Driscoll's moral victory
By Cres Vellucci
Green Party of California

Greens in California, working in the 5th Congressional District (Sacramento) special election to replace a recently deceased incumbent congressional member, employed a unique, seemingly selfless inclusive strategy to snatch a moral victory out of sure defeat in this moderate district.

Pat Driscoll, the Green Party candidate in the special election and last year in the regular election, already has become a media darling, receiving invites to all candidate debates, television and radio air time, including free television spots. He was one of the leading candidates in the 12-person field.

With about a week to go in the election, Driscoll called a major news conference and announced he was releasing all of his supporters and urging them to work on the campaign of another candidate: a Democrat.

"I am extremely impressed with the candidacy of Julie Padilla, who is fervently anti-war and has called, as I have, for an immediate cease-fire in Iraq and withdrawal of all U.S.-led troops as safely as possible," said Driscoll, who automatically had qualified for a run-off as the lone Green candidate.

His decision could have been controversial, but local Greens supported the move because he didn't need the votes to qualify for the run-off, and by helping the progressive Democrat, Greens could play a key role in defeating a moderate pro-war Democrat, or at least forcing a run-off (keeping the favorite under 50 percent in the primary).

In the end voters were overwhelmed with a nearly $1 million war chest and elected the moderate, Doris Matsui, wife of the late representative, on March 8, negating the need for a run-off election.

However, Driscoll managed to unite not only progressive Democrats with Greens, but also the local Peace and Freedom candidate with other progressives. All attended the same election night party, and because they were all there together, major media outlets could, and did, interview the Green along with the progressive Democrat.

The vote total showed that the percentage of voters voting for three progressive, anti-war candidates had doubled from last year's regular election, suggesting that progressive issues like the Iraq war and health care are resonating with voters. Together the three collected about 10 percent of the vote. Last year, when there was not a progressive coalition of candidates, the figure was a paltry 5 percent.

Although the moderate did win, the progressives, encouraged by Driscoll's inclusive call for progressive unity, took a huge step forward, suggesting that although Greens may not be ready to win a congressional seat, they are able to influence the campaign agenda and, maybe very soon, the results.

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