A Submission as Summation

In July, OTDB submitted an entry in BlogPac's Progressive Entrepreneur Contest, with hopes of winning one of five $5,000 prize grants. Over 100 entries were submitted and other worthy causes were selected in lieu of ours (you can read about the winners at: http://www.blogpac.com/).

I wanted to post our submission essay earlier, but wasn't sure what the judges would think of that. Now that the contest is over, I feel no qualms about doing so. Please note that much of the following was written & edited between July 10-24, so there are things that are already a bit outdated (such as the number of PCs recruited) and some things referred to as upcoming may have already past.

Still, I believe this 1,000-word piece serves as a strong summation of what OTDB has done and achieved in our first 7-8 months in existence, and wanted to post it for the public record.

-- Seth

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Despite the national Democratic groundswell in 2006, despite impressive Democratic gains in otherGOP-hotbed counties of Northern Illinois (Lake, Kane,Will) and despite several notable, closer-than-everraces, including one 299-vote-difference, recount-inducing contest, every elected official inDuPage County, Illinois (due west of Chicago) remainsa Republican.

Tired of seeing red on Election Day, several ardent, progressive Democrats—including unsuccessful-yet-unbowed candidates and devoted campaign workers—experienced their Howard Beale moment (“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”) and then quickly realized that only action, not anger nor apathetic acceptance, would end a losing streak even the Chicago Cubs would pity.

Germinating in November 2006 and evolving ever since, Operation: Turn DuPage Blue (OTDB) was hatched with great optimism and strategic planning instantly replacing frustration and finger-pointing. Our main goal is to reintroduce DuPage citizens to the value of 2-party (at least!) politics and the subsequent dialogue that will bring about better government at all levels while putting in place an effective progressive infrastructure for the future of all DuPage citizens.

From Day One, the focus was on Precinct Committeeman recruitment, as only 122 of 735 precincts contained Democratic PCs in 2006. When one analyzes Peter Roskam’s 2-percentage point victory over Tammy Duckworth in Illinois’ 6th Congressional District (largely in DuPage County), it does not take much to realize that if half of those precincts had been filled, DuPage would already have a Democratic representative. Through the implementation of a multi-phase PC recruitment plan, OTDB has recruited approximately 75 new Democratic PCs as of July 10, 2007 and is fielding more every day.

Led by a founding Steering Committee of 12 (slightly swelled since), our grassroots, entirely-volunteer group has undertaken an array of impressive marketingand community outreach efforts considering our slimpocketbook. These have included a much-praised, regularly updated website (http://www.turndupageblue.com/), a promotional poster series (exhibit 1, below), participation in several local parades (2) including seven on the Fourth of July featuring 150 total marchers, a fundraiser that attracted 120 people without any paid advertising (3) and monthly StrategySessions (4) to which over 500 people have come to help shape OTDB plans and hear guest speakers talk about substantial issues of interest to voters.

On August 3-5, 2007, Operation: Turn DuPage Blue will welcome Camp Wellstone (5) to the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. OTDB is delighted to co-host (with Greater Chicago Caucus) the initial area visit of the much-heralded 3-day progressive political training program created by Wellstone Action, an organization formed by the family of Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone after his death in a 2002 plane crash. Roughly 75 OTDB members are already enrolled in the August camp, which will provide in-depth training in separate focus areas for prospective candidates, campaign workers and community activists.

Other upcoming OTDB events include our second PC training class on July 21, a second fundraiser on August 17, a Dems’ Day Picnic on a date to be determined, a series of monthly get-togethers or“friendraisers” to interest new people (especially Independents and former Republicans) and the rollout of petitions for committeemen and candidates for the February 5th primary.

Operation: Turn DuPage Blue is led by Chair BobPeickert and Executive Director Amy Tauchman. Peickert received 45% of the vote in his 2006 run for a seat on the completely Republican-controlled DuPage CountyBoard, despite being outspent by a 25:1 ratio. Peickert was also the campaign manager for Democrat Joe Vosicky’s bid for an Illinois House seat in District 46 which, as mentioned, came 299 votes and an inconclusive recount short of turning former Rep. LeeDaniels' district blue.

One of Peickert’s major initiatives has been to bring about a reduction in the salaries and benefits provided to DuPage County Board Members. Peickert has created and widely distributed a flyer on the matter (6), and it, along with recent press coverage, has resulted in several board members returning their$3,000 stipends.

Tauchman was a political consultant on the Vosicky race and the Office Director for Christine Cegelis’ 2006 primary race for the 6th Congressional seat (Cegelis, like Vosicky, is a member of OTDB and helped drive Rep. Henry Hyde into retirement with her far-better-than-expected 2004 run). Tauchman is also aco-founder of DAWN (7) (DuPage Against War Now), which was created before the Iraq War began and counts several thousand recipients on its e-mail list.

Another key Steering Committee member is 23-year-old Justin Heath, who possesses a Political Science degree from Ohio State and heads OTDB’s Youth Action Committee. Heath, instrumental in reaching first-time voters and other young DuPage residents, recently showcased his organizing skills by bringing a large youth contingent to OTDB’s Independence Day parade in Lisle, IL.

Having already earned considerable press coverage (8), Operation: Turn DuPage Blue will continue publicizing its existence and purpose. But we are really looking forward to providing financial, strategic and“on-the-ground” support to candidates that arise to run for local, state and national offices in 2008. To date, the group has raised money through a fundraiser, small donations and sporadic sales oft-shirts & buttons soon to be for sale online at the Operation: Turn DuPage “Bluetique " (9). With more ambitious county-wide marketing expenditures, training literature and candidate financial support on our agenda, we would be enormously grateful for BlogPac’sgenerous $5,000 grant.

In the words of Chair Bob Peickert, “We’ve largelybeen funding this from our own pockets, but that’s only going to take it so far. To get where we want togo, we’ll need some benefactors and what BlogPac is offering is incredible. I can promise that the money will be put to good use in continuing to build a progressive infrastructure. DuPage County is considered a cornerstone of the GOP’s base, and turning it blue will be good for the entire country. But, to do so, we could surely use a bit of green.”

1 – www.turndupageblue.com/revolver.php
2 – www.turndupageblue.com/4thofjulypage.php
www.turndupageblue.com/paradepix.php
www.turndupageblue.com/paradevideo.php
3 - www.turndupageblue.com/springrecap.php
4 - www.turndupageblue.com/junemeeting.php
5 - www.turndupageblue.com/wellstone.php
6 - www.turndupageblue.com/countyboard.php
7 - http://www.d-a-w-n.org/
8 - www.turndupageblue.com/wdcb.php
www.turndupageblue.com/elmhurstpress.php
www.pioneerlocal.com/elmhurst/news/367552,em-parties-050307-s1.article
www.dailyherald.com/news/dupagestory.asp?id=331897&cc=d
9 - www.turndupageblue.com/shop.php