Organization’s Objective
The problem is that California's valley and mountain counties and districts have become Republican. Much has been written about the reasons for the change from Democratic to Republican, but two stand out. The first is that for many years the California Democratic Party has ignored party building and candidate support and development in these rural counties. The result has been a short-term focus on safe Democratic seats that has been demoralizing to Democratic activists in rural California. The second is that over the last 15-20 years people are registering to vote as Decline to State in rural counties. Decline to State registrations have increased as Democratic registrations have declined. Republican registrations are fairly constant.
Some of the reasons for the decrease in Democratic registrations are demographic. Conservative Democrats, often families with children, are moving from the coast to inland towns and cities and register as D/S as they perceive an anti-Democratic bias in their new communities. The two reasons are connected in the "chicken and egg" manner in that the longer Democratic activists and candidates are ignored, the less attractive being a Democrat becomes in rural counties. The decrease in Democratic registrations adds weight to the arguments of those who advocate concentrating the resources in the safe "blue" districts, and the cycle continues.
Two additional factors are at work in our civic culture. The political environment is becoming ever more polarized and hateful. And, Democrats are indulging in spats that pit "progressives" against "moderates", even in "red" areas. These quarrels tend to be about divisive lifestyle topics not the unifying populist economic issues.
Neglecting rural districts cost California in 2006 and demonstrates the seriousness of the concentration on safe seats. California is out of step with the national trend and, in particular, the results in the Western states in where 52 state and federal seats changed from Republican to Democratic. In California only one seat changed party: in Congressional District 11 Jerry McNerney defeated Richard Pombo. The history of neglecting rural Democrats will have an incalculable effect if California's electoral votes are apportioned by Congressional District. California will become a swing state and the decision to concentrate resources in safe seats will have devastating results.
Victory in 2008 and Beyond
Take Back Red California -- mission and organization
Take Back Red California (TBRC) is a grassroots coalition formed in 2005 connecting northern California Democrats in urban counties with Democrats in valley and mountain counties. TBRC is a partnership that shares resources (financial, technical, and volunteers) from safe Democratic seats with counties and districts having Republican majorities. We believe that in order to challenge successfully the Republican foothold in California, our highest priority should be development of and aggressive support for an active local base of Democrats in rural counties. TBRC is particularly interested in supporting Democrats in non-partisan races to develop "farm teams." TBRC sends resources to Congressional and State Legislative candidates, but our vision is training activists and developing candidates for the long-term health of the Democratic Party in all Northern and Central California counties.
TBRC is an all-volunteer organization governed by a Council of officers and committee chairs. Candidates and party-building projects are presented to the Council and voted on with each county having one vote. There are 15 counties currently represented. We raise funds and recruit volunteers in the Bay Area through house parties and other events for use in rural counties. We provide campaign training for activists and will develop trainings for candidates and campaign managers in non-partisan races.