Open Left

more money is great to have...

...but there is a saturation point which the effectiveness declines, particularly in primaries.

Remember the target group is much narrower than a general election and that turnout is far more important than persuasion.  Specter will need Democratic activists to drive his turnout to the Democratic Primary...if a strong campaign is waged against him, $6 million won't be nearly enough to buy those activists.

The question is, can we find a candidate that can raise enough money to be competitive and project the credibility needed to get those activists on board in spite of the wishes of the "national party".  Torsella is demonstrating the fund raising chops but what about the rest? Is he a progressive? is he as someone above indicates just a "hack"?

The lower turnout is, the more important the most hardcore of Democratic activists become, the higher turnout is, the more risk there will be "gaming of the system" a la Joe Lieberman 2006, cross-over voting, etc...and the more expensive the race will become for a challenger.

It isn't about TV ad buys in a primary, it is about boots on the ground getting out the vote through a comprehensive field program.

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by: mp @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 22:26:42 PM CDT