Looking to November

The stakes are high for Oregonian families in the 2014 elections, and Democrats throughout the state are ready to use cutting-edge, grassroots campaign tools to win the close races in November.

Our state Legislature is facing an increasingly extreme and socially conservative field of Republican candidates this year. In three Republican primaries, out-of-state conservatives and groups like Oregon Right to Life ensured victory for far-right candidates who mimic Republicans in Congress with their shutdown politics and hyper-partisanship.

Meanwhile, Oregon Democrats are focused on creating economic opportunity for all Oregonians by supporting strong public schools, affordable college and technical education and good-paying jobs. That’s why it’s so important that we run successful campaigns this year: Democratic leaders will stand up for working families, fight for Oregon’s priorities and work together to get things done in Salem.

We are already gearing up for winning campaigns. Last week, our newly hired field staff went through a four-day training on the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee’s Grassroots Victory Program (GVP). Our organizers now know how to run winning, first-rate field campaigns and will play a key role in securing Democratic gains in November. By using techniques that are backed by data and research, our field staff will know the approaches they take are not only effective, but also groundbreaking.

This cycle, tried-and-true field operations will be made even stronger by our strategic use of newly available data. We will still go door-to-door and talk with voters about our shared priorities versus the GOP’s record, but this field organizing approach will allow field staff to work harder and smarter.

In the last election cycle for the Oregon House, 10 races came down to the difference of less than 2,000 votes. In one race, the difference between winning and losing was 348 votes. Every vote matters in elections that close, and the strategies that our GVP-trained organizers are implementing will boost support for Democrats who are running against vulnerable Republicans throughout the state.

Oregonians know they can continue to count on Democrats to stand up for working families, get things done, and make real improvements for people throughout our state. But to keep fighting for Oregon’s priorities, we need a strong turnout in 2014. GVP will get us there. — Rep. Val Hoyle