I'm worried about New Jersey. Maybe its me, but somehow I don't think so. It's about the Senate race, and about whether or not we can hold on to a seat that should be a lock for us.
I know that late August, early September polls for the state are pretty worthless. But there's a sense I get from the Democratic Senate campaign in this state. Complacency. Entitlement. Like they think they're running away with it, even though they aren't.
I guess I could be wrong about that last one. Maybe they're just a disorganized mess. I really don't know. I've been volunteering for them since May. I heard back once - and they wanted me to come in back in June. When I called to set that up, silence. When I followed up with an email, silence. When I signed up as a volunteer at a campaign event, silence. When I followed up with a phone call, silence. Sensing a pattern? I am.
Maybe its where I live. In a GOP dominated county in New Jersey. Maybe they don't plan to campaign here. But I'd help anywhere. It's a small state. I can get to most places in it within an hour. I've told them this. Just as a test, I volunteered on the Menendez campaign website and made a phone call about volunteering today. Nothing. I volunteered at the Kean website today. I got an email from them. Granted, an auto-reply one - but its more than I've received from my Senator's campaign.
Menendez should walk away with this. He's a good Senator. He's got good ideas. And he has four times the money his opponent does. But the GOP is going to have a good ground game in November. And they don't have to live with the fact that the state legislature that shut down the state government for a week in July because of a pissing match was their fault. That was Dem on Dem fighting.
I've been involved in supporting Democratic causes for two and a half years, since I really became politically active in 2004. Every campaign it seems like I have to pull teeth to be able to help. Be it by phonebanking, canvassing, or whatever they need me to do to contribute. Maybe they don't need my help. I'll tell you this much though. I'm getting sick of offering my help.
And that's what worries me. I offer a dozen times before I give up. Because a Democratic Senate is very important to me. How many volunteers are gonna give up after the first or second unreturned email or phone call?