212,079 and counting…

02/07/2008

Dear Editor,


Historic. Inspiring. Incredible.

As I’m writing, we know that at least 212,079 Minnesotans attended Tuesday night’s DFL precinct caucuses. So before I go any further: Thank You!

Thank you for helping make Tuesday’s precinct caucuses the best ever. Our turnout was four times greater than four years ago, and smashed through the previous record that stood for 40 years. [See the note below.] Because of your dedication, your patience, and your desire to stand up and be counted, we made history.

So today we are a dramatically stronger party, and part of a nationwide movement for change. What happens next? Two things:

First, we must tap into last night’s energy and turn 212,079 voters into volunteers — and you can help by becoming a Neighborhood Leader. When you become a 2008 Neighborhood Leader, you commit to reaching out to people in your precinct, neighborhood, and community, and convincing them of the urgency of voting for Democratic candidates and joining our movement this year.

Second, we must pay for the nitty-gritty of grassroots organizing that lets us turn energy into votes and volunteers — and you can help with a fully refundable $50 donation to the DFL Party, which the State of Minnesota will refund to you.

Grassroots organizing is the nuts and bolts of how we win in Minnesota. To reach 212,079 DFLers (and counting), we need clipboards ($4.99 a pair), pens ($4.99 a box), phones ($19.99 per land line), recycled copy paper ($29.99 a box), printers, computers . . . you get the drift. (Not to mention gas money at $2.99 a gallon and rising —thank you, President Bush.)

So please, do two things today to harness the energy of Tuesday’s caucuses: Become a Neighborhood Leader and give $50 to your party. With your help — and that of 212,078 other DFLers (and counting) — we’ll keep making history in 2008.

Sincerely,

Brian Melendez
Chair
Minnesota DFL Party


P.S. TV and radio are sexy. Phone calls and doorknocking are not — but they are the fundamentals that will lead us to victory in November. If you give $50 to the Minnesota DFL Party to get this work done, the State of Minnesota will refund the money right back to you.

Note: We not only broke all prior records, we shattered them. The all-time caucus-turnout record, in 1968, was under 80,000. Turnout topped 75,000 only one other time, in 1972. Last night we topped 200,000; Secretary of State Mark Ritchie estimates that, when all the precincts report, more than 230,000 DFLers attended a precinct caucus -- triple the old record.