Crystal Quade

In 2010, I worked for the organization that emerged from the Obama campaign. I was trained in what effective community organizing actually looks like: how to cultivate and value volunteers, how to build durable infrastructure, and how to center relationships. That work mattered.

Then we were reassigned to the national party to work on elections. Suddenly, success was defined by arbitrary metrics- how many doors knocked, how many calls made- regardless of context. We were expected to hit the same numeric goals in southwest Missouri as in deep-blue areas like St. Louis. What I learned then has stayed with me ever since: numbers matter, but conversations matter more. People matter more than how many times you dial a phone and leave a voicemail, drop literature at a door, and rush on just to finish a packet.

I carried those lessons into my own state house races and my role as Minority Leader, and we won. We didn’t just run campaigns; we built infrastructure for candidates around us. More importantly, we built relationships and trust with voters.

The 2024 election was a lot. And this past year, more than ever, should have been the moment for party leadership to listen to people on the ground, to those in the trenches, to voters, and to those who didn’t vote at all. Party officials should be asking what went wrong and be willing to hear criticism. Self-reflection is hard, but it’s necessary for any person or organization that wants to improve.

The Democratic Party’s decision to conduct an election analysis and then not share it is wrong. In my own race, an analysis was completed, but not a single party official has asked to see it, nor has there been any follow-up since November. The only folks who have been asking what happened are those still in the trenches.

The Washington Post reports that one major takeaway from the unreleased report is this: “The changes suggested by the party, the officials said, include measuring the success of an outreach program by the impact of the conversations, not the number of attempted calls, while also investing in more long-term party building so voter contact does not begin weeks before Election Day.”

That’s the same conclusion many of us in the trenches reached back in 2010.

Imagine, just for a moment, if leadership actually reflected on failures, and shared them in an honest attempt to build something sustainable, accountable, and truly reflective of the people we claim to serve. I hope the Party changes course and releases this analysis, and maybe asks for ours.

Democrats will not release the autopsy of their 2024 loss Party leaders hope to avoid contentious fights over the party’s failing as it attempts to reboot for the 2026 midterms.

Happy Snow Day!

Please join me and some wonderful friends this Saturday ​as we kick off the Springfield chapter of the Missouri Women's Political Caucus! This holiday party will be a great chance to learn about this amazing organization and a chance to meet members from across Missouri.

This amazing organization is a member of the National Women's Political caucus and is is a multi-partisan, multicultural grassroots organization dedicated to increasing women's participation in the political field and creating a political power base designed to achieve equality for all women.

Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4E-Z7DmrxfOZsatA3bcaa4-eXhdAxZTbR58USCvVwu-N86g/viewform

Hey, Springfield! I want to introduce you to this powerhouse of a woman who is running to be one of our next State Representatives. Katelyn works in the MO House of Representatives- seeing first hand what is working and what isn't and helping folks navigate their government, she was by my side throughout our race for Governor- learning directly from Missourians across our state and right here at home about what they want from their government, is a Drury University Alum, and will be an amazing Representative. Check out her page and her campaign, give it a like and her a donation or two, as she works to flip this seat blue!

My name is Katelyn Zach, and I’m running for State Representative for Missouri House District 133 because I believe our community deserves a government that works for us, not just the wealthy and well-connected.

Springfield is where I came to college and built a life that I love. I’ve worked in nonprofit and public policy spaces, including as a Legislative Assistant at the Capitol, where I see how too often, working people are left out of the conversation. I’m running to change that.

Here’s what I stand for:

- Fair wages, safe workplaces, and the right to organize
- Support for small businesses and local job growth
- Affordable, accessible healthcare, including mental health
- Reproductive freedom, no exceptions
- Affordable housing and tenant protections
- Fully funded public schools and universal pre-K

We’re losing too many of our friends and neighbors to other states, and I get it. But I believe we can build a Missouri where people want to stay, raise families, and grow old with dignity. That future is worth fighting for, and I’m ready to show up and do the work.

Let’s fight for it. Together.

Follow this page, share this post, and stay tuned for ways to get involved. I’d be honored to earn your support.

Want to chip in? Heres my ActBlue: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/katelyn-zach-1 #