by Dante Atkins (hekebolos) [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Here in California, the Democratic Party is adopting the 58-county strategy.  But the GOP is doing exactly the opposite:

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- On the verge of a presidential election year, the California Republican Party is slashing funds for key operatives as the party struggles to overcome lackluster fundraising and lingering debt.

At the end of the year the state party will eliminate what is called its county executive director program, which distributed about $260,000 a year among about a dozen counties to assist with fundraising activities and grass-roots organizing.

I don't know, maybe they could get all the people paying to surreptitiously gather petition signatures to bail them out.

But the bottom line is: The CRP is bankrupt because their donors hate Bush:

Party members say fundraising has been dampened by, among other reasons, Bush's immigration plan, which many conservatives have called a giveaway to illegal workers.

Bush is the give that keeps on giving.

by Ilya Sheyman [courtesy of Blog for America]

I was surfing the net and Atrios pointed me to DFA-List Candidate Mark Pera's first TV ad. Remember Mark Pera?

Mark Pera is the progressive in the primary. Congressman Dan Lipinski is out of touch with his district. He can't stop himself from voting with the Bush party line to prevent life-saving stem cell research or give oil companies even higher profits. He's even voted five times to keep funding Bush's war and supports keeping troops in Iraq beyond 2010.

Here's the first ad:

Keep your eyes on this race - because if we're interested in ending the war, primaries matter!

by Ilya Sheyman [courtesy of Blog for America]

Last week, as part of our "Primaries Matter" campaign, and thanks to the dilligent work of DFA members at Northside DFA and Oak Park DFA, we added Mark Pera to our "A-List" in his race for Congress in the Illinois 3rd district.

Here's a quick reminder of why this primary matters:

Congressman Dan Lipinski is out of touch with his district. He can't stop himself from voting with the Bush party line to prevent life-saving stem cell research or give oil companies even higher profits. He's even voted five times to keep funding Bush's war and supports keeping troops in Iraq beyond 2010.

The race is really starting to gear up and I just got an update from Northside DFA organizer Sandra Verthein about the race.

Challenger outraises Lipinski in Q3

A Western Springs attorney mounting a primary campaign challenge to Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) accomplished a rare feat over the last three months: He outraised the incumbent.

Mark Pera, an assistant state's attorney with the Cook County state's attorney's office and a former school board president, raised $100,000 for the third quarter of this year. Lipinski raised $76,000.

read more »

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

Send a message to Congress: You're on notice. Regardless of political party, when Congress won't represent the will of the American people, then DFA members will fight to replace them with someone who will.

This is one bright blue Democratic district where we can make a change; Mark Pera is the progressive in the primary. Support Mark with a contribution of $15 right now:

www.DemocracyforAmerica.com/SupportMark

Congressman Lipinski is out of touch with his district. He can't stop himself from voting with the Bush party line to prevent life-saving stem cell research or give oil companies even higher profits. He's even voted five times to keep funding Bush's war and supports keeping troops in Iraq beyond 2010.

But this election isn't just about bad votes; it's about leadership and community. Hand-picked by the party machine to take his father's seat in Congress, Dan Lipinski is a poster child for the culture of incumbency.

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

There are some Democrats - Bush Democrats - who claim to represent us, but vote with Republicans on too many issues that matter.

Send a message to Congress: You're on notice. Regardless of political party, when Congress won't represent the will of the American people, then DFA members will fight to replace them with someone who will.

This is one bright blue Democratic district where we can make a change; Mark Pera is the progressive in the primary. Support Mark with a contribution of $15 right now:

www.DemocracyforAmerica.com/SupportMark

Congressman Lipinski is out of touch with his district. He can't stop himself from voting with the Bush party line to prevent life-saving stem cell research or give oil companies even higher profits. He's even voted five times to keep funding Bush's war and supports keeping troops in Iraq beyond 2010.

But this election isn't just about bad votes; it's about leadership and community. Hand-picked by the party machine to take his father's seat in Congress, Dan Lipinski is a poster child for the culture of incumbency.

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

DFA stands up for progressive principles in any district, in every state. That's why primaries matter.

Donna Edwards in MD-04 is a lifelong progressive taking on Rep. Al Wynn -- a Bush Democrat occupying a bright blue seat.  And DFA is behind Donna 100%.

Give $15 right now and help DFA find the next key primary battle in the fight to make Congress progressive:

https://contribute.democracyfor
america.com/primariesmatter

Democracy for America is reforming the country from the ground up. You're organizing locally, mobilizing and winning elections in all 50 states.

Beating entrenched Republican incumbents is a top priority, but it's not enough. We need a progressive Congress and that includes reforming our own party.

There are congressional Democrats who vote the Bush party line to keep lobbyists and corporate donors happy. These Bush Democrats are not representing their constituents. And they are not representing America's progressive values.

DFA fights for the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party.