COUNTY DEMOCRATS TURN OUT IN RECORD NUMBERS, FINALIZE PLANS FOR GREATER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT What a difference a month makes. Capitalizing on the momentum and national fervor that are the hallmark of the Harris-Walz presidential campaign, LeFlore County Democrats turned out in record numbers last week for the first of their bi-weekly meetings for August as almost 60 political activists jammed the Pizza Hut meeting room in Poteau.
The local organization mirrors the grassroots enthusiasm that has energized the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz ticket since the Vice President was thrust into the limelight a month ago as the party’s standard bearer.
LeFlore County partisans have proven to be a microcosm of the national rallies that have swept the country since President Joe Biden announced he was suspending his re-election bid and endorsed Harris, support that has touched all corners of the political spectrum.
As the presidential campaign gears up for the home stretch to the Nov. 5 election, local commitment could not be more far-reaching — where crowd size does matter — attracting a contingent of Democrats from Arkansas border counties and neighboring Sequoyah County for the most recent gathering.
LeFlore County Democrats have enjoyed a resurgence unprecedented since the group branched out in 2017 by launching its social media presence. During the ensuing seven years, a solid foundation was established. But as Oklahoma embraced Republican conservatism to earn recognition as one of the reddest states in the nation, local Democratic engagement waned. In the past month, however, local activism has breathed new life into the organization. The social media group has added more than 125 new members for a total membership of almost 600, and Facebook activity statistics show that the group’s engagement has exploded. Recent growth figures show posts for LeFlore County Democrats are up almost 1,800%, comments are up almost 1,400% and reactions are up more than 2,000%.
In addition, social media demographics report that 65.7% group members are women, and the vast majority of members are over 35 years old.
While showing up for precinct meetings in eye-popping numbers is important in establishing a local ground swell, LeFlore Countians last week demonstrated their commitment to the Harris-Walz ticket in a tangible way, solidifying recruitment plans during the Democratic National Convention.
The local group will launch its Get Out the Vote campaign from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Carl Albert State College’s Connection Carnaval, the school’s annual student orientation festival on the Student Union lawn. As part of the college’s fall festivities, LeFlore County Democrats will host voter registration opportunities for students, and facilitate efforts to bolster involvement in the local Young Democrats organization.
Looking ahead, local Democrats are also formulating plans for a debate watch party on Sept. 10 to capitalize on community camaraderie that resulted in attendance at the latest meeting increasing almost tenfold in a month. The group’s next meeting is planned for Aug. 28. With even greater attendance anticipated, a larger venue is being sought, and the location will be announced.
More information is available on Facebook at the group’s private page, LeFlore County Democrats.
Get Local News!
