Only one of them was leaning Lynch, and she was leaning Markey after I left…