At Least One Democrat is Worried About 2006

Earlier today, in a post about GOP voter malaise, I argued

Are Democrats more motivated this year? As a national party, absolutely, but can that national motivation translate to action on the local level? In recent elections, Democrats have not demonstrated a great skill at the precinct level ground operation. Thus, while the Dems have the motivation, they may once again fall victim to the GOP's ground operation--just like they did in 2004. Then where will the Dems be?

It looks like a Democratic blogger, Chris Bowers over at MyDD,
has come to a similar assessment.

Looking at the Democratic primary in Illinois 6th Congressional District, Bowers notes that Tammy Duckworth, the national Democratic establishment candidate, barely eeked out a win in what everyone thought was going to be a walkover.

Last night, however, something happened that made me extremely worried about our electoral prospects nationwide in 2006. Nearly the full-force of the Democratic and progressive electoral apparatus "succeeded" in only helping Duckworth win 44% of the vote in the Democratic primary. This wasn't the blow out I was told it was going to be. This wasn't the blowout I imagined it would be considering the establishment support Duckworth had. It wasn't even close to a blowout. It looks like the final margin will be somewhere around 1,000-1,100 votes. IT was very close, and it was a real nailbiter.

This makes me very worried about 2006. The same people and the same organizations who supported Duckworth remain in charge of winning elections of nearly every Democrat nationwide in 2006. If they produce anemic results like this in IL-06, what results can we expect across the country in November? Believe me, whatever group of rag-tag GOTV activists [Chritine] Cegalis had in this election, using their theocon grassroots, the Republican machine will more than match that nationwide in 2006.

Cegalis was a local candidate with roots in the district and despite the power of the national organizations, she was able to come within shouting distance of upsetting Duckworth, if calling it an upset is accurate.

Duckworth, a wounded Iraq war veteran, is one of many of the Veteran Democrats running in this election. I have argued that the fad of recruiting veterans will come back to haunt the Democrats this year. When it comes to competing in lean Republican District like Illinois's 6th (currently represented by the retiring Henry Hyde), Cegalis, with a ground operation already in place, would have been better competition against GOP candidate Peter Roskam. With the help of the national Democrats, what ever that might be, Cegalis had a shot of winning. But if Bowers is worried about the get out the vote operations of the national Democats, he should be worried.

Hat Tip Election Projection