The Democratic Party

DEMOCRATIC PARTY (DNC) - After the 2006 elections, Democrats control several key governorships (including PA, NY, MI, IL, VA, OH, NJ, NC, CO, VA and WA) and many state legislatures. The Dems also recaptured congressional majority status inside the Beltway for the first time since 1994. Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean tried a new "50-states strategy" approach to rebuilding the party since becoming DNC Chair in 2005, abandoning the old "targeted states" approach in favor of building a 50-state party organization. Dean's fundraising has also been solid as chair, and he has made a real effort to drop the angry demeanor he exhibited during his '04 White House run. DCCC Chair Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and DSCC Chair Chuck Schumer (D-NY) were the other two key architects, along with Dean, with the successful 2006 strategy -- even if the two insiders were frequently at odds with Dean over tactics and spending until late in the cycle. While prominent Democrats run the wide gamut from the near Euro-style democratic-socialist left (Barbara Lee, Dennis Kucinich and the Congressional Progressive Caucus) and traditional liberals (Russ Feingold, Nancy Pelosi, Dick Durbin and John Kerry) to the Dem center-right (Joe Lieberman, Evan Bayh, Harry Reid and the New Democrat Network) to the GOP-style conservative right (Ben Nelson, Gene Taylor, and Allen Boyd) ... most fall somewhere into or near the pragmatic Democratic Leadership Council's "centrist" moderate-to-liberal style (Howard Dean, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, The Third Way). The Democrats swept into office in '06 include a combination of some vocal progressive "Deaniacs," some centrists, and some very conservative ex-Republicans. The official DNC web site offers party news, hearing information, platform positions, links and more. Other official, affiliated national Democratic sites include: