The Down-Ticket Primaries in 2016 will Matter a Great Deal
I plan on supporting Elizabeth Warren in the Presidential primaries, if she runs, and Bernie Sanders if she doesn't run. But it seems to me that progressives should be making plans to make the most of the (rather likely) eventuality what Hillary Clinton wins the nomination.
On the bright side, most of the general-election polls show Hillary beating all her Republican opponents by fairly large margins, often in the double digits. She would also be great for turn out, and especially for turning out women. This translates into her having pretty large coattails for the down-ticket candidates to ride. This combined with the fact that we'll have a much more favorable map for the Senate elections portends a lot of Democratic gains.
While its tempting to focus on the big fight, we can make a lot of impact in the smaller races. If we pour massive resources into the down-ticket primaries, we can see that those gains go to true progressives, and not to just any old Democrat. When the candidates start declaring for 2016, I strongly encourage you to look at your Senate, House, State Legislature and local races. If there is a good progressive candidate, consider writing a check or volunteering. If there isn't a good progressive candidate, consider trying to recruit one or running yourself.
Getting involved in small time politics can be rather satisfying. This election, I wrote a pretty huge check to an excellent, progressive local candidate who went on to win his election by 23 votes. Knowing that I actually made a difference was a pleasant change from national politics, which can feel like pissing in the ocean. Pushing the party to the left from its base might also get Hillary to back off her corporatist ways. She's nothing if not a slave to public opinion. Who knows, building up some progressive buzz during primary season might even help Elizabeth or Bernie win.
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