Posted on Sat, Nov. 7, 2009
Political tsunamis, like economic recoveries, are highly over-predicted. But the mere chance that 2010 could be as bad for Democrats as 2009 portends is worth attention. Survival is possible even in the worst of climates, as many Democrats in 1984 and 1994, and many Republicans in 1986 and 2008 have shown. Here’s a summary of ten things every Democrat should do to prepare for next year.
1. Get real. 2008 didn’t change politics. Voters and the party’s image are much like they were before. Republicans have slipped but not enough to ensure victory. If President Obama has magical dust, he’s more likely to save it for 2012 than sprinkle it on you.
2. Get going. Don’t wait for polls to show you in a difficult position or for your enemies to run attack ads. By then, it may be too late. Survival requires immediate and methodical action.
3. Get back to basics. Hard things win campaigns, not exotic technologies or clever messages. Don’t look for silver bullets. There are none. Raise lots of money. Knock on doors. Return calls. That stuff.
4. Get in touch. If you’re in trouble, you’re probably disconnected from your voters. Contrary to what your political family might think, you need the voters more than they need you, at least on Election Day.
5. Get aggressive. Statesmen may not push their accomplishments on voters or push back against their opponents. But winners do. If you’re not going to fight for yourself, no one will.
6. Get smart. Winning campaigns usually know more about themselves, their opponents, the voters, and the issues than losing ones. You don’t need to know everything – just more than your opponent.
7. Get tough. Voters will take out their anger on you. Take it head-on. They might respect you if you do. They’ll know you’re weak if you don’t. And remember that most of their anger is justified.
8. Get out of here. Campaigns are lost, not won, in Washington. And don’t act like you are here when you aren’t. Don’t travel with an entourage or show up late. And don’t talk about how hard you work.
9. Get focused. There are 5,464 great things to say about you. Unfortunately, the voters won’t care about or believe the vast majority of them. Talk about what matters to them, not to you.
10. Get a really weak opponent. Anyone who says shooting fish in a barrel isn’t very sporting probably hasn’t had the experience.
Harrison Hickman is a partner in Global Strategy Group, a Democratic research and consulting firm, and has been working for Democrat candidates in difficult jurisdictions for 30 years.
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