The filing deadline is July 8th. (18 days)
Primary day is September 9th. (83 days)
The filing fee is $3,480
About $700.00 was pledged in the last thread on this topic, so I’d need to kick in $2,780. That is doable.
I have…
…a general idea that the Delaware Democratic Party is too far to the right on economic issues because they are never primaried, and so they don’t feel the need to address the concerns of the core Democratic voters.
I need…
…a more fleshed out platform and a better elevator speech. Threading the needle and being regarded as a meaningful grassroots campaign that brings important issues to the table, and not a crank is going to be tough. The default view of this kind of thing is that “a crazy misfit got ants in his pants.” I need to be locked down on why this is important and I’m not right now.
I have….
…achievable goals. This project is limited in scope by nature. I want to have a chance to tell John Carney to his face that he is wrong to take $300k from the financial services industry. The financial services industry money should be tainted by the end of this. I want to make the case that he is wrong to use his seat to benefit billionaires like Pete Peterson at the expense of Delawareans he is supposed to be representing.
I need…
…more quantifiable goals. The “just blowing off steam” nature of my goals bends this campaign into “crank” territory. I need the facts and figures of how John Carney is helping the 1% at the expense of the middle class. I need to build a tight case around the idea that the economic polices he is pursuing are actually doing significant damage.
I have….
…you folks. A body of kindred spirits, many of whom would take on this task as their own.
I need…
…you folks and some pros. Even a limited scope campaign would need to meet filing and reporting deadlines.
I have…
…an ego big enough to go for it.
I need…
…courage. Even though this is a limited scope project aimed at making John Carney take the legitimate concerns the core Democratic voters more seriously. I wouldn’t expect him (or the hangers on who benefit from the status quo) to take kindly to a primary challenge. As this becomes more real, I’ve confronted the fact that I’d need a little courage to light the fuse.