Early sign that Dean's DFA 2.0 strategy is working!

by Maura in VA

The dKos
community had a great discussion last week about the pros and cons of
the choices Dean made for inclusion in the Dean Dozen, the list of the
first 12 candidates that Democracy for America will be supporting.

Though some
people here were critical of DFA 2.0's choices of candidates in local
races in “safe” Republican districts, these choices reflect Dean's
belief that we need to aggressively run candidates against otherwise
unopposed Republicans.   The “Leave No Republican Unopposed”
strategy allows progressive ideals to have a voice and forces a debate
on the issues that are most important to us.  The only way we can
ever hope to win in the future is if we begin to build a progressive
community (a growing splotch of blue in red areas) and articulate a
progressive vision now.

I was
delighted to see an early positive result of this strategy at work
today in my hometown newspaper in CT, The Stamford Advocate.  Kim
Hynes is running for State Representative in the 149th district in
Connecticut (parts of Stamford and Greenwich) against Livvy Floren, a
Republican opponent who has never faced a Democratic challenger in a
district that has elected a Republican for over 70 years. . . .

. . . There
are many reasons why Kim Hynes' candidacy is important.  For one
thing, she just might win.  Secondly, finally having a local
progressive Democrat in the race may bring previously demoralized
Democrats from the 149th to the polls and could help Diane Farrell in
her quest to unseat Republican Congressman Chris Shays.

But even if
Kim does not win this time, her campaign is already demonstrating the
results that Howard Dean envisioned.  If she had not run, there
would be no quotes in The Stamford Advocate and Greenwich Time today
from a candidate who supports gay marriage.  Her candidacy gave
gay marriage supporters in Stamford and Greenwich a voice today.

That, in itself, is a small but very important victory.
 

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