National Democratic Training Committee

NDTC was founded in 2016 by Democratic operative Kelly Dietrich.{{cite web |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democrats-local-candidates-cheri-bustos-illinois_n_5b8579f8e4b0cf7b002f8699 |title=Democrats Need Strong Candidates For Local Office. Cheri Bustos Is Finding Them. |author=Jennifer Bendery |date=August 31, 2018 |website=HuffPost |language=en |access-date=July 24, 2019}}

In 2018, the group launched online training for NGP VAN's "VoteBuilder", the voter database used by the Democratic Party.{{cite web |url=https://www.axios.com/online-training-for-democrats-2018-midterms-vote-builder-d69f7eff-0e09-4e4f-8dc3-4358b2671230.html |title=Democratic group launches online training program to find voters |website=Axios |date=October 2018 |language=en |access-date=July 23, 2019}}

In 2019, NDTC launched their Staff Academy program to provide training for Democratic campaign staff. NDTC trained a group of 60 new Democratic campaign staff through an eight-week training, which featured both in-person and online components. NDTC partnered with state and national party committees to recruit trainees for the program, which saw more than 600 applicants. The program was developed to provide Democratic campaigns with "high-quality, diverse, and trained staff members" for the 2020 election cycle.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/as-democratic-base-becomes-more-diverse-party-tries-to-diversify-campaign-workers/2019/06/30/c13a3b92-98e9-11e9-916d-9c61607d8190_story.html |title=As Democratic base becomes more diverse, party tries to diversify campaign workers |last=Sullivan |first=Patricia |date=June 30, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=June 30, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/300503-group-democratic-staff-2020 |title=Group aims to help Democratic candidates staff up ahead of 2020 |last=Nicol |first=Ryan |date=July 8, 2019 |language=en-US |access-date=July 24, 2019}}

According to its FEC report, NDTC raised $7.35 million during the 2018 election cycle.{{cite web |url=https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00603084/?cycle=2018 |title=NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC TRAINING COMMITTEE PAC – 2018 FEC REPORT |website=FEC.gov |language=en |access-date=April 19, 2019}}

The training has taken the form of on-site as well as online classes with students ranging from activists, campaign volunteers and staff, and candidates.{{cite web |url=http://www.ocregister.com/new-academy-offers-boot-camp-for-would-be-democratic-campaign-staffers |title=New academy offers boot camp for would-be Democratic campaign staffers |date=July 2, 2019 |work=Orange County Register |language=en-US |access-date=July 23, 2019}} The group partners with state Democratic parties,{{cite web |url=https://www.nuvo.net/news/indiana-democratic-party-training-diverse-potential-candidates/article_b2ecd6b0-1106-11e8-8933-d7cfad62f08b.html |title=Indiana Democratic Party training diverse potential candidates |last=Krasnovsky |first=Katja |website=NUVO |date=February 13, 2018 |language=en |access-date=July 24, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.twincities.com/2018/07/26/blue-wave-logic-why-national-democrats-are-paying-so-much-attention-to-local-races-even-city-councils/ |title='Blue wave' logic: Why national Democrats are paying so much attention to local races, even city councils |date=July 27, 2018 |website=Twin Cities |language=en-US |access-date=July 24, 2019}} as well as similar groups like Run for Something and EMILY's List.{{cite web |url=https://traindemocrats.org/partners/ |title=Partners |last=Committee |first=National Democratic Training |website=National Democratic Training Committee |language=en-US |access-date=July 23, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/285945-group-train-democratic-candidates |title=Group aims to train Democratic candidates for 2020 and beyond |last=Nicol |first=Ryan |date=January 21, 2019 |language=en-US |access-date=May 28, 2019}} NDTC trainings cover topics like communications, campaign finance, and canvassing.{{cite web |url=https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/firsttime-democratic-candidates-train-run-campaigns-136860/ |title=First-Time Democratic Candidates Train To Run Campaigns |last=Chapman |first=Lauren |website=News – Indiana Public Media |access-date=May 28, 2019}}

The group claims its trainings helped elect more than 170 Democrats in the 2018 United States elections, including three Congressional candidates.{{cite web |url=https://traindemocrats.org/run-for-office-midterm-wrap-up/ |title=Run for Office: NDTC 2018 Midterm Wrap-Up and Highlights |date=December 13, 2018 |work=National Democratic Training Committee |language=en-US |access-date=July 23, 2019}}

The group has been generally welcomed by state Democratic parties, with former head of the North Dakota Democratic Party Kylie Oversen stating the group has helped state parties encourage potential candidates to run for office.{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/20/politics/group-democrats-train-trump-country/index.html |title=This group is helping Democrats build a bench of talent deep in Trump country |author=Dan Merica |website=CNN |date=September 20, 2018 |access-date=July 24, 2019}}

The Washington Post said that some Democrats have called the group's primary fundraising consultant, Mothership Strategies, "unethical," because of its "aggressive and sometimes misleading tactics," such as claiming that President Trump was preparing to fire the special counsel. Mothership charges some clients a commission of 15 percent, higher than the industry standard of 7 to 10 percent. Their fundraising tactics are effective, in raising large amounts of money, but the Democratic critics of Mothership Strategies worry that the company’s profits are built on exaggerating fears, and could erode trust among small donors needed in the future.{{cite news |last1=Ye He Lee |first1=Michelle |title=How a little-known Democratic firm cashed in on the wave of midterm money |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-a-little-known-democratic-firm-cashed-in-on-the-wave-of-midterm-money/2019/01/08/f91b04bc-fef5-11e8-862a-b6a6f3ce8199_story.html |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=June 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212215541/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-a-little-known-democratic-firm-cashed-in-on-the-wave-of-midterm-money/2019/01/08/f91b04bc-fef5-11e8-862a-b6a6f3ce8199_story.html |archive-date=February 12, 2019}}

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{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-sessions-where-working-class-democrats-learn-to-take-down-the-gop/ |title=The Sessions Where Working-Class Democrats Learn to Take Down the GOP |last1=Cheadle |first1=Harry |last2=Jenkins |first2=Gavin |date=February 19, 2019 |website=Vice |language=en-US |access-date=May 28, 2019}}

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Category:United States political action committees

Category:2016 establishments in the United States

Category:Democratic Party (United States)