Beginning last June and continuing through election day, I set out to see what is truly possible in Kansas politics. A gentle nudge here, a push there - was there a chance to change the way that Kansas does politics? With so many individuals and groups around the state who were willing to share meetings, discuss ideas and work toward a common goal, Kansas went from being a red state that was forgotten to an unexpected battleground.
Today, I'm announcing something special: a voter outreach and registration meeting to be held in Dodge City, Kansas on September 21.
I'm inviting all Kossacks to attend, as we will have Jean Schodorf (who as you know is DailyKos endorsed), Jim Sherow (CD1), Dennis Anderson (State Insurance Commissioner) and more present at an event in tandem with LULAC - the League of United Latin American Citizens in an effort to reach out to a large and growing portion of the Kansas Community that has been left out by Republicans.
I am aware of many Kossacks who read these diaries, some of whom just follow via facebook - and that's great. I want to take a minute to talk not just about this event, but the future of our state party.
In discussing with county chairs and Democrats from St. Francis to Cherokee, one of the things that became clear to me was the lack of a true institutional network of support for Democrats. More than 40 of the counties I visited over the last year had no organized Democratic Party.. at all. No county chairs to talk to. No infrastructure. No support.
While Kansas Democrats are having a great year in candidates that are running and running to win, I recognize that moving forward, we will need a much stronger infrastructure in order to build the party of our future.
That is why, today, I am pleased to announce the formation of the Kansas Progressive Network.
We understand and value the immense work that has helped Kansans get information out there. From PACs that have stepped up and made an incredible case - like the Kansas Values Institute, Kansas Grassroots, Kansas Equality, and labor organizations such as KNEA, AFT and so many more.
These groups have provided an outlet of amazing support and hope into the Kansas Community. Their significant efforts provided Kansas Democrats real hope in overturning the policies of Sam Brownback.
Now is the time to put all of that hard work and dollars spent into action. No matter how large the bullhorn, how correct the message, and how well crafted the ads are it is up to the individuals on the ground to provide that support network for our party to grow.
We are, after all a party of the people and for the people - and it is now time for us to support those who wish to build their party in a direct fashion.
Following the November Elections, we will announce a call to order in more than a dozen unorganized counties - and we are prepared to provide them infrastructure support in helping to build a county party. For the past few months, I have had individuals confront me with the idea that this is in some way an end around the Kansas Democratic Party. I would remind them: County Parties are part of the State Party, per our bylaws, and strengthening our state party is in all of our interest.
Instead, what we are hoping to continue the hard, on the ground work of growing our party. I have chosen this event to discuss this because Ford County, and western county chairs have been amongst the greatest assistance in building hope for the future of our party. With the help of groups like LULAC and others we are moving to expand our party to those who see promise within the Kansas Democratic Party.
IF YOU ARE A KOSSACK IN AN UNORGANIZED KANSAS COUNTY
I strongly encourage you to contact me. We know that there are many Kossacks out there who live in unorganized Democratic counties who do not take the steps to organize a county party. There are many reasons for this, but the largest is easily fear, uncertainty and doubt. Are you interested in expanding our number of announced to organize counties? Would you like to be the future of our state party? I encourage you strongly to PM me or email me directly at tmservo433@gmail.com.
Next week, we will launch Kansas-Progressive-Network.Com; oriented around a simple email list but with the simple goal of providing resources and connections for county parties, we will start the work in an off year of holding parties together - and helping them grow into an election cycle.
This Connect! Unite! Act! opportunity in Dodge City isn't just about supporting our candidates this year, or an election in November. We of course want those things - but it is also about growing our party and expanding our roots into ground that we have often left aside.
I'm glad we have partners in this, from the West to the North Central to the South East. Those meetings have all told me the same story - they would do it, but they aren't certain of how, and they are afraid they don't know what they are doing. I tell them all the same thing: reach out, let us and others help you. Don't let that fear immobilize you from changing your county and your state.
I said more than a year ago: we CAN Change Kansas. We may have set backs, and we may not always prevail, but the Kansas of today is working with so many of us toward that end, and I encourage all of you to lend us support in building the party of the future.
9:03 AM PT: A minor math update
Well, it didn't take long for someone to do the math :) So, I will answer the question. This year, through the KDP Platform Writing Committee and meeting at Demofest, Kossacks were able to hold down the platform to truly progressive goals.
As I am now a KDP Committee vote directly, the addition of counties that are unified under a progressive banner will result in the Progressive aligned Democrats in the state representing a voting majority within the party. So,to those who quickly did the math on the reason why we went for 12 counties first, kudos to you for working it out ;)
9:06 AM PT: