Dems Need to Continue to Protest Volunteer Make Calls
Candidates and their parties walk a political tightrope, seeking to attract typically loyal partisans along with those with more centrist or independent tendencies.
But in the competitive U.S. Senate race, some organizers are expressing fear about whether Democratic leaders and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes are doing enough to turn out liberal voters in the race against U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.
One concern some organizers convey regards how Democrats in general and Barnes in particular are talking about economic issues facing Wisconsinites, as polls show inflation remains voters' top concern.
"I don't want to be interpreted as saying that (Barnes) has a terrible economic message or he's weak at it, because I don't think that's the case," said Robert Kraig, the executive director of the liberal group Citizen Action Wisconsin. "But given this environment, if it was more robust and stronger, that would be helpful, but just because of how central it is to this election."
Kraig said motivation among Democrats and "the progressive base" is high relative to other midterm elections, but added, "We also feel like it might not be enough and therefore there's anxiety and frustration, right, with everyone who is not motivated."
"My analogy would be: If you were in a football game, and you've scored four touchdowns in the first half, that's great; but what if you're afraid the other team can score five touchdowns in the first half?" Kraig continued.
One of the chief demotivators among Democrats, Kraig said, was their lack of confidence in the political system being able to respond to their concerns, especially economic ones.
Andre Walton, executive director of the liberal group Our Wisconsin Revolution, said most Wisconsinites — even those detached from politics — were concerned about gas prices and inflation, adding that he often doesn't see Barnes tackling those issues with enough specificity.
He mentioned, as an example, an ad featuring Barnes in a grocery store talking about how most senators don't know the cost of a gallon of milk. In the ad, Barnes calls for bringing manufacturing jobs "home," adding that to change Washington D.C., "we gotta change the people we send there."
"I was just talking to my family about this, and they think he's a good guy, but (we) don't really know what he's going to do for us based on that ad," Walton said.
(Walton's group endorsed Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary. The group hasn't endorsed Barnes because he hasn't filled out the endorsement form, Walton said.)
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"There's been a lack of a proactive message from the Barnes campaign top to bottom," said Barry Burden, a political science professor at UW-Madison, who added that Barnes' messaging around the economy was more effective in the summer. "He's been mostly in responsive mode, being on the defense, since winning the primary in August."
"He ended up in a bit of limbo between defending himself, offering a bit of a plan … and criticism of Johnson," Burden continued. "And that's complicated … Simpler messages work better than complicated ones."
Burden also said Barnes is in an odd situation politically because of his need to address the economic issues facing Wisconsinites without throwing fellow party members Gov. Tony Evers or President Joe Biden under the bus.
To be sure, many of Barnes' ads, including recent ones, have focused on economic policy, like advertising a tax cut for the middle class and bringing manufacturing jobs to Wisconsin. And his platform includes bolstering unions and raising the federal minimum wage.
"Unlike self-serving multi-millionaire Ron Johnson, Mandela Barnes – the proud son of a 3rd shift auto-worker and Milwaukee school teacher – has focused his campaign around bringing manufacturing back home and rebuilding Wisconsin's middle class," Barnes spokesperson Maddy McDaniel said in a statement.
But as Barnes approached the home-stretch of the race, Barnes ran a campaign tour that prioritized abortion, though he did mention economic issues during his stops.
Still, his campaign has since advertised another tour "focused on uplifting the Wisconsin workers." On Tuesday in Milwaukee for example, Barnes was scheduled to meet with union workers to chat, in part, about raising the minimum wage.
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"The dominant sentiment that I would take away from our one-on-one voter contacts is they feel like Democrats, and President (Joe) Biden in particular, over-promised and under-delivered on the things that matter to progressives, like raising wages, building unions, expanding health care," said Joseph Geevarghese, the executive director of the U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders-founded group Our Revolution, whose volunteers have been making calls to Democrats in Wisconsin.
"That hurts our ability to energize our base, to get them out," continued Geevarghese, whose group is based in Washington D.C. and affiliated with Our Wisconsin Revolution. "There is no path to victory if progressives sit this race out."
Among "absolutely certain," voters, Johnson led Barnes 52% to 46%, the Marquette Law School Poll released two weeks ago showed. But those less likely to vote prefer Barnes over Johnson 51% to 31%.
"At the moment, more people voting is better for the Democrats, clearly, because the Republican support in both races is lower among those less likely voters," Marquette poll director Charles Franklin said.
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CNN since released a poll showing Barnes losing to Johnson 49% to 50% among likely votes, a virtual tie, but Barnes had a 3-point lead among registered voters — another measurement showing the Democrat's lead among less interested voters.
"A few months back, after Roe v. Wade was overturned, there was a lot of energy," Walton said. "And I'm not really seeing that energy from left-wing voters as much, especially young voters."
Barnes led the Oshkosh Republican 51% to 35% among registered voters between ages 18 and 29, but they're also the least likely age group to vote, according to the latest Marquette poll.
Some liberal organizers see a brighter picture.
Democratic analyst Scot Ross said Democrats in Wisconsin were fired up and that party operatives were doing well, with a "good solid communications program, a solid field program and a clear distinction on the issues."
Ross added that abortion is an economic issue, supporting the Democratic nominee's recent choice to concentrate on that policy.
"I think (Barnes is) doing what he needs to do," Ross said. "I think that the tens and tens of millions of dollars spent in racist ads against him have taken a toll, and I think that he's responding. He's been talking about the core issues that I think are critically important."
Angela Lang, the executive director of the civic engagement group Black Leaders Organizing for Communities said many people have been frustrated with the ads against Barnes. But she added that motivation for him among Black voters was high.
"I think the Barnes campaign is doing exactly what needs to be done right now," she said. "He's showing up in the community … He was talking to voters. He's an organizer at heart."
FOX28 Spokane©
Source: https://www.fox28spokane.com/some-liberal-organizers-fear-messaging-turnout-shortcomings-in-wisconsin-u-s-senate-race/
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