Baker In Homestretch
BAKER IN HOMESTRETCH
by Ron Shore
ANN ARBOR- Hoping to take part in what some national Democrats see as a "populist revolt," local progressives are enthusiastic about their own unique and historic opportunity to send committed peace activist, Dean Baker to a seat in Congress.
Buoyed by recent endorsements, a scheduled debate with incumbent Carl Pursell, and their own projections showing victory within reach given a healthy but attainable victory in Ann Arbor, the Dean Baker for Congress campaign is putting hundreds of volunteers on the street.
Congressional Democratic strategists, stressing the "populist appeal," are finding that foreign policy issues like aid to the Nicaraguan contras and "Star Wars" spending are particularly powerful when juxtaposed with issues of direct economic importance to voters.
The Washington Post cited recent Democratic polling results finding that 84 percent of respondents chose funding for public education over "military aid to the 'anticommunist' contra forces in Nicaragua." Safer airports, airlines, and roads were given priority over "Star Wars" spending by a 60 percent to 28 percent majority.
The Baker campaign is getting a positive response to such a framing of issues, particularly in working class areas like Jackson where concern about frequent plant closings has economie issues foremost on voters' minds. The strategy allows Baker to continue carrying his message against U.S. intervention in Central America to such areas while pointing out Pursell's votes to cut Social Security and Medicare.
Says co-campaign manager Mark Weisbrot, "The most inspirational thing about the campaign is the potential national and international impact. If we win, few people in Congress will be willing to vote for contra aid. This is a historic event - the peace movement electing one of its own activists to Congress."
Pursell will be forced to confront the issue himself when a Witness for Peace program on October 4 brings two women recently widowed in Nicaragua to the area. One of the women is a Swiss national. The women are expected to visit Pursell's office in Plymouth.
Recent developments indÃcate increased interest in the Second District Congressional race since Baker's stunning victory in the Democratic primary. These include incumbent Pursell's agreement to debate Baker and the endorsements of several key forces previously aligned with Baker's primary opponent, Don Grimes.
Local activists have been seeking a dialogue with Pursell for many months, particularly regarding his votes for aid to the contras. Pursell promised a public meeting to discuss the issue back in August of 1985. The Baker organization had been collecting signatures on petitions calling for a debate between Pursell and Baker.
Baker attributes Pursell's change of heart to the bad publicity the petitions would have created had Pursell refused. The debate is scheduled for October 21 and is being coordinated by the League of Women Voters. The exchange will be televised on Ann Arbor television station WIHT, channel 31 and heard on radio station WEMU-FM (89.1).
The Baker camp is also happy about receiving the endorsements of former Grimes supporters including the UAW, AFL-CIO, and the Michigan Federation of Teachers. Senator Carl Levin is also providing help with a fundraiser scheduled for October 14. Baker had difficulty obtaining these endorsements in his earlier race primarily because of his late entry into the contest. Previous endorsers included AGENDA, the Latin America Solidarity Committee, the Free South Africa Coordinating Committee, and others.
Analysis of past congressional races has provided the Baker campaign with figures projecting the number of votes to win. These numbers show that with a 60 percent to 40 percent margin of victory in Washtenaw County, Baker could withstand a loss in Wayne County of the same proportions and slightly smaller losses in all four other counties in the district. The Democrats are counting on a higher voter turnout than occurred in 1982 when only about 43% of eligible voters went to the polls. In addition, Baker is expecting help from the wide margin of victory anticipated for Democratic Governor Blanchard, due to straight ticket voting.
Implementing a strategy that eschews expensive advertising campaigns, volunteers are taking their quest door-to-door, often in territories unfamiliar to them. It is this type of direct contact that will be unstoppable by Pursell, according to WeisbroL Because such a strategy relies heavily on person power, Weisbrot emphasizes that any small amount of time people can give can make a tremendous difference. Volunteers for November 3 and 4 (Election Day) are particularly important. Also needed are volunteers to get the word out (around the district) all day Oct. 21, on how to catch the debate.
Reaching unregistered voters is also integral to the strategy, and at least 100 new registrars have been deputized in Ann Arbor since the campaign began. Baker's people will be registering potential voters in low-income housing complexes, movie lines, student dorms and other campus locations.
The deadline for registering voters who will be eligible to go to the polls on November 4 is October 6.
Meanwhile, Baker has been busy pushing his candidacy by travelling throughout the district speaking to progressive farm, labor, peace, and church groups. He has spoken to farmers in Springport, UAW members in Hillsdale, and many others outside the Ann Arbor area. He is scheduled to appear at the Ecology Center later this month.
Those interested in volunteering for the Baker for Congress campaign can reach the Democratic Party Headquarters at 211 North Main Street by calling 747-8211.