The Anatomy of a Progressive Campaign

A new poll from the nonpartisan polling firm Research 2000 shows Independent Congressman Bernie Sanders is crushing all possible challengers in the 2006 open-seat Vermont Senate race. Sanders leads businessman Richard Tarrant (62% to 18%), Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie (59% to 23%) and Major General Martha Rainville (61% to 18%). These are devastating numbers to Republicans, and certainly the main reason the Republicans recently lost their strongest possible challenger, Gov. Jim Douglas (R). The numbers are also devastating to any nominal Democrats who had been considering running as spoilers. Additionally, the new poll was followed by a strong endorsement of Sanders candidacy by DNC Chairman Howard Dean.

How has Sanders managed to rack up such huge support in Vermont? Take a look at today's story in the Rutland Herald for some clues - it provides a glimpse into the anatomy of how progressives can run and win grassroots campaigns. Sanders has spent years traveling the state holding town meetings on serious issues, making citizens feel they really have a line of communication to their political leaders. And just like "they came in droves" last night, they have come in droves for years.

Another good example is Sanders' efforts in fighting cutbacks to worker pensions. A few years ago, he held a town meeting where 800 traditionally-conservative IBM workers came out to rally against the cuts, and help Sanders push through legislation banning the type of age-discriminatory pension the company had proposed.

The Vermont GOP chairman Jim Barnett, not surprisingly, took potshots at the news of the Sanders' poll. But as Sanders chief of staff Jeff Weaver noted, Barnett is really just a "White House protégé" and a "Karl Rove character." Weaver said, "He can throw his bombs and we'll do our work for the people."

That's exactly right - because Sanders has built such a strong network of grassroots support, he doesn't have to pay attention to the petty attacks. He knows he has an army of supporters throughout the state that will walk through fire for him, because they know that in the Senate, he will walk through fire for them.