This is a hit and run diary but I got up early on a very busy day because this is important.
Please tell EVERYONE you run into that today is the Senate primary.
While you are standing in line to get coffee, while you are waiting for the bus/subway/elevator, while you are gathering around the copy machine, any time you have a spare moment of downtime and you are standing next to another person today, ask them if they voted in the primary, and remember to vote yourself.
Because I am worried that this one might slip past us.
In the last few days I've gotten several robocalls, and none of them were from the Markey campaign.
True, he was up early with decent television ads, but the ads are not very good about reminding people of WHEN the election is. I'm sure a lot of Dems have seen the ads and plan to vote for him whenever the primary is, but I do not recall ANY of his ads stressing the primary date.
In the meantime, I have gotten robocalls from the Lynch campaign. They are counting on Markey supporters being complacent about his big lead in the polls and figuring they don't need to show up. We know how that turned out the last time.
And do not be fooled by the presumed efficiency of the Kennedy/Patrick/Obama progressive Dem machine. I've seen little evidence of that machine in this race. The Caroline Kennedy endorsement came and went without any fanfare. The Markey campaign strategy seems to be focusing exclusively on TV ads, which are not as effective as mailers and robocalls and street presence that remind people of the date of the primary. The progressive machine in Massachusetts, such as it is, is more effective for regularly scheduled elections. We have not seen it work as well for a special election/primary at an unusual time of the year like this.
Meanwhile I see way too many Lynch signs, especially in comparison to the number of Markey signs I have seen (zero). The ethnic conservadem South Boston machine will definitely turn its people out in droves for Lynch in the city, where Markey needs to rack up numbers. And resentment about Markey living in Maryland could be a surprise factor.
I've also had robocalls from the Gomez campaign, including one wide-eyed young man who spoke to me while campaigning on the street. Gomez has young moderate Republicons and some disaffected Democrats fired up.
Lynch is a self described conservative whose vote cannot be counted on. We definitely don't need any more blue dogs in the Senate. If Lynch and Gomez win their primaries, all hell will break loose in Massachusetts. Some D voters would cross over for the young and telegenic Gomez, a Weld-style Republican with a very impressive resume who occasionally supports the President and at least has the guts to openly call himself a Republican. Massachusetts could once again find itself in the position of boosting the career of a rising Republicon star with aspirations to make national history.
A double digit lead in the polls means nothing. Intensity of support is what matters to get people to the polls in a special election in an off-off year. The favorite does not always win. That's why the horses have to run around the track. Low turnout probably favors Lynch.
So Get Out The Vote today, please, everybody. Polls are open from 7am to 8pm. And make sure to vote yourself!
If anyone has questions or needs a ride to the polls call 617 286 4147.
I'm now heading out for my usual 12 hour day. I hope to come home tonight to find that my worries were for nothing!