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City Dems Gear Up For Elections—A Few Towns Over

by Jessica Cole | Sep 8, 2010 10:07 am

(3) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Jessica Cole Photo When neighbors and friends arrived at Lou Stone’s house in New Haven to talk politics, he asked them to look at the bigger picture. Literally.

Stone, along with Susan, his wife, directed their guests, who numbered about 50, to a large map in the middle of their backyard of Connecticut’s U.S. Congressional Districts. The two were hosting a gathering Tuesday evening for the Hilltop Brigade, an organization that recruits volunteers from districts considered “safe” for House Democrats (such as New Haven’s District Three, which has long supported Rosa DeLauro) and sends them to neighboring areas where other Democratic seats are in danger.

This year, that means that New Haven residents will go door-to-door in support of Joe Courtney in the Second Congressional District, Chris Murphy in the Fifth, and Jim Himes in the Fourth Congressional District.

The event at the Stones’ house was one of numerous neighborhood parties put on by Hilltop Brigade members and supporters this election year. Home-centered gatherings have been the cornerstone of their recruitment plan since their founding in 2005.

“We have found over the years that recruiting happens on a one-to-one basis,” said Brigade cofounder Stephanie Farber as she passed carefully-prepared tables of food and wine. “It happens with people talking to their neighbors in their house, comfortable. I suppose that when it started, it was an early form of social networking, though we never would have called it that.”

Whatever the terminology, Democratic candidates are grateful for the help. Two of them, current U.S. Reps. Joe Courtney and Chris Murphy, stopped by to thank the gathering with speeches. Both are fighting to be re-elected in battleground districts. They said that New Haven Brigade members were critical to their earlier electoral success.

Former U.S. Rep. Toby Moffett also spoke to the crowd.

“If we lose any Congressional seats here in Connecticut,” Moffett told the crowd, “we can be pretty sure that we lost the House… [and] it’s a subhuman existence to be a minority in the House.”

Murphy urged the men and women to join the Brigade in canvassing the neighborhoods of Democratic and unaffiliated voters: “If our people vote, we go back. If our people don’t go out, there’s a good chance that we don’t ...Right now the trajectory is not for high turnout.” The efforts of the Brigade, he added, can change that.

How? By using the smarts, feet, and time of its members. Rather than donating money to campaigns, Hilltop Brigade volunteers donate their Saturdays for the weeks leading up to election day. They organize into teams with team leaders and work closely with campaign managers to knock on doors and phone bank wherever they are needed.

“This is a group of people who are extremely well-informed and highly motivated,” Courtney said in an interview after his speech. “The towns they hit were where we saw the biggest turnaround [in my initial election].”

Jean Kelley and Louise Endell, both veterans of these neighborhood events, watched the speeches from one of the tables in the corner. The two also spent time chatting with newcomer Adela Martinez, who works at the new Start Community Bank, the new community development lender about to open in New Haven. For Martinez, who came because of an invitation from the Stones, this was her first exposure to the work of the Brigade. She listened as Kelley described her experience working on various campaigns over the last few years and outlined the goals of the group.

“For people who want to help but don’t know how,” said Kelley, “this group gives them the answer.”

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Comments

posted by: cba on September 8, 2010  11:26am

Certainly sounds as if the panic button is being pushed by the left wingers so they can impede the will of a district’s majority. Those in the embattled district are really going to be swayed by interlopers from another area advising them why they need their particular candidate, as if they couldn’t think for themselves.

posted by: matt on September 8, 2010  12:18pm

sounds to me like you haven’t been paying attention.  the hilltop brigade has been around through the previous two cycles, with incredible results.

posted by: CC DeMuth on September 8, 2010  4:20pm

Did you support the healthcare bill?  Jim Himes voted yes.  Dan Debicella was against it.

The stimulus?  Jim Himes voted yes.  Dan Debicella was opposed. 

Cap and trade?  Jim Himes yes.  Dan Debicella no.

End the secret ballot in union elections?  Again, Jim Himes yes.  Dan Debicella no. 

If Jim Himes does not speak for you anymore, then you should know that you are not alone.  By a wide margin, voters in Fairfield County oppose Himes’ position on each of these issues.  If you want to support Dan Debicella, you can help his campaign here: https://debicella.blue-swarm.com/donate.

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