October 25, 2008
Six years ago today, the Beechcraft King Air A100 carrying DFL U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone, Sheila Wellstone, Marcia Wellstone, staffers Tom Lapic and Mary McEvoy, driver Will McLaughlin, copilot Michael Guess and pilot Richard Conry,
crashed near the Eveleth airport on the Iron Range, leaving behind a
huge void in Minnesota's progressive political traditions. The
progressive training organization Wellstone Action! started up soon
thereafter, intended to provide a leftie counterweight to the
well-funded chain of conservative grassroots operations, most
prominently the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia.
Wellstone Action! has successfully provided training for winning progressive candidates at the flagship Camp Wellstone workshops around the country; at least 80 Camp Wellstone alums ran for public office in Minnesota during the 2006 cycle. From Secretary of State Mark Ritchie to U.S. Rep. Tim Walz (DFL-MN1), to more than half the freshman DFL ranks of the state Legislature (including Marsha Swails (DFL-Woodbury), Kim Norton (DFL-Rochester), Robin Brown (DFL-Austin), David Bly (DFL-Northfield), Sandy Wollschlager (DFL-Cannon Falls)), Wellstone Action! candidate training surely helped these Dems pull off victories in districts well-known for leaning Republican. (Of the 80, 36 won office from school boards on up). The majority of trained candidates run for state legislatures.
With more than 20,000 trained so far, their programs for progressives run the whole gamut, from candidates to campaign workers to citizen activists, in particular working with students, labor groups, low-income communities, and Native American leaders. Nationwide training for congressional candidates appears to be working as well, or at least creating competitive races: one prominent example is Darcy Burner (darcyburner.com) in Washington's Eighth Congressional District (check out the 60-second intro), a local business owner who, like many trainees, was relatively new to politics. Reflecting Paul Wellstone's approach, the program attracts people who aren't typical insider party types, giving them more skill and direction. Trainings are non-partisan; people from all parties including Greens and Independents have participated, even the occasional Republican with a progressive bent.
Wellstone Action! doesn't officially support the many candidates they've helped train - more than 300 are running in this cycle - but they keep in touch and also work with Progressive Majority, which is directed more towards getting progressives to win during the election cycle. Another major electoral partner is the Energy Action Coalition's Power Vote, which organizes students for a clean energy economy, green jobs and securing the climate; Power Vote hopes to get 1 million votes for addressing climate change and green jobs.
After the election, it will be time to pivot to policy work. Communications director/senior trainer Elana Wolowitz told PIM that 2009 will be a "huge year" for progressives; even if someone more receptive is in the White House, lots of people will need training to start moving progressive politics into policy. It's no time for complacency, progressives feel, because otherwise the usual lobbyists will still end up guiding the debate. As part of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) background, community organizing has been brought to the fore this cycle; major policy areas including green collar jobs and universal health care will become top issues.
After five years in action, they'll continue to adapt to the changing political landscape. The group won't focus narrowly on particular issues, but rather work with partner organizations to see what areas dovetail with their needs. Wolowitz says that refining training programs, switching from the election cycle over to civil engagement will really help build a "critical mass" of organizing. During the Republican National Convention, GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's jabs about community organizing "galvanized a lot of community organizers" across the political spectrum, she says.
Here's a map of alumni running this year. With over 300 graduates running for office across the country, they're excited to see how many alums find their way into serving in government on Election Day.
Wellstone Action! has successfully provided training for winning progressive candidates at the flagship Camp Wellstone workshops around the country; at least 80 Camp Wellstone alums ran for public office in Minnesota during the 2006 cycle. From Secretary of State Mark Ritchie to U.S. Rep. Tim Walz (DFL-MN1), to more than half the freshman DFL ranks of the state Legislature (including Marsha Swails (DFL-Woodbury), Kim Norton (DFL-Rochester), Robin Brown (DFL-Austin), David Bly (DFL-Northfield), Sandy Wollschlager (DFL-Cannon Falls)), Wellstone Action! candidate training surely helped these Dems pull off victories in districts well-known for leaning Republican. (Of the 80, 36 won office from school boards on up). The majority of trained candidates run for state legislatures.
With more than 20,000 trained so far, their programs for progressives run the whole gamut, from candidates to campaign workers to citizen activists, in particular working with students, labor groups, low-income communities, and Native American leaders. Nationwide training for congressional candidates appears to be working as well, or at least creating competitive races: one prominent example is Darcy Burner (darcyburner.com) in Washington's Eighth Congressional District (check out the 60-second intro), a local business owner who, like many trainees, was relatively new to politics. Reflecting Paul Wellstone's approach, the program attracts people who aren't typical insider party types, giving them more skill and direction. Trainings are non-partisan; people from all parties including Greens and Independents have participated, even the occasional Republican with a progressive bent.
Wellstone Action! doesn't officially support the many candidates they've helped train - more than 300 are running in this cycle - but they keep in touch and also work with Progressive Majority, which is directed more towards getting progressives to win during the election cycle. Another major electoral partner is the Energy Action Coalition's Power Vote, which organizes students for a clean energy economy, green jobs and securing the climate; Power Vote hopes to get 1 million votes for addressing climate change and green jobs.
After the election, it will be time to pivot to policy work. Communications director/senior trainer Elana Wolowitz told PIM that 2009 will be a "huge year" for progressives; even if someone more receptive is in the White House, lots of people will need training to start moving progressive politics into policy. It's no time for complacency, progressives feel, because otherwise the usual lobbyists will still end up guiding the debate. As part of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) background, community organizing has been brought to the fore this cycle; major policy areas including green collar jobs and universal health care will become top issues.
After five years in action, they'll continue to adapt to the changing political landscape. The group won't focus narrowly on particular issues, but rather work with partner organizations to see what areas dovetail with their needs. Wolowitz says that refining training programs, switching from the election cycle over to civil engagement will really help build a "critical mass" of organizing. During the Republican National Convention, GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's jabs about community organizing "galvanized a lot of community organizers" across the political spectrum, she says.
Here's a map of alumni running this year. With over 300 graduates running for office across the country, they're excited to see how many alums find their way into serving in government on Election Day.
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