Candidate for
Democratic Party County Central Committee; County of San Francisco; Assembly District 13

A unified Democratic Party offers the best hope for the future.

To reach that future, the San Francisco Democratic Party has a unique opportunity to be the organized progressive leader in California and across the nation. We can be the example of what it takes to reach out to and recruit young voters, shape the modern Democratic image and lead California during the 2004 elections and beyond.

• ELECTION LEADERSHIP

In October, San Francisco voted 80% against the Recall, a trend not seen anywhere else in the state. With Bush and Boxer, San Francisco will vote the Democratic way, but we can't rest on our laurels and hope the rest of the state and country follow suit. The SF DCCC has a unique opportunity to organize and revitalize the Democratic Party and provide leadership that will counter Arnold Schwarzenegger's influence as a movie star and popular Governor in California.

To accomplish this, San Francisco needs to elect people to the DCCC who will put the house in order, and hit the ground running to attract young voters, create a modern image for the Democratic Party, and recruit the resources necessary to take our message outside of the city limits to inspire the State and Country. By sponsoring letter drives, media, internet, and possibly even sending volunteers to help politically tight communities outside of San Francisco, we can show that San Francisco is the liberal, progressive leader it claims to be.

Voter Registration and GOTV inside San Francisco will still be the cornerstones of DCCC efforts, but if we set our goals high and accomplish them early, the SF DCCC and the people it represents can be the anti-Arnold Solution.

• MODERN DEMOCRATIC IMAGE

The state of the San Francisco DCCC is a glaring example of the party's disorganized, unfocussed approach to the media. The SF DCCC website needs to be over hauled and modernized. Election campaign material is vague and non-uniform. The people of San Francisco do not generally know who or what the SF DCCC is, or what it represents.

Media and marketing are the means by which the public gathers information in this day and age. To effectively communicate, the SF DCCC needs to utilize marketing branding tools.

To promote party leadership, attract young voters, and energize current Democrats, the SF DCCC needs to invest in long term marketing and media. San Francisco has the resources and talent to create a modern Democratic image that can extend to the state party and nation.

• YOUTH OUTREACH

In the last six months, three individuals have set standards for appealing to youth. While each is from a different party, the SF DCCC can capitalize on each of their methods. Howard Dean has proven that the internet is an effective political tool, especially to young voters who have flocked to his campaign. Arnold Schwarzenegger may have it easy, but media savvy is key to connecting with young people. Matt Gonzalez created a youth frenzy in San Francisco through local grassroots campaigning that created a strong link between the political and the social.

Some polls suggest that young voters, due to world events since the last Presidential Election, are much more likely to vote in 2004, with a possible turn out ranging between 59% and 86%-- up from 32%. The Democratic Party at large and especially in San Francisco must attract those voters! The SF DCCC should work with the San Francisco Young Democrats and other local political clubs to establish strong YD clubs on each and every college, university and high school campusin the city, as well as reach out to young professionals who struggle to live and work in San Francisco.