Freezin' for a Reason

FF Liveblogging Exclusive: In all my years of grassroots campaign involvement, I have never felt such palpable excitement from the voters – and I never would have expected it in Massachusetts, where I spent four years in college. To see how it has changed is surreal.

This weekend I traveled from D.C. to Massachusetts on a bus filled with 55 young people who gave up their holiday weekends to volunteer for Scott Brown. We left after work on Friday, drove through the night, and arrived Saturday morning. After about an hour’s rest, we hit the phones and streets to start Getting Out The Vote. Motivated by slogans such as “Freezin’ for a Reason,” “Gettin’ down for Scott Brown,” and “Salvation for the Nation,” our group of dedicated volunteers tirelessly worked for 3 days campaigning for the man who could be the 41st vote against Obamacare and a host of other items on the Democratic agenda.

Though Massachusetts is not accustomed to closely contested elections, the GOTV machine on the ground was well-run. Driven by raw enthusiasm and contagious energy, volunteers and staff pounded out phone calls, held signs in the bitter cold, and walked neighborhoods in the snow. The response from the Massachusetts voters was incredible. They were so excited to express their support for Scott, honked their horns when they saw our Brown signs and sweatshirts, and thanked us for volunteering our time. In all my years of grassroots campaign involvement, I have never felt such palpable excitement from the voters – and I never would have expected it in Massachusetts, where I spent four years in college. To see how it has changed is surreal.

This race shows that the frustration and buyer's remorse Americans are feeling around the country is permeating even the bluest states. The rise of Scott Brown shows Republicans how to capitalize on this feeling of discontent with Democrats and their agenda – by running a positive campaign based on solid policy ideas, by utilizing new technologies and old-fashioned grassroots voter outreach, and by staying focused on the fiscal issues that unite us and appeal to voters of all stripes.