Encouraging news from a reader:
I’m the volunteer coordinator for the 72 Hour Task Force in Steubenville, Ohio. Now aside from a few precincts in Cuyahoga County, Steubenville is one of the longest-standing Democratic strongholds in Ohio. In terms of voter registration, Dems outnumber Republicans 6 to 1. You would never know that now though. Bush signs outnumber Kerry signs 3 to 1 in most
neighborhoods. We’ve also got people coming out of the woodwork to volunteer for Bush‹people who’ve never done a single political thing in their life and many who happen to be Democrats. And for those who are most familiar with Steubenville as home to the uber-orthodox Franciscan University, let me answer one of your objections right now. Roughly half of our volunteers (maybe more) have nothing whatsoever to do with the University.
The level of enthusiasm of Bush supporters here is unprecedented. And we are organized. If the rest of Ohio is as mobilized as we are (and from all accounts it is), Ohio will be deep red on November 3.
[namee withheld]
P.S. The fact that Kerry’s GOTV is being run by the 527’s means their targeting is um, lacking. Because they don’t have good lists of Kerry supporters, they’re wasting time and money on households that wouldn’t vote Democrat if their life depended on it. The GOP’s efforts, however, are much more focused, and that is going to make a big difference next Tuesday as well.