LarCoDems gather for election results

The Laramie County Democratic Party will gather at the historic Cheyenne Plains Hotel Round-Up Room on November 4, 7 p.m., to view the incoming results of local, state, and national elections. Members of the media are welcome to attend this gathering for research and reporting purposes. Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

Laramie County Democratic Party Chairman Mike Bell says: “We are looking forward to a fun and relaxing evening, celebrating all of the hard work that our Democratic candidates and volunteers completed in support of the Wyoming Democratic Party and our platform.”

LarCoDem member Mike Shay says this: "We are looking forward to cheering wildly when the presidential race results come pouring in."

For further information, contact Mike Bell at 307-631-7641.

I have it on good authority that Mike Bell has ordered two cakes for the event. Cake and Fat Tire Amber Ale go great together.

If you're looking for up-to-date results on election night, go to Dave Lerner's Wyoming Network. In 2006, the AP beat Wyoming Network by only a few minutes. Go to www.wyomingnetwork.com.

See 3 Dems and 1 Repub on LCCC TV

LarCoDems' member Mary Lou Marcum sends this info:

Please help get the word out. The three Democratic Congressional candidates and Rick Kaysen will be appearing on LCCC Ch. 11 next week, from Oct 27 on. David Marcum, LCCC Political Science instructor will be interviewing them.

The schedule is as follows:
Gary Trauner & Chris Rothfoss: Monday at 9 a.m., Tuesday at 2 p.m., Wednesday at 8 p.m., Thursday at 3 p.m., and Friday/Saturday/Sunday at 10 a.m.
Nick Carter & Rick Kaysen: Monday at 2 p.m., Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 3 p.m., Thursday at 11 a.m., and Friday/Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

These are not debates but Q&A interviews. Should be interesting. Wish we could get the info to non-Democrats as well. The Republican candidates and Democratic condidate for mayor Jayne Mockler didn't respond to the invitation to appear on the shows.

Surprise: USA Today explores Wyoming's oil patch, finds strong McCain support

USA Today wrote about Wyoming in its series "50 States 50 Days," an attempt to get to all of the states and interview people about their views on the presidential race. In Wyoming, they focused on oil patch workers in Midwest and environs. All said they will vote for McCain. The reporter had to go south to Casper to find some Obama supporters. The story is pretty accurate, as far as it goes. My guess is that Obama finds most of his support in Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs, Jackson, Lander, Casper and Sheridan. Not surprisingly, those are where the Democratic Party organization is strongest. Dem candidates for U.S. House and Senate are finding that to be true, too. Nick Carter of Gillette is running for Dr. John Barrasso's Senate seat. Wonder what kind of support he's finding in his home town? Gillette is the epicenter of the coal and coal-bed methane industry.

The USA Today reporter interviewed historian Dr. Phil Roberts:

"McCain will win, but it will be a lot closer than people think," says Phil Roberts, history professor at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. "My suspicion is a lot of Wyoming Republicans will sit it out. There's not a lot of enthusiasm for voting for McCain."

Roberts says he sees Wyoming Republicans as mostly business-oriented rather than driven by ideology, social issues or other reasons. He calls them Romney-style Republicans, referring to former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Read the entire story here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-15-50states-wyoming_N.htm

The oil patch workers were more interested in the McCain/Palin philosophy of "drill, baby, drill" that anything else. Again, no surprise, but you'd think they'd be at least mildly interested in the economic meltdown that will affect their pocketbooks as much as the changing of the guard in D.C. Also, health care, foreign policy, education. Not a mention of any of those from the McCain supporters. Then again, McCain has few ideas other than "drill, baby, drill." If you had any doubts about McCain's bankrupt philosophy, go to this link and see what kind of sleazy robocalls are being made to your house by the McCain/Palin campaign: http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/latest_mccain_robocall_alleges.php

When you hold a forum for voters, you actually expect the candidates to show up

I read about this in Saturday's Casper Star-Tribune. I just read it again and realized how strange it was that no Republican candidates showed up at the big Homecoming weekend Voters Forum in Laramie. Here's the story:

It was Democrats three, Republicans zero at the League of Women Voters Forum in Laramie.

All three Democratic candidates running for Congress attended Thursday night's forum at the Albany Public Library. But all three Republican candidates sent other people to speak in their place.

Democratic House candidate Gary Trauner drove from Teton County to attend [approx. 380 miles one way]. Republican Cynthia Lummis sent her daughter to talk for her [approx. 45 miles].

Democratic Senate candidate Chris Rothfuss lives in Laramie, so he didn't have far to travel. His opponent, Republican Sen. Mike Enzi, sent a campaign representative in his place.

Republican Sen. John Barrasso also sent a campaign staffer, while Democratic challenger Nick Carter showed up in person.

Gosh, the Democrats must care more -- or maybe they treat this election more seriously than their opponents. McJoan goes into detail on the event in a Daily Kos post at http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/13/105245/56/368/629149. This photo of Republican candidate surrogates accompanied her story --

They look nice enough. And they came with notes and everything. But voters came to see the actual candidates, not campus Young Republicans.

Here's Gary Trauner, the actual Democratic candidate for Wyoming's lone U.S. House seat, speaking on the issues at the forum --

Dem Lit Drop in Laramie County

I have nothing brilliant to say about our weekend literature drop in Cheyenne for Democratic Party candidates for U.S. Senate Chris Rothfuss and Nick Carter. We didn't have the snow that was forecast -- the storm kept to the north and west. Montana got socked, as did Lander in the west-central part of the state. Cheyenne will have its turn soo, probably on halloween.

The plan was to hit all the addresses in Cheyenne, Pine Bluffs, and Burns with flyers outlining the merits of the two candidates. Both are newbies to the political arena, which should never disqualify anyone from seeking public office. Both sitting senators, Mike Enzi and Doctor John Barrasso were newbies at one time. Now they are oldies and need to go home.

A literature drop is just what it sounds. You bundle your material and slip it into a neighbor's screen door or find some other appropriate spot. No mailboxes allowed, as those are strictly for bills, direct-mailing offers and paid political announcements. Every so often a letter finds its way into the letter box. As a literature dropper, I never violate the sanctity of the mailbox. The U.S. Postal Service is an important quasi-governmental entity, one that is charged with delivering the mail, even though it might be to a house featuring signs of a political candidate you might not like. That's the main thing right there. During the 1960s, when delivery services in the South refused to deliver to Civil Rights groups, the USPS got through. The government can do a great job of supplying essential services, as long as that government is in capable hands.

As always, I digress. But it's my blog and I'll digress if I want to.

In a literature drop, dedicated volunteers are doing the job of the mail carrier without the overhead. Sure, all candidates should spend money locally to reach local voters. But what if you don't have the funds? Democratic candidates, even those running for U.S. Congress, are notoriously short of money in this state. Some are doing better than others -- U.S. House candidate Gary Trauner, for instance -- but he began his campaign in 2006 and has had time to build a war chest with the help of the DNC's 50-state strategy.

Know how expensive it is to print 30,000 copies of a full-color flyer? If you don't send it to Hong Kong, which takes some time, it's about $1,300 from Next Day Flyers in Santa Dominguez, Calif. That takes $10 from 130 donors. That's tough when you're new at the game in a state where two-thirds of the electorate are Repubs or Libertarians.

On Saturday and Sunday, I distributed Carter & Rothfuss materials to about half of my assigned 359 addresses. Most of the time, all I had to do was slip the flyers into a screen door. If the screen door was locked, I slipped them between the latch and the door frame. Sometimes I had to roll up the flyers and slip them into small gaps in a porch's wrought-iron banisters. Often, as with some apartment complexes, there were no screen doors, no nooks or crannies, no metal banisters. I was totally stymied by one group of a dozen apartments. No screen doors, big wooden banisters -- nothing. So, I just had to wish those folks well and move on. I could have gone door-to-door, but no time. We lit droppers have to keep moving, especially on cold days.

I only had conversations with a few people. Most were friendly. I surprised a young mother coming out of her door with babe in arms and toddler in tow. I aged her a few years, so gave her a break on the lit drop. I hit friendly territory at one house with Gary Trauner (U.S. House) and Lori Millin (State House) signs in the yard. She was watching a toddler, too, but the two of them took time out to talk Dem.

So, now, I have several hundred more flyers to distribute before the weekend in Precinct 2-7. Have to get to those early voters before they head to the polls.

Calling all stalwart Democrats

Dear All:

Feel like trudging through the snow this weekend for Wyoming Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Nick Carter and Chris Rothfuss? C'mon, it won't be that bad. Come down to Dem HQ in downtown Cheyenne on Saturday morning between 10 and noon and pick up a packet of Carfuss/Rothter material (we might even though in a few Gary Trauner flyers). We're going to cover Cheyenne like a blanket, a nice warm blanket that you can get into when you get home. And don't forget the hot chocolate.

If you don't feel like walking neighborhoods on University of Wyoming's Homecoming (Pokes 49, Utes 0!), pick up your flyers tomorrow at the Laramie County Democrats office on 17th Street between Capitol and Central in Cheyenne, and go out on Sunday, even Monday, Columbus Day. The goal is to get material to every household in Cheyenne and Burns and Pine Bluffs. They deserve to know that there are Democrats out there who want to change the status quo in Wyoming and the nation.

See you this weekend.

Mike

UPDATE: The actual score of the game Saturday was Utah 40, Wyoming 7. See, you neighborhood walkers didn't miss anything.

Spreading the word about Wyo. Democrats

Chris Rothfuss, running for the U.S. Senate from Wyoming against Republican incumbent Mike Enzi, sent out an opinion piece yesterday about the current economic mess. I spent a god portion of my Saturday dropping off bundles of material on Rothfuss & Carter & Trauner to county voters who requested absentee ballots. The idea is to get the material into the hands of undecideds as they are filling out their ballots. Many hadn't yet received theirs, and some just weren't happy that I was ringing their doorbell. But I did get into some fine conversations with some, and had some surprises along the way.

I stopped in front of one house in my assigned territory in Cheyenne south of I-80. A strategically placed flagpole flew the Marine Corps and POW-MIA flags. In the driveway, a huge pickup sported stickers for the Marines, Army Airborne, and those ribbons that popped up during the Iraq invasion. It's easy to jump to conclusions, having seen all of those members of the military used as backdrops for Bush's LSOS speeches. True, many veterans I've talked to are Republicans -- but not all.

Mr. R came to the door with his buzzcut and tattoos. Vietnam, I thought. And then I went into my spiel, showing him my Dem candidate flyers. He stopped me. "Got any yard signs for Trauner?" I said I didn't but could get him one. "How about Mockler?" I didn't have any signs for our Democrat running for mayor. I told him I'd contact her campaign. "What about stickers -- I drive all over the state and I can drop them off." I said I would get him all the stickers he needed. He took my material, noting that he wanted to see some new blood in Congress and the mayor's office.

As I thanked him and walked off, I thought about how dangerous it is to compartmentalize people. I also decided to leave my assigned task and go get this guy a yard sign and some stickers. He seemed a bit surprised when I returned quickly with the goods. When I drove away, he was planting the Trauner sign among the green grass and flowers and trees of his front yard. Later, I got into a conversation with a couple I'd say were in their late thirties. The man was Independent, the woman Republican, and their three boys, well, who knows? The man said he was leaning Democratic this time, both for president and Congress. The woman then admitted that she was too, at least in the Congressional races. She works for the school district and her three boys all were in public schools. Education was big with her, and she was dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. Nothing like discontent to get people to vote for change. That's real change, the Obama kind, not the fake McCain variety.

I know that walking neighborhoods talking about politics isn't everyone's cup of tea. I would have rather been lounging in my backyard, reading my Roddy Doyle novel, or spending time with my family or doing a thousand-and-one other things. But times are tough and strange and I have to do something about it. In the next decade or so, as we dissect the damage that Republicans did to this country, I want to be able to say I took a few small steps to change that.

Back to Chris Rothfuss's opinion piece.... I'm going to include a few paragraphs below and let you go to the candidate's web site for the rest. Here it is:

This train did not wreck itself, but nobody is taking responsibility. Through action, inaction, and failed oversight, Congress (both parties) and the Bush administration have crafted this economy. Political action committees (PACs) representing the financial sector contribute heavily to campaigns and lobby strongly against regulation. Unfortunately, there is no comparable force lobbying on behalf of the people for transparency, fair lending, and responsible asset management. The members of the House that voted for the bailout on Monday received an average of 51% more campaign contributions from the finance, insurance and real estate sector than those that voted against it. That’s no coincidence.

My opponent, Senator Mike Enzi, has worked diligently to deregulate the financial sector over his 11+ years on the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. During this election alone he has received over $250,000 in contributions from finance, insurance and real estate PACs. That’s about $200,000 more than he’s received from the people of Wyoming. Senator Enzi has not been a casual bystander in our economic crisis - he has been instrumental in its creation.

Nick Carter drops by for a little chat

Nick Carter dropped into tonight's meeting of the Laramie County Democrats. He's been putting some hard miles on his motor home. The Democrat from Gillette has been campaigning for U.S. Senate in our part of the state, dropping into Cheyenne last Friday for a presidential debate party and then stayed over for Saturday's endorsement by the Federated Firefighters of Wyoming on the State Capitol steps. Tomorrow, he'll travel to Torrington and vicinity for some doorbell ringing.


The personal touch, that's what Wyomingites like. That's why candidates and supporters go door to door for some personal contact with voters. We still use phone banks, and sometimes gather for phone-calling parties. There will be one this Sunday in Cheyenne -- details to follow. But the old reach-out-and-touch-someone approach is losing some of its effectiveness. For one thing, we're mainly calling home phones. Nobody under 25 has a traditional home phone these days. And, as Tom Lee said tonight at our meeting, people don't answer their calls anymore. They screen their calls, in order to avoid the solicitors and worse -- push-polling calls from remote states by people who can't even pronounce our Governor's name. Some of the Dems have received these calls which are laden with traps and innuendos against Gary Trauner and other Democratic Party candidates. I hope I get one of these people calling me. I can't wait to record their number and turn them in. To whom, I don't know, but those who do push-polling are the lowest of the low.


Nick Carter is feisty. His campaign signs say "Wyoming tough." He is outspoken and persistent, I'll give him that. He calls Barrasso on his nonsense. He wonders how we can trust Sen. Barrasso on the energy issue, when he's taken a half-million dollars from energy companies. He must be tapping into the Cheney pipeline. Carter wonders how we can trust Barrasso (Dr. Barrasso) on healthcare reform when he's taken a half-million dollars from drug companies and healthcare conglomerates. He's puzzled about Barrasso's ability to vote correctly on issues affecting the economy when he's taken money from Sallie Mae and Freddie Mac.


Said Carter: "Every day I have to go out and raise money for a campaign against a guy who has $2 million in the bank from special interests." Carter advocates for real campaign finance reform in the form of federally financed elections. Barrasso does not, he added, noting wryly that the Doctor/Senator received federal financing in a roundabout way by accepting money from Freddie Mac and Sallie Mae who got gazillions of taxpayer funds in the recent bailout.


He asked a good question regarding the so-called bailout: "A company that is too big to fail is probably too big to exist."


Carter wants to emulate his hero Teddy Roosevelt by breaking up the big corporations "You need courage to break them up." You also need to get elected. To that end, local Dems will be conducting a literature drop throughout the county for Nick Carter and Chris Rothfuss, the Democrat who's challenging Sen. Mike Enzi. More than 30,000 flyers in the hands of voters -- or placed strategically in their screen doors. Interested in volunteering for this task on Oct. 11? Drop me a comment.

Nick Carter gets Firefighters endorsement

From a press release:

Nick Carter, Wyoming Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, has won the coveted Federated Firefighters of Wyoming (FFW) endorsement. Joe Fender, President of FFW, will officially announce the endorsement at an event in downtown Cheyenne to be followed immediately by press availability.

Federated Firefighters of Wyoming to Endorse Nick Carter for US Senate at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, on the front steps of the Wyoming State Capitol. Carter will accept the endorsement of the FFW and will also be making a major announcement. The press and public are invited and encouraged to attend. Post event press release and pictures will be forthcoming Saturday afternoon. The Federated Fire Fighters of Wyoming represent 85 percent of Wyoming's Professional Fire Fighters and protects half of Wyoming's population. They are a state affiliate of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

FMI: Eric Hevenor at 307.682.2425

Pound the pavement this weekend for Dems

Lauri Kay Elbing keeps giving me all sorts of great material to put on the blog. We're down to the last 40 days and nights of this year's campaign, and things are really getting interesting. On the local scene, we have great Democratic candidates running for the legislature. The balance from Laramie County is now 6 Republicans and 4 Democrats. We want to turn that around to 6 Democrats and 4 Republicans. We need more Dems in the legislature to help Gov Dave accomplish his goals for the final two years of his second term. Get out and pound the pavement this weekend.

Here's more info from Lauri:

They always say, if you want something done, ask a busy person. To that end, I am writing to you because of your leadership and interest in this year’s campaigns as well as your record of solid volunteerism. Our Congressional and Legislatives candidates are in the home stretch of a long and brutal campaign…and volunteers and their time are at a premium, and leaders like you are even more rare. We can’t do it without your help and support….and time is short.

There will be nearly 15,000 absentee votes cast over the next week all across Wyoming. It is not difficult to see that the margin of victory could be decided this weekend in many races…including one that we lost by just 1,000 votes two years ago. We cannot allow that to happen again. We need to get our message out to these citizens about our great candidates. To that end, a major canvassing operation has been planned for this weekend and if you aren’t already signed up to help, I hope you will consider spending just a couple hours this weekend.

Can you help us knock on the doors of absentee voters in your neighborhood on Saturday or Sunday? Two hours helps us touch base with 50 early voters. Bringing yourself AND a friend helps us connect with 100 early voters!

Coordinated Campaign Regional Field Coordinators:

Aaron Owens: Laramie, Goshen Counties 307-399.0898, aaron@wyomingdemocrats.com
Paula Hanson: Laramie County (shared with Aaron Owens) 307.635.3130 paula@wyomingdemocrats.com
Bryan Watt: Carbon, Albany County, 307-660.0614 bryan@wyomingdemocrats.com
Rey Fuentes: Sweetwater, Uinta, Lincoln Counties 307-679.4125
Katie Lass: Natrona, Washakie Counties: 307-680.6128 katie@wyomingdemocrats.com
Dana Walton: Converse, Platte, Niobrara Counties 307-258.1825 dana@wyomingdemocrats.com
Andrew Simons: Crook, Weston, Campbell, Johnson, Big Horn, Park Counties
307-221.2954 andrew@wyomingdemocrats.com
Meg Michelena: Sheridan Counties 307-752.7460 meg@wyomingdemocrats.com
Brian Peterson: Teton, Sublette Counties 307-229.630.0437 brian@wyomingdemocrats.com
Scott Porot: Fremont, Hot Springs Counties 213.814.8820, scott@wyomingdemocrats.com
Hanna Thompson: Sweetwater County (shared with Rey Fuentes) 371.1630 hanna@wyomingdemocrats.com

CHEYENNE volunteers:

Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon, 1-3 p.m., and 4-6 p.m.
Sunday will be from 2-4 p.m. and 4-6 p.m.

Email Aaron@WyomingDemocrats.com or call at 307.635.3130 to set up your shift and get instructions.

Visit http://www.traunerforcongress.com/free_details.asp?id=51 to find a Coordinated Campaign office near you.

We have 40 Days and no more to pull off a few miracles and I know we do it. The lesson that we learn every election cycle is that every vote counts and getting people to the polls and excited about our candidates is the end game….Like you, my goal is to have no regrets on November 5th and to do everything humanly possible to put
these candidates over the top.

We all need encouragement to keep going periodically and I appreciate that we all lead busy lives, but this is a finite commitment, the results of which will impact our lives and our future. A very practical and powerful objective in Wyoming is to secure a Congress that will work with the Obama Administration. Let’s send as many Democrats to Washington, D.C., as possible to support the agenda of President Barack Obama.

Secondly, I wanted to let you know that we have an honest to goodness Statewide Coordinated Campaign underway… I would also encourage you to contact your County Democratic Party Chairperson to see what you can do to support this effort and to see if there is a special role you may take on.

There will be three major walk weekends, including this weekend and the weekend before the election. The more feet on the ground, the more votes at the polls. From literature drops, phone calling (voters and volunteers), addressing post cards, basic office work…there is much to do and the list goes on….but it IS achievable.

Speakers for WyoDem Dinner in Casper

Here's the list of guest speakers for Saturday's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Casper:

Governor Dave Freudenthal: Our two-term democratic governor set and met priorities to continue promoting a culture of bipartisan and state-wide cooperation – and to make permanent smart investments toward a stable future for Wyoming. He continues to focus on Energy and Transmission, Education, Health and Wellness, Infrastructure (Roads, Water and Sewer Lines), Quality and Excellence, Water and Drought, Wildlife and Open Spaces as well as Workforce Training. Last month, a Mason-Dixon poll published in the Denver Post found that Governor Freudenthal enjoys an 81% approval rating in our great state.

Gary Trauner: Gary Trauner, 49, is a husband, father, businessman, entrepreneur, community volunteer, and former elected official residing in Wilson, Wyoming. Eighteen years ago, he and his wife Terry chose Wyoming as the place they wanted to live and raise a family; they are now the proud parents of two Wyoming born-and-raised young boys - ages 14 and 8. Gary runs an old-fashioned, retail campaign for Wyoming's lone seat in the US House of Representatives and continues to take the high ground by focusing on the issues that really matter to the citizens of Wyoming. Gary's campaign centered on his wish to restore leadership, integrity, a commitment to service and a willingness to do the right thing, regardless of party or political consequences, for all the people of Wyoming. Gary has seen firsthand the issues that matter to most working people – how to pay for health care, how to achieve a quality education, how to juggle work and family, how to provide a decent living wage, and freedom from unreasonable government and corporate intrusion. We are proud and honored to have him as our Candidate for the US House again this year.

Nick Carter: One look at Nick's website and you understand that that he is a hard driving pragmatic goal oriented solution finder who is also just a 'regular guy." He is a Wyoming Democrat, which means that he is an independent thinker and as such will be an effective advocate for all Wyoming Citizens. He believes that our government is broken and that you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. He contends that our current representation in Washington has proven to be part of the problem and he lays out solutions which he believes will fix Washington and help Wyoming. He is 'Wyoming Tough" and we are excited with his candidacy and are working hard to send him to Washington D.C. so he can show those folks a thing or two.

Chris Rothfuss: Chris is a man with the rare combination of brilliant intellect, levelheaded common sense, global vision and local practicality and we are privileged to have him as our US Senate Candidate. We are working hard to send him to Washington D.C. to finally build a comprehensive Energy Policy for the United States. A recent WyoFile story: "The Perfect Candidate You Never Heard Of" said it best: "Polite and professional, Rothfuss actually has a lot more experience and a few more years under his belt than appearances suggest. Whether you've heard it or not, Rothfuss is the Wyoming Democratic Party's nominee for the seat currently occupied by two-term Republican Senator Mike Enzi….The unfortunate thing is that this guy really deserves a look, but if history and the realities of modern campaign finances are any indication, he probably won't get it." "…Rothfuss said his service in the Senate would take advantage of his own set of unique skills: energy and diplomacy. 'My specialty is in the energy field,' said Rothfuss. 'That's a background and strength I would like to take to Washington. I think it would serve us all well to have some expertise in Congress.' The U.S., he said, has to come to terms with what dependence on foreign sources of energy is doing to the country's security and long-term financial health. 'We have to develop domestic sources of energy,' he said. 'That includes an emphasis on efficiency, alternatives – including nuclear – and an enhancement of the power grid and storage capacity. It also means that we have to develop ways to use domestic oil and coal reserves in a way that doesn't ignore our duty as stewards of the environment.' Toward that end, Rothfuss wants to develop a 50-year national energy policy to replace the 'haphazard' approach the country has used, with a goal of eliminating dependence on foreign oil within 10 years. 'With planning, we can do that," he said. "The economic and security implications are staggering…and disastrous if we simply continue to ignore the problem.'" Well said, Chris!

Chairman John Millin John served as the state party's treasurer and secretary and has worked extensively at the grassroots level in Wyoming chairing the largest county party organization in the state. He was elected as the Chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party in April 2007, promising to increase the capacity of the Wyoming Democratic Party by recruiting grassroots candidates, mobilize Democrats across the state, and match the Democratic National Committee's strategy of competing in all 50 states by competing for each of Wyoming's 23 counties. He accepted the challenge with limitless enthusiasm and has honored those commitments. We look forward to vigorous political races in every county addressing and winning on the issues that matter most to the citizens of Wyoming

Contact: Lauri Kay Elbing
Communications Director
307-634-3367 (office)
307-277-1187 (cell)
lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com

Poll: Nick Carter closing in on Barrasso

This good news comes from the Nick Carter for Senate campaign:

The Public Policy Group, an independent polling company out of North Carolina, conducted a poll of over 1,600 Wyomingites over the course of two days asking likely voters about where they stood on the issues and who they would be voting for in November.

I am encouraged by the results: John Barrasso: 42%; Nick Carter: 39%; Undecided: 19%

This tells me two things:
1. Nick Carter is just three points away from kicking out John Barrasso and bringing real solutions to the people of Wyoming;
2. With 19% of Wyoming voters undecided, we all have work to do to convince as many of those 19% to vote for Nick.

This means knocking on doors, talking to your neighbors, and making phone calls for the campaign on our easy and convenient virtual phonebanking system. The poll also confirmed what Nick Carter have discovered through knocking on doors, visiting senior centers, and spending time with veterans at VFW halls: the people of Wyoming are sick of the culture of corruption in Washington and they see Senator John Barrasso as an emblem of that corruption. Wyoming voters are a very intelligent and independent group of people who do not want those who represent them to vote straight party line.

Unlike my opponent, I will work with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to solve tough issues like energy, the economy, and immigration. We have a real shot at this, but we need your help to close the three point gap.

John Barrasso has raised over $2 Million from lobbyists and Washington D.C. special interests and is ready to use it. I need your help to show those 19% of undecided voters that we need serious change in Wyoming.

Nick Carter challenges Barrasso on energy

This comes from the Nick Carter for U.S. Senate campaign:

United States Senate Democratic Nominee Nick Carter pointed out John Barrasso's contradictions and politics as usual approach to our country's energy crisis today. "With the price of gas hovering at four dollars per gallon and working families worried about the next price spike, John Barrasso offers contradictory views on drilling and no long term solution for our dependence on foreign oil."

"Out of one side of his mouth, Barrasso says he supports drilling in ANWR and offshore while out of the other side of his mouth he doesn't think Wyoming oil producers can safely produce oil and gas in the Wyoming Range," Carter said. "This type of political double talk by Senator Barrasso is exactly the kind of pointless pandering that our country can no longer afford."

Carter laughed out loud when he found out that Barrasso said that the "real" energy supplies were not to be found in Wyoming. "I've been watching working folks come home from the rigs in Wyoming since I was 6 years old and it sure looked like they were drilling for something 'real' to me."

"The sad thing is that without a comprehensive energy policy that is dedicated to freeing us from oil dependence, it is only a matter of time before Senator Barrasso is clamoring to drill in the Wyoming Range because gas is six or seven dollars per gallon. Remember, John McCain and George Bush Sr. were opposed to offshore drilling until recently. The only way to preserve our environment and our economy is to make tough decisions on a nationwide energy policy. Anything else is just political doublespeak."

"Remember, Senator Barrasso voted against Wind Energy in Wyoming while taking a half a million dollars from big oil. He neither wants energy independence nor protection of the environment. Now he also wants any drilling jobs to go out of state. You can't trust him with the environment. You can't trust him with your job. You can believe I'll work toward a solution to our energy problem -- not just political talk."

Carter will be sweeping through the state over the next week, speaking with energy companies, veteran's groups, and senior centers. Unlike Barrasso, Carter claims, he is making a genuine connection with the people of Wyoming so he can truly represent their interests in Washington.

Tix still available for Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Casper Sept. 13

I can't attend this year's Jefferson-Jackson dinner because I'll be in Tennessee for an arts conference. But you can go! Here's the info from the Wyoming Democratic Party web site:

The 2008 Jefferson-Jackson dinner and banquet will take place at the new Casper Hilton Garden Inn on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. To learn more, and to buy tickets online, go to:
http://www.wyomingdemocrats.com/ht/d/RegisterForConvention/i/1198342/pid/273337

Tickets are $75 per person for the dinner banquet, or $600 for a table of eight. Featured speakers include Gov. Dave Freudenthal and our candidates for congressional offices. You can also join those candidates -- including future congressman Gary Trauner and future U.S. Senators Chris Rothfuss and Nick Carter -- at a VIP cocktail event prior to dinner. Tickets to the VIP cocktail are $100 each.

This is going to be a fantastic rally continuing this historic election year that you won’t want to miss. Seating is limited at the dinner, so please sign up today.

FMI: 1-800-729-3367

Trying to make sense of low voter turnout

The Casper Star-Tribune reported today that "unofficial primary results showed Nick Carter, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, held a small but sufficient lead over challenger Keith Goodenough, who conceded the race."

The Wyoming Secretary of State's web site shows Carter with 12,310 votes Tuesday to Goodenough's 12,006, a 304 vote lead. This margin is not enough for an automatic recount.

State Election Director Peggy Nighswonger said the difference needs to be less than one percent of the top vote getter in order to create an automatic recount. Goodenough needed to be less than 123 votes behind Carter for the counties to
sort back through the ballots.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Max Maxfield says that 47 percent of registered voters cast ballots in Tuesday's primary. The count was 104,635 ballots cast out of a total voter pool of 222,600 registered voters.

The Secretary of State's office lists 60,736 registered Dems. Only 24,316 cast votes in the Carter-Goodenough race, which means that 36,420 didn't. So, 60 percent of registered Dems stayed away during one of the most important primaries in one of the most important election years in my lifetime? If only 305 of them showed up and voted for Goodenough, we'd have a different match-up in November against Republican U.S. Sen. John Barrasso. Better? Probably not, since Carter brings a lot of verve and money to the general election. But a bigger turnout would have made the race more exciting and given the winner the momentum going into November.

You'd think that Democrats, charged up during this historic election year, would vote in higher numbers.

Casper Star-Tribune endorses Nick Carter

This comes from Eric Hevenor, campaign manager for the Nick Carter for Senate campaign: We received an important endorsement today: The Casper Star Tribune officially threw their support behind Nick Carter. Read the Tribune's glowing endorsement of Nick here.

In its editorial endorsement, the Casper Star Tribune noted of Nick that "he has a wealth of knowledge about the issues" and that Nick is "the strongest candidate to take on Barrasso in November."

Clearly, when the state's most important and widely distributed publication throws their support behind Nick's campaign, it's because Nick is a viable candidate to fight for solutions for the people of Wyoming. On the issues, the Tribune reports that "Carter is also correct when he criticizes the government's failure to build a high-speed rail system, which would be much more energy efficient than auto and air traffic. He says it's the kind of issue that should be debated in the Senate today, so the planning can start as soon as possible.

"Carter has also taken an interesting approach on health care, promoting federal
catastrophic insurance coverage for everyone. Such a system would likely help the economy by reducing the number of bankruptcies people file due to high medical bills."

Clearly, the editorial board of the Tribune realizes that there are many problems facing Wyoming and that Nick Carter is the man to deliver real solutions. The verdict is in: The state's largest newspaper threw their support behind Nick Carter because they realized that Nick Carter is the right candidate to create solutions for Wyoming.

UPDATE: Saturday's Wyoming Tribune-Eagle in Cheyenne added its endorement for Nick Carter over Casper's Keith Goodenough in Tuesday's primary. The paper also featured a side-by-side Q&A with Carter and Goodenough.

Carter's ads hit the tube (and YouTube)

Nick Carter has a series of campaign ads running on TV. But you don't have to wait for those annoying breaks during your favorite show to watch them. Due to the miracle of the Internets, you can plug in at http://nickforsenate.com/index.php?page=videos&vid=18.

Carter is challenging Republican Sen. John Barrasso on a number of issues. In the ad I saw this morning, the subject of "pork" came up in relation to Barrasso's support of the latest farm bill. The bill passed, but is considered a failure because it didn't address subsidies to corporate farmers. So the ad juxtaposes the head of Barrasso with that of a pig -- or porker, if you prefer.

One man's pork-barrel spending is another man's necessity. But the Republican-controlled House and Senate from 2000-2006 were very piggish indeed, at least when it came to shoveling taxpayer funds to defense contractors, oil and gas companies, and the very rich (through tax cuts). I look forward to Carter's ads on those subjects.

Nick Carter cranking up Senate campaign

Nick Carter sent out e-mails recently asking for donations and volunteers. He's the Democratic Party candidate for Republican John Barrasso's Senate seat. He's from Gillette, as is the case with Wyoming's other Republican senator, Mike Enzi. Enzi has not officially announced his run for re-election.

Here are some excerpts from Nick's e-mail appeal:

The people of Wyoming need an advocate in the U.S. Senate. We can not afford any more rubber stamp, party-line-no-matter-what politics from our U.S. Senator.

What if you could have an advocate in the U.S. Senate? An advocate working on the problems and solutions important to you and your family?

You can. I will be that advocate for you and all the citizens of our great state - with your help.

As your advocate in the U.S. Senate, I will:
* Work to provide health care for all citizens at an affordable price
* Bring the Iraq War to an honorable end, get our troops out of harm's way
and rein in the enormous cost to us, our children and grandchildren
* Work to bring down the price of gas, utilities and groceries
* Make Wyoming the leader in current energy and new, cleaner sources

As an attorney in Gillette, I have been an advocate for many, many Wyoming citizens over the past 17 years. A United States Senator should be the ultimate advocate for all the people of Wyoming. I will be that advocate with your help.

Your donation of any size, whatever you can afford, will allow me to run an effective, competitive campaign for the U.S. Senate. I want donations from Wyoming people, like you, to combat the effects of the big donations from pharmaceutical, insurance and other PACs who lavish money on my opponent.

Please take two minutes to CLICK HERE and make a secure contribution to my campaign.

(I also need your help as a volunteer for my campaign. You can volunteer here.)

The candidate makes some sound proposals. I wish his statement about Iraq was stronger. We should get out NOW, which would get our troops out of harm's way and rein in costs. All those billions could be spent at home to cover health care for all, development of clean energy sources, student loans, etc. Events have proved that the "Get out of Iraq now" crowd was correct all along.

Carter officially announces candidacy today

Gillette's Nick Carter was in town last week to talk to the Laramie County Democrats about his impending candidacy for U.S. Senate. See my March 26 post.

His candidacy is impending no more. Here's why:

Nick Carter will hold a press conference to announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate on Thursday, April 3, 11 a.m., at Wyoming Democratic Party headquarters, 254 N. Center St., Suite 205, in Casper.

Media outside Casper can call in to the press conference. FMI: Linda Stoval, 307-262-0085 or Bill Luckett, 307-473-1457.

Carter is running against Sen. John Barrasso of Casper who was appointed by the Governor to fill out the remaining term of Sen. Craig Thomas, who died in office.

Money + passion = election victories

An e-mail this week from John Millin, chair of the Wyoming Democratic Party, contained some good news about fund-raising:

I am pleased to report that our post-caucus online fundraising campaign has netted more than $3,000, far exceeding our goal of $2,500. With the matching funds from one of our very generous donors, that means you have effectively raised upwards of $6,000 for the Wyoming Democratic Party in just two weeks!

At last Tuesday's meeting of the Laramie County Democrats, treasurer Bobby Marcum announced a bank balance of more than $6,000. A couple thou came from the LarCoDems' open house in February; another couple thou came from passing the hat at the March 8 Laramie County caucuses. It's the most we've had in the bank since I joined this organization four years ago. We still are short of the goal of $10,000 we set for this election cycle.

Also on Tuesday, the Laramie County Grassroots Coalition announced a bank balance of almost $1,500. This came mostly from the coalition's membership table at the caucus. My wife Chris and I both renewed our annual membership, which contributed to the total.

So what are we going to do with all this dough? The state party has a convention to fund and campaigns to support. All three of Wyoming's congressional seats are up for grabs in 2008. Gary Trauner's running for the U.S. House and Nick Carter and Chris Rothfuss are running for the U.S. Senate against, respectively, Dr. John Barrasso and Mike Enzi. The Democratic National Committee is shoveling money into the state, but the Wyoming Democrats have to do its share. When Wyoming gets the attention of the Democratic Party, you know that Dr. John Dean's 50-state strategy exists and is working. Will we be able to negate the WyoRepubs' traditional 2-1 advantage to do so? Keep your fingers crossed.

And -- by God -- work your asses off. Wyoming Democrats are energized by the Obama and Clinton camps and the success of the March 8 caucuses. Volunteers and money are rolling in. But after that comes the boring, hard work. Not much glamour in walking neighborhoods and dialing call-after-call and speaking to answering machines and disinterested citizenry. It's amazing, really, how much effort it takes be an informed citizen of a democracy. Not only do you have to work hard to get your candidates elected, you have to keep up with the issues. How many of you out there have read your candidate's platforms? Let's see a show of hands. C'mon now, don't be shy. There's a few of you, mostly wonky bloggers. You have to pay attention. Watching CNN News for an hour each day does not qualify as paying attention. If you're watching Fox News (so-called) for an hour each day, your brain cells are atrophying at an alarming rate.

You also have to pay attention to the voting process. On the day of the March 8 caucuses, 45 people were rebuffed at the registration table and ended up challenging it. When all these were checked by the county clerk, only three had legitimate complaints. The rest, according to LarCoDems chair Mike Bell, were either registered Republicans or Democrats, or they hadn't voted recently and were purged from the rolls. It's difficult to believe that someone wouldn't know whether they were registered as a Republican or Democrat. Wyoming had liberal registration laws, allowing people to show up at the polls on election day and change their registration. This usually is applicable only during primaries. But it's possible that some Dems changed their registration in 2006 to vote against Repub Barbara Cubin and forgot to change back. I think I'd remember if I was registered as an "R." I would be having bad dreams nightly. I would feel an irrational need to disparage the poor and privatize Social Security. My finger would automatically click on the TV remove to Fox Noise.

I other words, I'd know if I was a D or R or I or just not interested.

To stay involved, you have to make sure you're registered appropriately and know the rules. Dems are challenged to get involved on the precinct level as committeemen/women. Any voter can be a poll watcher on election day or work as a judge (judges get paid!). You can run for office. If you're interested in any of these things, you might want to check out the "Voice Your Vote" Day on Monday, April 21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the day's sessions are open to all and will address a variety of issues about local and national elections.

As my old pal Iowa Bob used to say in John Irving's Hotel New Hampshire: "Get obsessed and stay obsessed." He was talking specifically about wrestling, but it can apply to politics and nearly anything else.