As everyone is well aware, Democrats took quite a thrashing in the recent November elections. This was mainly because there was a distinct lack of turnout on the Democratic side. Looking back at all the totals across the state, Republicans did not get that many more votes than usual, Democrats did not show up. But it is never too early to start looking at the next election cycle and how we will be able to make the necessary gains we need to attain in 2012.
There is going to be one key issue Democrats will have 18 months from now that is not getting enough attention; this is the lack of institutional memory among campaign staffers. President Obama had very high popularity in the 2008 election cycle, primarily with the younger voters. That campaign was about getting the young people both motivated and involved in campaigns; there was a definite trickle down from that election cycle to this year. But with the drubbing Democrats took this year, especially at the state level, the legislative staff cuts, and Democrats not holding one state-wide office, there is a serious lack of available jobs out there for these young staffers.
So the question is: where will they go and what will they do if they cannot find a political job for the next 18 months?
