21st Century Democrats is a political organization founded by Senator Tom Harkin, commentator Jim Hightower and Congressman Lane Evans to help elect "progressive" or "populist" candidates in winning elections. The original founders are no longer particularly active in the organization. 21st Century Democrats started out relatively small but has quietly grown in size and significance in the last few election cycles. In 2004 election cycle, according to the Political Money Line, it was the 13th largest Political Action Committee (PAC) in the United States raising nearly $7 Million. Among progressive ideological PACs, it ranked fourth behind America Coming Together, EMILY's List, and MoveOn. The group's long time Executive Director is Kelly Young. Thomas Richard Tom Harkin (born November 19, 1939) is a Democratic Senator from Iowa, serving in his fourth senate term. ... Hightowers book Thieves in High Places James Allen Jim Hightower (born January 11, 1943) is a well-known populist activist and a former Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. ... Lane Evans Lane Allen Evans (born August 4, 1951), American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1983, representing the 17th District of Illinois (map). ... Progressivism is a term that refers to a broad school of international social and political philosophies. ... Populism is a political ideology or rhetorical style that holds that the common person is oppressed by the elite in society, which exists only to serve its own interests, and therefore, the instruments of the State need to be grasped from this self-serving elite and instead used for the... In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group organized to elect or defeat government officials in order to promote legislation, often supporting the groups special interests. ... Progressivism is a term that refers to a broad school of international social and political philosophies. ... America Coming Together (ACT) is a left-wing, political action, 527 group dedicated to get-out-the-vote activities. ... EMILYs List is a political action committee (PAC) in the United States that aims to help elect pro-abortion Democratic women to office. ... MoveOn. ... Kelly Young is the Executive Director of 21st Century Democrats, a progressive Political Action Committee in Washington, DC. She has held that position since 1998. ...

Unlike traditional PACs, 21st Century Democrats focuses on recruiting, training, and hiring field organizers to organize grassroots campaigns on behalf of candidates for local offices, statewide office, and even targeted presidential swing states. The strategy enables the group to get a value added return on its investments, and has proven to be successful. 21st Century Democrats wins the majority of its races, even though they focus on tougher, competitive races up and down the ballot. The group has strong ties to veterans of Paul Wellstone's campaigns, as well as Democracy for America, which grew out of Howard Dean's failed presidential campaign. An image displaying current swing states in the United States. ... Paul David Wellstone (July 21, 1944 – October 25, 2002) was an American politician and two-term U.S. Senator from Minnesota. ... Democracy for America (DFA) is a political action committee dedicated to supporting fiscally responsible, socially progressive candidates at all levels of government—from school board to the presidency. ...

In 2004, the group focused on: shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• a young voter project called Vote Mob in the swing states of Ohio, Minnesota and Oregon,
• ten U. S. House of Representatives races (including a Democratic primary campaign in Oklahoma and Stephanie Herseth's Special Election victory in South Dakota), and
• the state legislatures of Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, and Vermont. In Minnesota, Democrats won 16 of the 20 races in which 21st Century Democrats had organizers working.
• a "Neighbor to Neighbor" project in Oregon which sought to build permanent vounteer infrastructure by training members of a community to persuade and turn out their own neighbors.
• grass roots organizing trainings with Democracy for America and the America Votes Alliance to get would-be political activists the tools necessary to be successful.

In December of 2004, 21st Century Democrats was fined a record amount for violating Minnesota campaign finance laws. The Center for Public Integrity described the incident as follows: The House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the U.S. Congress, the other being the United States Senate. ... Kalyn Free is a member of the Choctaw Native American tribe; born in Red Oak, Oklahoma. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (born December 3, 1970) is an American lawyer and Democratic politician, currently serving as the sole member of the House of Representatives from South Dakota. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area  Ranked 45th  - Total 9,620 sq mi (24,923 km²)  - Width 80 miles (130 km)  - Length 160 miles (260 km)  - % water 3. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Democracy for America (DFA) is a political action committee dedicated to supporting fiscally responsible, socially progressive candidates at all levels of government—from school board to the presidency. ... America Votes is a 527 group non_partisan political organization formed in July 2003 made up of a coalition of grassroots political groups to coordinate their work in the swing states on the 2004 presidential election. ...

"Another group that has had problems with often complicated campaign laws is 21st Century Democrats, a 527 operating in several battleground states. The group registered with the Federal Election Commission and the IRS, but did not file the correct forms in the state of Minnesota. The lapse earned the committee the state's largest-ever campaign finance fine—more than $400,000.

Any 527s contributing to a state party "either have to register or in lieu of registering, they can provide the recipient committee with a statement that meets Minnesota's reporting requirements," Jeanne Olson, executive director of Minnesota's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, told the Center. "A statement must accompany the contribution."

The state's House Minority Leader, Democrat Matt Entenza, also came under attack for his $300,000 contribution to the group. Republican critics charged that the minority leader was hiding funds for his and others' campaigns; 21st Century Democrats supported voter registration drives and supplied staff to help Minnesota Democrats—many of whom served with Entenza in the state legislature.

The group has since contested the fine, and on June 30, 2005, an administrative law judge ruled that the campaign board wrongly denied 21st Century Democrats the right of appeal in late 2004.

See also

• Democracy for America

Democracy for America (DFA) is a political action committee dedicated to supporting fiscally responsible, socially progressive candidates at all levels of government—from school board to the presidency. ...

External links

• 21st Century Democrats main page