By Dan Cornford
A couple of weeks ago after many of us in were in despair at the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh and asking what we could do, I suggested that we could help get out the vote (GOTV) in one of the Congressional districts relatively nearby where the race was close. I also mentioned that one such place is CD10 (broadly Stanislaus County and Modesto). CD10 has for the last few elections been narrowly won by Republican Jeff Denham, and in 2016 HRC got more votes than Trump in this district. [See Dan's comment on Roberta Millstein's article].
In the midterms, Democrat Josh Harder is challenging Denham (as you may have picked up for the TV ads saturating us). The race is rated as a “toss-up” with JH holding a very narrow lead in most polls. Without taking any corporate donations, JH has raised almost $7 million (at two different house fund raising parties a Berkeley friend of mine raised almost $100,000 for him). JH was endorsed by the Modesto Bee in late September but it is going to be a brutally close race.
Volunteers are badly needed to help get out the vote, phone bank, and do office work (and yes, you are given a choice as to what kind of work you want to do, as well as appropriate training where needed). Because of my personal connections (I lived in Berkeley 1980-2000), I am working with Indivisible Berkeley (IB). IB is focusing on Tracy as they think that is where the most swing votes are. For well over a year they have been canvassing Tracy with busloads of people going there every weekend. So with the Tracy Democrats they have laid the groundwork well.
My wife and I are going down there from Nov. 4-6 to GOTV. If you can spare any time your help would be most welcome. Tracy, according to Google maps, is about an hour and 20 minute drive so it is possible to go there and back in a day, or as we are, stay overnight. (IB and the Tracy Dems recommend the Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, or Extended Stay America). Shifts are no longer than five hours a day and you can select from several alternative shifts In a day.
I am re-posting this message for many reasons. First, I now have more concrete details or you can obtain them from the links below. Second, the race in CD 10 is much closer than it should be given the history above and the so called blue wave. Third, I think the events of this week, including today, show how absolutely crucial it is that the Dems at least win the House in what is probably (and I speak as a history professor) one of the most important elections in American history.
So if you can help in any way (or know of friends that might be able to), please consider helping even if it is only for one day, on any date between Nov 1, and Nov. 6. Below are the links by which you can make contact with the campaign and sign up for a shift if you are able to.
(1) The Tracy Dems signup sheet is a Google form & has shifts every day:
https://goo.gl/forms/etN8cGIHNJh5T0ZL2
(2) The Swing Left CA-10 calendar has the widest range of actions of all types in various locations,
opportunities every day: https://swingleft.org/district/CA-10/calendar
(3) The Harder campaign has its own canvassing signup form, canvassing or phone banking, in Modesto, Manteca, or Turlock, plenty of choices there too: https://www.harderforcongress.com/volunteer
(4) Indivisible Berkeley: https://indivisibleberkeley.org/
Davisite 
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