Did The Democrats Learn Anything From The Alex Sink Disaster In Florida?

Alex Sink may have been a mediocre candidate but Republican David Jolly wasn't any better. And Sink had the advantage of running in a blue-leaning district that Obama won against McCain in 2008 and against Romney in 2012… and that Bill Nelson won against Connie Mack in the 2012 Senate race. On top of that, Sink spent way more money-- $3,195,638 to his $1,616,137. Outside allies spent heavily on both sides-- the DCCC put in $2,234,959, the biggest single outside expenditure of the campaign, Pelosi's House Majority PAC put in another $988,769, and EMILY's List spent $177,869. The money did not go to an effective field operation but to broadcast TV and mailings that generate big kickbacks for favored insiders who became wealthier as Sink sunk beneath the waves.

Steve Israel and his thoroughly corrupted and entirely ineffective and mismanaged DCCC is genetically incapable of learning from it's mistakes, only repeating them endlessly. Nothing will change there until Israel is kicked out and new leadership takes over. But the DSCC, for all its flaws, is a much better organization and, in fact, is working hard to make sure the Republicans don't swamp their candidates with better field operations the way the GOP did to Sink in FL-13. This morning Derek Willis looked into this cycle's Democratic field operations for the NY Times. Fear, he asserts, is driving the DSCC to invest heavily in Alaska, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan and North Carolina.

[T]he spending trends are clear. The Democrats’ spending advantage is greatest in states where they’ve had time to organize and plan for competitive races, and they are using that edge to register new voters; publicize absentee and early voting options; and, of course, make sure supporters actually go to the polls on Election Day. The efforts extend to states where the Republicans more recently made Senate contests more competitive, like Michigan.

Democrats have invested several million dollars in both North Carolina and Colorado for this ground game. Republican spending in those states so far has tended to focus on broadcast advertisements and direct mail.

That edge extends to Alaska, where the Democratic incumbent Mark Begich faces Dan Sullivan. Combined, Democratic independent groups, party committees and Mr. Begich’s campaign have already spent nearly 10 times more than Republicans on wages and expenses for local staffers; get-out-the-vote efforts; and other field operations.

The state Democratic Party alone has spent at least $763,687 on voter turnout and staffing this year, which amounts to $1.45 for every citizen over 18 in the state. By comparison, the more than $1 million the Wake County Democratic Party has spent on voter turnout and staffing in North Carolina this year works out to 15 cents for every potential voter.

In Iowa, the state Democratic Party has spent more than $872,000 in ground operations, part of a substantial advantage that Democrats have over Republicans in that state. The party has paid the salaries of at least 148 people in the current election cycle, according to data through the end of August. The Republican Party of Iowa had 11 people on its federal campaign payroll in August.

...Outside groups working on behalf of Democratic candidates have extended the advantage. Super PACs, environmental organizations and abortion rights groups have spent more than $4.8 million on ground activity in Senate races in Alaska, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan and North Carolina. Republican-leaning groups have kicked in only $369,000.

The amount spent to help G.O.P. candidates doesn’t include field work by Americans for Prosperity and other political nonprofits that do not have to report their spending. Americans for Prosperity does report some of its broadcast advertisements, but Federal Election Commission rules do not require disclosure of ground operations or direct mail. Although much of its spending represents broadcast ads, it also has more than doubled its field staff compared with the 2010 elections. Even if it decided to spend several million dollars in a race, it could not coordinate its work with a party or campaign (the same rule applies to super PACs). A spokesman for Americans for Prosperity did not respond to a request for comment.

EMILY's List principals and revolving door DCCC employees were raking off big bucks from Alex Sink's campaign for themselves while GOP allies concentrated on a successful ground game. The DSCC has no intention of following Steve Israel's horribly run DCCC down that rabbit hole in November.