THIS IS THE PLAN

Ben Wikler chaired the Democratic Party of Wisconsin from 2019 to 2025. In this guide he argues Democrats should stop fixating on the presidency and national messaging, and instead build year-round, person-to-person organizing at the state and local level. He points to Wisconsin's supreme court and gerrymandering fights as proof of concept, then lays out a state-by-state roadmap of grassroots techniques and structural reforms aimed at winning down-ballot power through 2032.

Win down-ballot power

1. A friend talking to a voter on the fence is the most powerful force in politics. Get people talking to their own friends and family; personal relationships cut through the ad noise undecided voters otherwise tune out. (source, source)
2. Find people you genuinely enjoy doing politics with. That's what sustains engagement. Lasting activism depends on feeling you have power and are making a difference, which offsets the burnout of constant bad news. (source)
3. Put down-ballot and state races ahead of the presidency: state supreme courts, legislatures, governorships. These races decide who writes the rules, and small contests can carry consequences that last years. (source, source, source)
4. Trade one national strategy for fifty, each shaped to a state's own laws, obstacles, and political terrain rather than a generic nationwide platform. (source, source)
5. Organize year-round in your own community, talking to voters and contesting every level of power, instead of rallying around one candidate or one election. Thousands of local organizers can unrig a system from the inside. (source, source)
6. Organize and advocate where you live. Focus on elections where you're a constituent and on officials who answer to you directly, rather than treating national politics as the only arena. (source)
7. Lead with bread-and-butter affordability issues like roads, housing, groceries, and gas to reach low-attention swing voters. Economic frustration about making ends meet is what drives their discontent. (source)
8. Find the high-leverage fights where a small extra push pays off enormously later. A state supreme court race decided by 402 votes reshaped congressional maps and the U.S. House majority. (source, source)
9. Start organizing for the general election before the primary is settled. Build friend networks, local clubs, and grassroots groups that can work election after election, rather than waiting for a nominee. (source)
10. Counter the politics of fear by helping people see they're powerful. Community-centered, person-to-person organizing is a stronger lever than fundraising or national messaging alone. (source)