Fight Foxx -- Forum Thur. and Request for Your Input

The questions:
Below please find demographical information for a mythical congressional district.

Your mission is to formulate a Winning Strategy for this district, one which addresses its peculiarities.

District X “a safe, Republican district”

Approx 5,000 sq miles, extending from the NC Piedmont into the Mountains; 10 counties, or parts thereof

Population (2000 Census) 618,000

Registered voters 420, 000 (210 000 urban; 210,000 rural)

54/46 female to male

90% white, 8% black, 2% Hispanic

Party registration:

46% Repub (steady)

34% Demo (declining slowly)

20% Unaffil (increasing)

(unaffiliated voters do not break evenly: about 3:1 Republican)

(registered Democrats do not always vote or vote for Democrats)

In 2006, precinct turnout ranged between 15% and 72%, averaging around 40%.

Annual median income $37,000. Factory base is in steep decline; agriculture is challenged by lack of labor and demise of tobacco as a cash crop. High tech jobs out of reach for many workers not retrainable. Loss of pensions a frequent problem. Construction has peaked, mostly of expensive and second homes. Not enough medical care outside the urban areas. Voters are bearing an increasing burden through property tax rates, which creep up. Voters vote down bond issues. Much voter discontent, and a widespread belief that government is not interested in the average person.

Political Features of District X

Incumbent Republican, Joe Blow, has served six consecutive terms. He is a magnet for special interest money, and, while loudly professing to back the little guy, has done the bidding of his corporate masters, locally and in Washington. He blames economic woes on “liberals and illegal aliens”; his support for the Administration’s war policy is jingoistic: he says we should keep fighting abroad “for as long as it takes.” He has done little for his District and assiduously avoids public appearances where he might be questioned. He has never served in the military. His family has become wealthy while he has been in office.

In 2004, Joe Blow raised 1.1 million, 35% from PACs and 65% from individuals, 88% in state. He spent $550,000 on his campaign, and is holding about $650,000 in reserve for 2008, with the certainly that he will raise more.

In 2004, the Democratic Challenger raised about $150,000, 93% from individuals, and 50% in state. She spent $100,000.

There are no party or district or state funds available for this race, and it is extremely unlikely that the national party will commit any resources to a Democratic candidate who raises less than a million dollars.

In the last three congressional races in District X, Joe Blow has outraised the Democratic Challenger in every one of the 10 counties, sometimes by ratios of 10:1.

These three Democratic candidates have gotten between 40 and 45% of the vote.

County Democratic organizations in the 10 District X counties vary from extremely effective to non-existent. All District X voters can be reached by radio and by cable teevee, but there are several different cable markets.

Given these facts, how do you structure a winning campaign? To what degree do you utilize local party organizations, and to what degree do you build your own? Tell specifically how you will fund your campaign—how you will identify and persuade donors to contribute to what has been a lost cause for Democrats. How will your approach succeed where others have failed? What strategy will you use to reach disaffected voters? Unaffiliated voters? How will you prioritize various voter groups—women, young voters, etc? What will the themes of your campaign? How partisan your approach? What use will you make of political resources available to you? How will you inspire? How will you neutralize Joe Blow’s incumbency advantage. Explain the specifics of the strategy that will allow you to succeed.

One other question
What will the two most politically important issues be for Northwest NC in the 2008 congressional election?

Participants and other forum details
Iredell Democrats will question the panelists, and questions will also be
taken from audience members.

Hayes McNeill, Western Task Force Chair for the NC Democratic Party, will
present the political background of Western North Carolina, and set the challenge for the typical congressional district, District "X"; and Fifth District Chair, David Crawford,will introduce the panel and facilitate the program.

Expected panelists include the following: Ashe County Commissioner Gary Barber, Wake Forest Divinity graduate Ryan Eller, WSSU Communications Director Roger Kirkman, Winston-Salem architect Mark Glen, Ross Smith, WFU Debate coach,Winston- Salem businessman Spencer Hanes, and Forsyth Board of Education member, Elizabeth Motsinger,Clay Hipp, Professor Wake Forest University.

The Iredell County Democratic Party invites the local community to join the Fifth District community in examining the critical issues facing the district in the 08 election cycle.

For more information on this event, please contact Delmas Parker at
delmasparker@triad.rr.com 336-778-1843