Class Lecture Notes: Political Campaigns and Grassroots Movements

Women's Presentation in Politics

• Women face numerous decisions on how to present themselves when running for office.
• Men have standard dressing protocol.
• Female candidates often brace themselves for critiques and challenges.

Filing for Candidacy

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others announce their candidacies for Congress.
• Various candidates across the US initiate their political campaigns, focusing on primary challenges.

Political Machines and Grassroots Campaigns

• Political machines, like Joe Crowley in Queens, suppress democracy by controlling ballots.
• Grassroots campaigns emphasize community engagement and rejecting corporate money.
• Progressive movements aim to present non-career politicians like teachers, nurses, etc.

Personal Experiences and Challenges

• Ocasio-Cortez relates her waitress experience to campaign resilience.
• Campaigns require significant personal sacrifice, often involving financial and emotional stress.

Primary Challenges and Democratic Establishment

• Many incumbents, like Joe Crowley, face primary challenges from progressives.
• Progressive challengers like Ocasio-Cortez aim to win rather than just make statements.

Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats

• Organizations seeking to remove money's influence in politics.
• Aim to run candidates outside traditional political pathways.
• Focus on diversity in representation: gender, race, occupation.

Campaign Strategies and Debates

• Candidates use grassroots funding and community engagement over traditional fundraising.
• Debates are critical points in campaigns, providing platforms for challengers to question incumbents.

Candidates’ Personal Motivations

• Cori Bush motivated by Ferguson protests and Black Lives Matter.
• Amy Vilela motivated by personal loss due to inadequate healthcare.
• Pennsylvania and West Virginia candidates driven by local socio-economic issues.

Election Day Outcomes

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wins against Joe Crowley, symbolizing a significant shift in political dynamics.
• Other candidates like Paula Jean Swearengin and Cori Bush face defeats but remain committed to change.

Conclusion and Reflections

• Grassroots campaigns are challenging but pivotal in bringing change.
• Personal stories and community engagement are at the heart of these movements.
• Successes and losses highlight the complexities of political reform and representation.