Reply #49: It would be a shame if they allow the healthier parties in the red states

[karynnj]

to fall into decay. I do think that the tide is such that there will be far fewer opportunities in the red states this year. Dean's work put races in play when the tide turned quickly in our favor in 2006, but in the House, we just had two exceptional elections and the overall tide is moving away from us. It would not be fair to compare Dean's success to Kaine's. After all, what do you think when Schumer and Emmanuel are given credit for their records in the Senate and House?

(The fact is Dean in good shape having been there in 2006 and 2008 - he will be compared very favorably to Kaine and McAuliffe. What he deserves credit for is the degree to which he was able to rebuild local parties. Assuming that what he started continues, it will make good years better and bad years less bad.