“We need to Build a Strong Infrastructure”
But what does that mean?
Hello Fellow Hoosiers and Guests!
Trained and Financially supported Candidates
Well Organized and Strong Democratic Party
Coalition Building
You may be feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, and at times wanting to tune it all out, because if you're like me, your head feels like it's on a swivel, bobbing from one shocking news alert to the next. That's exactly what they want - "flood the zone" ~ Steve Bannon.
This is happening on both the federal level and the state level. While I'll be discussing federal issues at times, this substack will focus on what we can do on the state level to build back our political power. To survive Trump 2.0, we need to be strategic with our time, talent, and treasures.
“Build Infrastructure” ~ “Playbook” ~ “Just do what they did in Georgia”
These phrases and/or terms are frequently used, but what does it all mean? To gain a deeper understanding and provide context behind these terms, we need to take a step back and examine the key elements required for the Democratic Party to build political power and win elections - ultimately helping our candidates reach that crucial "win number".
I firmly believe that the more knowledge you acquire, the better prepared and empowered you become to actively engage, find your role, and contribute effectively to rebuilding our political influence.
Candidate Success:
While there are numerous efforts a candidate undertakes, for the purpose of this discussion, I will provide a comprehensive 360-degree overview. Below, you will find an outline of a campaign's infrastructure
There are four key aspects of a campaign:
Launching the Campaign: When executed correctly, there is a great deal of strategic planning that occurs prior to the "launch party". Several initiatives must be in place before launching a campaign within the key pillars of a campaign: Strategy, Data, Fundraising, Communications, Field Operations.
Capacity Building: This is the volunteer engine - one of the most important pieces of a campaign.
Persuasion: Educating voters through multiple touch points, not just once but multiple times.
Turnout (GOTV): Getting voters to the polls. We all know we have busy lives, and in Indiana, a voter-suppressed state, it takes extra effort to cast your vote.
The nuances of successfully navigating these four phases require:
Training our candidates
Empowering super volunteers
Not expecting our candidates to run their own campaigns - they need support!
The next chart below (Phases of a Campaign Cycle) takes a deeper look at what a candidate needs to be successful - this is an insight into the “support” needed for candidates to win. If you notice, according to the chart below both the local party and the candidate need to be in this work in order for democrats to win. Now this is NOT the case in all counties, but what happens is there is an expectation that a candidate must carry the responsibility of all the tasks listed below. That is impossible. And we know there are many counties who provide little to no support to candidates running for office. This is a priority gap that needs to be addressed with our new party chair.
Let’s review - based on the "building a campaign infrastructure” and “phases of the campaign cycle” it is clear that a candidate needs training, financial support, and a strong, active local party. Keep in mind too, that our local parties are not paid staffers, they are volunteers who believe in serving our communities.
Now, there is another piece of the equation that helps propel a candidate to victory and works on the tasks list above. Think of this as the third leg of the triangle. We call this the softside - the 501c3s & 501c4s - the nonprofits in our communities that align with the democratic values. For example Hoosier Action, Conservation Voters, or Planned Parenthood. All mission-driven organizations that work in our communities doing advocacy work year-round, educating Hoosiers on issues that align with our democratic values.
The playbook that has been missing in Indiana is a strong coalition of soft-side organizations working together to lift up our democrat efforts. Why is this necessary? As a political junkie who enjoys listening to podcasts, you may have heard the term "coalition building" tossed around. Coalition building refers to the process of bringing together different organizations and groups to work towards a common goal.
Most advocacy organizations are registered as non-profit organizations, which means they must operate within certain guidelines to maintain their tax-exempt status. For example, 501c3 organizations - such as the League of Women Voters - cannot align themselves with either political party or candidate. Their mission is to support all voters, regardless of party affiliation.
On the other hand, 501c4 organizations can support political candidates as long as the organization's mission is aligned with the candidate's platform. However, they must balance their work and are legally "firewalled" from certain activities during an election cycle. This means that they are prohibited from coordinating directly with candidates or parties, and must ensure that their efforts are independent and non-partisan.
Similarly, candidates themselves are also legally "firewalled" from how they interact with advocacy organizations and what types of financial and organizing support they can and cannot accept.
Many have echoed across Indiana the need to build coalitions that align with the mission and values of democratic candidates. Circling back to “we need to do what Georgia did” → well Georgia has about 125 various organizations who are mission aligned working together within their respective legal allowance - taking a lane - that indirectly impacts one of the phases of a campaign.
Too many times, great people step up, start a mission driven organization only to fold a few years later. That needs to stop. Legally threading these organizations together and sharing resources is what will strengthen our democratic effectiveness. Working together! No one organization can do it all. The phases of a campaign cycle are complex. Having a clear focused contribution will help strengthen our collective efforts. A really amazing example of “taking a lane” is MadVoters - . They track the legislation moving through both the Indiana Senate and the Indiana House and share this value information with the voters.
Many have echoed across Indiana the need to build coalitions that align with the mission and values of democratic candidates. To achieve this, we can learn from Georgia's example. In Georgia, there are approximately 125 organizations working together within their respective legal allowances, each taking a specific "lane" that indirectly impacts one phase of a campaign.
By adopting a similar approach in Indiana, we can create a robust coalition of mission-aligned organizations that support democratic candidates while operating within the bounds of the law. This collaborative effort will enable us to make a more significant impact and ultimately drive positive change in our state.
A amazing example of “taking a lane” is MadVoters - . They track the legislation moving through both the Indiana Senate and the Indiana House and share this value information with the voters.
For the last 10 years, or more, Georgia has been in the work of building out their coalitions. Indiana is now in that work. A strong coalition network is the third leg that will strengthen our year-round work.
Why This Matters:
By building a strong coalition network (infrastructure), we can:
Counter the divisive tactics of Republicans and promote unity on key issues.
Hold the GOP accountable with valued based messaging. Have you heard of “Stand UP Indiana?”
Support our candidates working within the guidelines and help them win elections.
Provide a framework for advocacy efforts and invite more community participation & engagement
By working together, we can build a strong infrastructure that will help us achieve our goals and promote Democratic values. Let's focus on building a better future for all Hoosiers. That is infrastructure, the playbook, and what Georgia did.
The news may seem scary right now, but over the next few weeks ponder how you want to get involved in building out our democratic infrastructure and reclaiming our political power. That may be getting involved with the local party, reaching out to a local advocacy group that aligns with your values, or you may be thinking about running for office yourself. We need everyone to step up and contribute - pick a lane and dive in.
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