You don’t have to have served in the Army to know that if you don’t show up on the battlefield…the enemy can do whatever they want.
And if you join a battle with no weapons, manpower, or reinforcements…you’re gonna lose the fight.
As a six-year old playing with GI Joe’s we figured that one out, right?
So I was dumbfounded when I found that Democrats either weren’t running, or weren’t supporting, nominees in 40% of the Congressional Districts in ‘22. They didn’t even try. A shocking 23 Republicans ran unopposed and another 126 had opponents who were never even able to raise enough money to put up a good fight.
How can you – with a straight face – say you’re fighting for everyone and then completely ignore 40% of the field?
Let me tell you, it made me…shall we say…aggravated. (I can’t use the string of obscenities I’d normally say instead of “aggravated” because … well. It is not PG-13.)
The rationale, as the DC ‘professionals’ tell me, is that these races are “too red to win.”
First, I never believe something’s “impossible.” Unlikely? Fine. Hard? Absolutely. But having seen the most unexpected things happen in combat, and just generally in life, I never discount the underdog – or the X factor.
But second, it’s beyond stupid to leave all these districts unopposed, or hang the nominees who run there out to dry.
It ensures the GOP has space to maneuver and a place to rest and recoup. That is the opposite of what you want when you’re building a grand strategy. You have to push on all fronts.
Democrats … unfortunately, just aren’t.
So, let’s change that.
Is it crazy? Maybe. But if you know me, you know I don’t do anything half-[bleeped] and this is our democracy. This is the time to go all-out. Don’t you think?
Yeah.
So LFG.
I’m having a zoom event with David Pepper (who literally wrote the book on saving democracy) to talk about how we can fix this mess we’re in. I’d love to see you there. It’s June 29 at 8pm eastern. You can RSVP here or at the button below.
Hope you can make it.
Fred Wellman
Fred Wellman is an Army veteran, the Host of On Democracy With Fred Wellman and the National Chair of Forgotten Democrats
