Democratic Leaders Give Unprecedented Support, Funds to House & Senate Candidates

One major, but largely unheralded, reason for the strong pre-election poll showing for Democratic candidates for both houses of Congress is extraordinary intra-party support for many dozens of mostly first-time candidates.

Respected Democratic leaders are expending unprecedented time, energy and their own campaign treasuries to coalesce liberal leaders and voters in November 2006... and are beseeching all of us to do the same.

My email is stuffed daily with requests from Senators Kerry, Feingold, Kennedy, Boxer, and Biden, and from rising Democratic stars Mark Warner, General Wesley Clark and others to join them in supporting fellow Democrats.

Giving Funds to Democratic Candidates

But the most unusual trend is of Democratic leaders sharing large portions of their own campaign coffers with other candidates. Per Political Money Line, via the Hill, the following lead the pack in raising and giving funds to other Democrats in 2006:

Former Viriginia Governor Mark Warner - $577,000
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) - $248,000
Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) - $125,000
Senator John Kerry (D-MA) - $80,000
Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) - $80,000

Political Money Line also reports that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), chaired by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), spent $9.4 million in August to support Democrats running for the Senate, as versus only $5.3 milion spent by the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.

And also in August, the DSCC transferred $4.1 milion to state Democratic Party coffers to support Congressional candidates, and gave $770,000 to boost Harold Ford, Jr.'s run for the US Senate seat in Tennessee.

Democratic Leaders Hitting the Campaign Trail

And Democratic leaders are on the campaign trail in unprecedented droves for Congressional candidates. Bill Clinton, John Kerry, Mark Warner, Wesley Clark and other party luminaries are traveling from state-to-state, tirelessly stumping for candidates.

(In fact, pundits believe that Bill Clinton's newfound campaign enthusiasm is behind the White House's recent drive to smear and blame Clinton for, well, everything...)

One unique and exciting effort that greatly impresses me is Senator Russ Feingold's Progressive Patriots Corps, which, after reviewing thousands of applications, hired, trained and funds 20 mostly-youngish grassroots field staff to support Democrats in key races across the country.

These 20 are now the newest rising young stars in the Democratic party, plucked from Corporate America, college campuses and grassroots volunteer organizations by Senator Feingold. You can view video bios of the 20 Progessive Patriots online here.

Will It Make a Difference in November?

Will this newfound Democratic Party unity and sharing make a difference with voters in November 2006?

Current polls scream YES! Now, with 5 weeks remaining to election day November 7, I'm unable to predict.

But I'm certainly praying that the American people are ready to change the direction of our great country, which has been so tragically tarnished and demeaned by the Bush Administration.

Related Reading
Senator Russ Feingold: Unleashed & Unplugged
Inside Profile of Mark Warner, '08 Democratic Hopeful & former Governor of Virginia
Inside Profile of Rep. Harold Ford, Jr., 2006 Tennessee Democratic Candidate for the US Senate