Here’s My Question
Let’s say you’ve got $100 in campaign donations that you can give without going hungry or having your electricity shut off.
Where does it go? I’m picking a winnable senate race.
But, then it gets hard. My heart says Jaime Harrison because Lord help me, I fiercely hate Lindsey Graham, but is that the smartest investment? Mark Kelly has a bunch of money and a big lead. Cal Cunningham in North Carolina because Tillis needs to go. We’ve got the race in Wyoming. I mean, it gets sticky.
To be honest, I’m not in a panic because I don’t think McConnell can get the votes, but I just want to make sure we take the Senate.
Who do we send our $100 to?
I’ve put my money on Jaime Harrison. Kelly’s got money and so does Cunningham and Bullock can pull the votes in Montana! I’m tired of watching the weathervane that calls himself Lindsay Graham!
1If you come up with a decent decisionmaking process, please share it!! 🙂
2I am in Kansas.
3Very tight race between Barbara Bollier and a nutjob Trumpian named Roger Marshal who are funning for US Senate seat being vacated by Pat Roberts.
That is where my efforts and money are going.
In the Alaska Senate race, there’s a chance to get rid of Dan Sullivan, a total Trump toady supported by big money from Ohio. 538 polls says Al Gross 43%, Sullivan 43%.
4Our Colorado governor Jared Polis (heck of a good guy) started this one. Twelve good races, and your donation gets split 12 ways (it says you can personally adjust the amounts between the candidates too).
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/polisforcosenatesplit
5I took one of the little bit to the close but less funded races bundles that ActBlue put up last night. (colorado, montana, etc) I couldn’t decide either.
BTW: The Womens march folks have called for a vigil at your local courthouse at 8 pm. Wear black, bring a candle, and the usual Im goin protestin snack supply.
6EHSR in SC
I sent mine to Jamie. Lindsay’s got to go. It’s pretty close…FiveThirtyEight shows the race tied at 48% each
7Well, you could split it. Some to Doug Jones, some to Sara Gideon, some to Jaime Harrison and some to Cal Cunningham. Hickenlooper could probably use some extra money; he’s ahead but only by 5 points and MOE is 3.6. Real close.
Or you could help rid the Senate chamber of its pigsty stench and send a donation to Theresa Greenfield in Iowa. The Lord she knows that Joni Ernst has stunk the place up real bad.
Not sure why you would send a donation to Wyoming, given that it doesn’t really appear to be winnable by a Democrat. The state is overwhelmingly Republican. Not saying it’s too quixotic, but you only have $100…
8I’d say split it between Cal and Jaime….or go hungry and donate $100 to each. Both races are too tight.
I like Jaime a lot down south of me, but Cal I know and, Dear Lord, Tillis makes me itch. Ever since he realized Cal has the integrity Thom (who spells “Tom” that way?) Tillis lacks and was running a strong campaign, I’ve been getting these damn phone invitations to Tillis Town Halls so he can act as if he gives a rat’s patootie for us voters in NC. What utter claptrap.
And, yeah, I’ve donated more money than I intended to this year, and I STILL think they’re going to give us another damn sexual predator on the Supremes. That’ll make 3, God help us all.
9That’s what I would like to know, and I would put $1,000 on your recommendation. I’ve already donated my trump check, and $2,000 of the car. You know what I mean. Further recommendations appreciated. I have money and I want to throw it.
10I just donated to Sara Gideon, Jaime Harrison, and Amy McGrath today. Last week I donated to our Alaska candidates. Every time the vultures piss me off, one of ours gets my money. A great way to channel the anger.
If I was angry before we lost RGB, I can tell you I am in a rage now at what the Republicans are doing as a result of her death.
11Do not donate to the candidates with over $10 million. Your $100 won’t make a difference.
All of the names you mentioned are excellent. Donate to the one who needs it the most.
Since Citizens United, it’s been feast or famine for both party candidates. I hate to see someone like Jon Ossoff get $70 million and other congressionals who can’t get Hollywood’s attention and struggle to raise $1 million. Ossoff will run same campaign with a mere $60 million. Give to whom every you like and who needs it the most. Isn’t helping the less fortunate what Democrats believe in?
12We are sending money to Dems who oppose Republican Senators who said, when it was Obama, not during an election year and have now changed heir mind. We have also considered sending some money to pay fines for felons in Florida who can vote if the fines are cleared. Yes it is difficult to figure out where to send it.
13I heard one that made some real sense: The Arizona special election. Since it is a special election, he could be seated as soon as Nov 30, in time to help keep the ducks lame…
14I’d say Paulette Jordan in Idaho, but Risch will likely breeze back in.
15How do we send money to pay the fines in Florida? Surely there is a reputable place doing this. ACLU?
Oh God, please let it be MJ Hegar, please. I loathe Cronyn just slightly less than The Turtle!
16I’ll give you my personal formula, but because it funds my irritations with democrats in congress, ymmv
Anytime I can come up with a few hundred found dollars
171. the democrat opponent of a democrat that I think directly benefited from the stoopid screwing of Al Franken, 40%,
2. the democrat opponent of a democrat that indirectly benefited from screwing Al Franken 30%
3. the republican opponent of a sitting republican, primary, 15%
4. the democrat opponent of a sitting republican, general, 15%
I’m saving front pocket change to contribute Kristen Gillibrand’s primary opponent if one shows.
Jan is right about Bollier in Kansas, it is potentially winnable, she got some of our “disposable income.” Susan #5 that list of Polis’ is mighty darn good!
We also gave a bit to Ben Wickler and the Wisconsin Dems. They are doing some good work!
We’ve given to Mark Kelly, yes we know he’s fine but AZ law requires that he take over as soon as the election results are certified, since the execrable McSally was an appointed position. Besides, my grandson lives there.
We are trying to determine which races are in the greatest need of a cash infusion and as such where our $$ will make the most difference.
Side note: Cash now has a bigger impact than it does in October, they are buying air time right now – there won’t be any left to buy in October.
18Give it to Act Blue’s “Get Mitch or Die Trying” fund and they’ll pass it along to whoever is most in need.
19See Princeton Election Consortium for “voter power” ranking for Senate. I donated SC, AK,KS, and MT via ActBlue. Taking the Senate is a firewall as well as a hammer.
20Jamie for sure. Knocking Lindsay out could have a lot to do with turning South Carolina purple.
McConnell is probably unbeatable this time but an investigation into his and his wife’s collusion after the election could force him out.
21I just sent Jamie some love. My daughter (who lived in SC for 5 years) and her partner (who is SC born and raised) are big fans. Miss Lindsey has to go.
22I didn’t know about the Kansas race — will throw some money Bollier’s way. So far, mine has gone to Jaime and Mark Kelly. I don’t think Amy McGrath has a chance, God help us, but I made a big donation to her yesterday just so I could write Mitch McConnell a letter and tell him I did.
23Ditch Mitch, Amy McGrath
24I gave per the recommendation of that Princeton thing that I found out about here. Thank you. Also more to Harrison, and to that Kentucky Grassroots group I found out about here. I’d love to give money to pay felons’ fines in Florida if I knew what organization was trustworthy there. And more to McGrath. I don’t even know what her chances are I just know how much I hate McConnell.
25I found an organization for felons voting rights in Florida. It seems pretty legit. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/frrc-fines-and-fees-fund
26Theresa Greenfield has taken the lead in Iowa, imagine the pleasure of saying, “Joni Ernst lost, and I helped!
27https://t.co/jPR7asrDvR
Thanks for the heads up Deb. Good thing I still have some money left.
28Bob Boland @8 — re: the Gardner/Hick race
One of the long-time columnists in the area, Mike Littwin, says
“A recent poll had Gardner five points down, but that’s the closest any poll has shown. Democrats tell me that their internal polling shows John Hickenlooper leading by 9 to 11%.” For the little it’s worth, I think this is a classic instance of the candidates being so well established in the minds of the populace that money — both the campaigns’ donations AND the outsider “independent” money — is not going to be the determining factor.
So I’ve been urging those with spare time or cash to do three things:
29first, make certain you’ve talked with EVERY contact you have and convince them to vote for the Democrats in the races of their areas. People are most swayed by those they know, not the yammer of the TV or what they view on their screens.
second, support those who are registering and getting out the vote of traditional low-participation voters. Hispanics in Texas and elsewhere. Navajo and Hopi in Arizona. And especially younger voters — voter turnout between 18-29-year-olds increased from 20% in 2014 to 36% in 2018, and was only 46% in 2016 — so it can obviously rise in 2020 — and “surveys suggest Trump is set to lose these voters by at least 20 points in November, if not more.”
third, send your money to the candidate you believe will be an outstanding Senator. In my mind, Hick and Bullock will be willing to go along with the Democratic caucus, but I don’t see him becoming a leading voice on any issue. Others, like Cunningham, Gideon, Greenfield and Kelly have the bio, the demonstrated interest, and a track record of leading on various issues.
The post by JuanitaJean help me decide where to use my limited funds. Per the DefenseLiberal comment, I went to the Princeton Election Consortium website and via ActBlue/PEC High-Impact Federal Races 2020 (for Senate) link at the bottom of the article, I donated $500. I also donated $500 the top 5 Texas House District candidates referenced by Princeton/Moneyball Redistricting link to Voter Impact on 2021 Congressional Redistricting for Texas to prevent partisan gerrymandering in 2021.
In memory of Bev Carter. A real newspaper person who helped me find JuanitaJean. I would love to read what Bev would say about what is happening now.
30Is the “Princeton thing” a kind of money ball for politics? I have read we need to do better allocating our donations.
I have known Al Gross (Ak) since he was a kid, and his mom and dad. He is great, and though I live in Hawaii now I will donate to him again. He is mostly self-financed.
We should urge some democratic organization to provide us reliable stats for tactical donations.
31Me too, Wayne, me too.
32Two go-to sites for poll tracking: Princeton Election Consortium (Sam Wang) and Electoral-vote.com. PEC has a gerrymandering project and a down ballot impact map that is worth a look as well as the voter power metric (where your donation has the biggest impact). Electoral Vote has interesting commentary in addition to the poll tracking. I like both way more than five thirty eight, YMMV.
33Susan Crites … thanks for that Gov. Polis link … I used it for a donation to all 12 of those listed!
34Regarding Al Gross, a superpac connected with Mitch McConnell is worried enough (it’s a tie right now) that they are sending $1.6 million to Alaska for Dan Sullivan’s benefit. So Al could use a hand too if anyone cares to throw him a few bucks.
35Montana (Bullock) or Iowa (Greenfield). That’s where my money went.
36Mike Espy in Mississippi has a good chance of knocking off the odious racist Cindy Hyde-Smith.
In the day after the death of Justice Bader-Ginsberg, he raised more money in one day than any candidate in the history of the state, and more money on that day than Hyde-Smith in three months.
37I second Tirsyah Fairfax and the Get Mitch or Die Trying fund https://secure.actblue.com/donate/getmitch. They avoid races that really have no chance and also those that are already flush with cash.
Also, I carefully follow Chris Murphy (my wonderful Senator) and Brian Schatz (my second favorite) on Twitter. They periodically challenge followers to raise money for a particular senate race they feel is competitive – often $100K in one night. You can’t miss with those two.
38Mike Espy, Jaime Harrison, Sarah Gideon. Love Mark Kelly, but think he’s good in the money department. The Senate is it for sure!
39