Hello to all my fellow denizens of the Swing State Project! I’m Ari, better known as the Caped Composer. For the record, I really am a composer (and a female one at that! How many female composers do you know? For that matter, how many female Ari’s do you know? I’m a double rarity!) Regarding the “caped” part of my name, I’ve only worn a cape once in my life, when some friends dared me to wear one to a college football game. That incident gave rise to the nickname.
I am not trained in political science– my degrees are both in music, as a matter of fact. During my adolescence, I had no inclination toward political activism at all. That all changed with the election of 2000, the first presidential election in which I was old enough to vote. The debacle in my native South Florida splashed cold water on me, so to speak, and I have grown increasingly active in left-leaning politics ever since.
In 2004, I was living in Chicago (I went to graduate school there,) and I am proud to say that I spent election day in Wisconsin, getting out the vote for Kerry in the crucial suburban districts outside Milwaukee. Many other Chicagoans also participated in this manner, and I believe that it was our efforts that gave Kerry the razor-thin victory over Bush in Wisconsin.
Since that time, I moved to New York, but have kept my fingers on the pulse of congressional and senate races across the country. 2006 was an invigorating and ultimately rewarding time; I spent a great number of hours calling voters in swing districts all over the place!
My greatest hope for 2008 is that we can significantly increase our majority in the senate, and, furthermore, elect genuine progressives to both houses of congress. Donna Edwards’ victory over Al Wynn earlier this week was, I hope, a sign of good things to come.
So, with that . . . I conclude my introduction. I can’t wait to blog about more and more congressional races!