Virtual Hands-On Politics
One fascinating political development of the last couple years has been watching the relationship between office-seekers and the often-unruly internet community (or communities) start to define itself. Joe Trippi's legendary responsiveness to once-obscure blogs and sites is largely, and I think accurately, credited with jump-starting the Howard Dean bubble of 2003; a year later, even a politically maladroit and personally standoffish John Kerry was able to raise millions with a ghostwritten e-mail it probably took some 22 year-old staffer 15 minutes to compose. (Indeed, "Kerry" still sends his e-mails, keeping supporters apprised of his priorities and, I guess, hoping to win through diligence and persistence the personal loyalty that was absent among most of his voters last year.) I'm not as familiar with how the Republicans have done it, but by most accounts their internet strategy was effective, if not determinative in their 2004 wins.

Candidates for lower-visibility offices have been a bit more willing to directly mix it up with the great online unwashed. At dailyKos last year, a number of Congressional hopefuls would come on and comment, probably in part to get some fundraising attention and probably in part because they really felt an affinity with the community. Since the election, this has accelerated somewhat; once or twice a week, the Democratic Senate Communications group will post on Kos, and is generally met with approbation. "Barbara Boxer" had a cameo on there about two weeks ago, thanking the community for the thousands of roses they sent her in appreciation for her tough questioning of Condoleezza Rice.

Now things seem to be kicking up a notch. A University of the Arts (Philadelphia) professor named Chuck Pennacchio is planning to challenge the odious Rick Santorum for the Senate in 2006, and has reached out to Kos-world with an introductory statement and impromptu question-and-answer session, apparently the first of many for a campaign Pennacchio promises will be driven by the virtual grass roots. (His communications director has been on the site for a couple months already, and Pennacchio himself has checked in on a couple previous occasions as well, but only as a respondent in the "diaries" others have written, I think.)

Pennacchio is unknown but hardly inexperienced, having run several winning Senate and presidential primary campaigns for other candidates. I love the idea of citizen-reformer candidates, and for this race it would certainly help to have a Philly boy involved to energize the vote (though Ed Rendell, who will be running for re-election in the gubernatorial race, should do a lot of that as well). The question I have is whether Pennacchio, a loud-and-proud progressive in the Paul Wellstone tradition, can win in a state far more conservative than Wellstone's Minnesota. His likely primary opponents include Barbara Hafer, the former PA state treasurer who switched parties just a few years ago, and Bob Casey Jr., current holder of that office and son of the popular late governor and an opponent of abortion rights--a position that would likely help him in a general election race against the rabidly anti-choice Santorum, but will hurt him in the primary. Joe Hoeffel, the former congressman from my home district in the suburbs who lost a Senate race to Arlen Specter last year, might jump in as well. The rumor is that state Democratic leaders are trying to clear the field for Casey and avoid a potentially costly and divisive primary.

I have no problem with Casey's abortion position--I disagree with it, but I credit him for being "comprehensively pro-life," rather than losing interest in babies once they're born like so many Republicans opposed to abortion rights. I'd enthusiastically support him against Senator Man-on-Dog, that sanctimonious embarrassment. But there's something compelling about the Pennacchio candidacy; whenever a true grass-roots hero emerges, and wins, I feel that it somehow validates our entire system, proving that money and name recognition and the backing of a political establishment aren't always determinative. And the fact that this guy, pretty much in advance of anyone else pursuing such a high office, is actively engaging the online grass roots is kind of exciting; if he wins, it will make history.

Here's Pennacchio's website, and here's a good article arguing for an open primary next year in the PA Senate race.