Campaign strategy update

With primary season officially over and Election Day drawing closer, I wanted to share with all of you an update on the state of this race. None of this is set in stone: A lot can change between now and November. But I think everyone on Team Kaine should know what we’re up against — and what it’ll take for us to win.

WHY OUR RACE MATTERS:

The entire nation will have its eyes on Virginia on Election Night.

Our Commonwealth sent a huge message in 2017 by electing Democrats in every corner of Virginia, and people will be watching to see if we can sustain the blue wave you started last year — or if Republicans are now more motivated than we are.

OUR OPPONENT:

Corey Stewart has made it clear from his agenda and his record that he’s not looking out for hard-working Virginians — and he is choosing to run a campaign based on fear, division, and nastiness.

• He would be dangerous for Virginia’s economy — he supports raising middle class taxes while giving deep permanent tax cuts to big corporations and fully eliminating the Department of Education.
• He would rip health care away from millions of Americans and raise premiums for thousands of Virginia families—he’s against Medicaid, having opposed expansion in Virginia and even saying he wants “full repeal” of the program, which provides health insurance to more than 1.3 million Virginians.
• He empowers white supremacists, brags about his harmful attacks on immigrant communities, and boasts that he will be “ruthless” and “vicious”—that’s not what Virginians want to see more of in Washington.

OUR POLLING:

I won’t sugarcoat this: The latest polls aren’t great.

A recent Roanoke College poll showed that Tim is at just 44% in a head-to-head match up with Corey Stewart — and we know from experience how quickly that gap could close.

OUR STRATEGY:

Right now, we’re focused on a handful of core things:

• Competing in every corner of Virginia,
• Engaging with new voters,
• Helping people get more involved in their community,
• And spreading our message to every Virginian.

Local campaign offices are open all across the Commonwealth, and our organizers are on the ground registering voters, knocking on doors, making phone calls, and recruiting volunteers to make Team Kaine even stronger.

These organizers and volunteers are laying the foundation for Democratic victories up and down the ticket in November, and every minute matters. Every dollar we raise helps secure more resources for them to do this important work. Every day we hit the campaign trail helps ensure that we’re having the conversations we need to win. Every voter we register helps empower more Virginians to speak up and make their voices heard.

That’s why we reach out with emails and phone calls to ask for your financial support: Your donations go directly into making our field program stronger, fighting back against Republican attacks, and making sure that three-point polling advantage doesn’t get any narrower.

And it’s important we get these resources directly from members of Team Kaine. Small dollar donations made by grassroots supporters are the bricks that build this campaign. And every small amount helps us build something stronger.

So I hope you’ll keep reading these updates. And when you can, if you can, chip in — because you are how we’ll keep moving Virginia forward.

Thank you for being a part of Team Kaine,

Keren
(It’s pronounced like Corinne, by the way)

Keren Charles Dongo
Campaign Manager
Kaine for Virginia 2018