Who We Are


  • Take Back Red California (TBRC) is a grassroots partnership that connects northern California Democrats in urban counties with northern California Democratic activists working in rural counties especially on a local level.  We formed with the conviction that in order to successfully challenge the Republican's foothold in inland California, our highest priority should be development of and aggressive support for an active local base of Democrats in rural counties.

    The TBRC partnership offers rural counties financial, technical, and volunteer support to build a strong Democratic base and develop long-term Democratic political viability in predominately Republican-held districts.

    We operate State and Federal Political Action Committees.  TBRC Council members come from seventeen rural counties and five urban counties as of early 2010.  The Council elects Officers and Committee Chairs.  Red county activists on the Council drive the agenda with proposals for candidate support and develop- ment, party building projects, education, and training. Blue county activists develop resources in a variety of ways by hosting house parties and fundraisers, tabling at events, recruiting and organizing volunteers, and supporting cooperative training events.  In this way we move resources from safe blue seats to red districts where they will go farther and make a difference to all Californians.

    •    We are grassroots Democrats from red and blue counties working in partnership to increase the number and participation of Democratic voters in Northern and Central California.
    •    We live in Republican-dominated ("red") counties, largely Democratic ("blue") counties, and mixed counties.
    •    We connect red county organizers with blue county resources in the form of funds, technology, trainings, and volunteers.
    •    Our goal is to win elections for Democrats from Congress to city and county non-partisan offices.
    •    On this site you will find links to Democratic campaigns, clubs, and committees in Northern California; articles and other resources important to understanding the region and its political makeup; information about volunteer opportunities, and other features to help get involved in this work.
    •    Please join us by clicking on Volunteer or Get Involved to give us your email and sign up to receive our newsletter, BackTalk, and to learn  more about how you can help keep California “blue.”


    Background
    A key milestone in the creation of Take Back Red California was a "Summit Meeting" of 150 activists from 23 California counties that was convened in Berkeley in May of 2005. A full report on that meeting is here . TBRC emerged from the Summit and helped to bring Democratic candidates in three rural 2006 Congressional races to the attention of Bay Area activists and financial supporters. Volunteers from Take Back Red California were active in Jerry McNerney's stunning victory over 12-year-incumbent Richard Pombo in Congressional District 11, in Charlie Brown's near-win over John Doolittle in CD 04, and in Dr. Bill Durston's challenge to Dan Lungren in CD 03. In addition, we provided volunteers and financial support in down-ticket races that helped build Democratic strength in counties and districts long dominated by Republicans.  In 2008 we again supported McNerney, Brown, and Durston.


    How We Operate

    The Voting Council chooses candidates for support in an election year, with each county represented on the Council having one vote. 
    We do not endorse or support a candidate in races where there is more than one Democrat running. 
    In odd years, Take Back Red California focuses primarily on developing political capacity and expertise through training, voter registration, and education.  TBRC works closely with the Rural Caucus of the California Democratic Party and other organizations whose goal is to build support for Democratic candidates and organizations in rural districts.