"It's within arm's length," Rep. Monica Lindeen, a House Democratic leader from Huntley, told a group of party faithful. "Not even arm's length. It's within a finger's grasp."
A Democrat has not occupied the governor's house since Ted Schwinden left in January 1989. Democrats have been in the minority in both houses of the Legislature since 1995.
But today, Democrats need only to pick up four more seats in the House of Representatives and five in the state Senate to regain the majority. The party is also pinning its hopes on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brian Schweitzer, who according to State Auditor John Morrison, another Democrat, performs far better in polls than his Republican challenger, Secretary of State Bob Brown.
"I think the stars are aligned for the Democrats to win at every level in Montana this year," Morrison said.
The mood seems to be infectious. Fund-raising for Democratic legislative candidates so far is "unprecedented," said Ted Dick, leader of the Democrats' legislative campaign effort.
"People who pay attention to this stuff can sense that change is very possible," he said.
Taking control of the Legislature and governor's mansion may be possible, said Tester, but it won't be easy.
"Democrats really have to step up to the plate," he said.
Tester told a group of Democratic candidates and campaigners that the secret to winning races in Montana boils down to "shoe leather." When you've worn out two or three pairs of shoes, he said, you're getting close to winning.
Morrison said Montanans do not instinctively vote Republican, as the Democratic attorney general, state school superintendent and his own office shows. Instead, they vote for the person.
"Montana is the most independent state politically in America," he said.
He thinks the Democrats will have several things on their side this year. First, Morrison said, is the swinging pendulum of politics. Before Democrats lost the governor's mansion in the 1988 election, they held it for 20 years.
"Historically, it's time for the pendulum to swing back," he said.
Secondly, Republicans have had "every opportunity" to do what they wanted for Montana. Dissatisfied with where the state is after years of Republican leadership, voters are ready to give the Democrats a crack.
Plus, the Democratic Party has changed.
"Anybody who thinks that Democrats in 2004 are about raising taxes and expanding government is mistaken," Morrison said. "The Democratic Party is about pursuing creative solutions to the problems facing Montana's working families and doing it in a fiscally conservative way."
The convention continues Saturday with speeches from Schweitzer and a conference call from Theresa Heinz Kerry, wife of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.
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