72-Hour Task Force: What went wrong?
In lieu of last night's election results, a lot of people will be asking what happened to the GOP's GOTV effort. I have a few thoughts on the subject (none of which is terribly original).
1. Democrats have not caught up with the GOP's GOTV effort, but they have made major gains. It used to be that our GOTV effort gave us an additional 5%. Now, when you factor in the Dems effort, we probably come out ahead by 2% or 3%.
2. While a 2% or 3% advantage in turn-out wins a lot of races, it couldn't overcome the zeitgeist of 2006.
3. The 72-Hour Task Force works best in areas that have used it before. For example, in 2004, targeted states like Ohio and Pennsylvania used it. But many of the areas that were in play this cycle had never tested or fully trained their operatives and activists how to use it. What is more, executing it requires motivated volunteers and activists -- which was a problem this year.
... At least, that's my initial assessment.
1. Democrats have not caught up with the GOP's GOTV effort, but they have made major gains. It used to be that our GOTV effort gave us an additional 5%. Now, when you factor in the Dems effort, we probably come out ahead by 2% or 3%.
2. While a 2% or 3% advantage in turn-out wins a lot of races, it couldn't overcome the zeitgeist of 2006.
3. The 72-Hour Task Force works best in areas that have used it before. For example, in 2004, targeted states like Ohio and Pennsylvania used it. But many of the areas that were in play this cycle had never tested or fully trained their operatives and activists how to use it. What is more, executing it requires motivated volunteers and activists -- which was a problem this year.
... At least, that's my initial assessment.
posted by Matt Lewis at 2:25 PM
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