These “new” Democrats have a powerful weapon at their disposal. I hope they use it often.

If you pay attention to polls, as I sometimes do, you’ll notice one universal truth, everybody thinks that congress sucks. The only poll I have been able to find that gives congress positive marks is the latest R/T poll of the Kremlin. Those guys think we’re knocking it out of the park. But everybody on this side of the drink thinks that congress blows chunks.

And when you look at those polls, one thing becomes abundantly clear. The biggest gripe about congress is that nobody feels like their elected representatives pay any attention to them anymore. We all feel that our elected officials owe their fealty to the corporate and PAC interests that fund them, instead of “we, the people.” And looking at congress, it’s a valid point.

Those of you who have been around for a while know that I spent a fair amount of time last year doing a series of “candidate diaries,” trying to spotlight and amp up support and donations for candidates in the Virginia House and county races. It was a worthwhile pursuit, and I plan on getting back to it shortly for the upcoming midterms.

In researching those diaries, I spent a significant amount of time on the candidates home pages, checking out their positions. And I noticed a common thread that ran through most, if not all of them. They all dealt with differing local issues important to their constituents, but they also highlighted the fact that, unlike their opponents, they were accepting absolutely no corporate or PAC donations. They heralded the fact that if elected, they would be beholden only to their constituents, and not special interests. It seemed to work pretty well in Virginia, we flipped 15 House of Delegate seats, and in several races, Democratic challengers were outperforming their GOP opponents in fundraising, even though the entrenched incumbents had fundraising mechanisms and big money donors already in place.

And now, it is time for this principle to be writ large. Thanks to Robbing Hood, and his merry band of misfits, not only is Democratic enthusiasm through the roof, but, as in Virginia, a whole new breed of “citizen candidates” have put their lives and professions on hold to try to influence a positive change.

Nationwide, we have a whole slate of candidates that are in the mold of the “Virginia model.” And they have the rare opportunity to use the cudgel of financial independence to club their opponent over the head with. Normally, when a challenger in either party runs against an incumbent opponent, the challenger either already holds a different office, or has held elective office in the past. They’re both inherently swamp creatures, they just paddle around in different swamps. But this year, we have a wide slate of candidates that are doing laps in a pristine Olympic size pool.

In many of these races, there are going to be debates. Howz this for an opening statement from a Democratic candidate. “If I am elected, I can promise my constituents that I will be responsible only to them. I have already sworn that my campaign will take no contributions from any lobbyist, PAC, or corporate special interest. My FEC filings will show that, and I will post those filings on my website. I not only invite, I challenge my opponent to do the same.”

What can their opponent possibly say? If they’re an incumbent, they’re already covered in corporate pocket lint. What are they gonna do, give it back? This is one of those times when actions definitely speak louder than words, and one of the rare times that silence is not golden when coming from a politician.

Hell, I’d make that a standard part of my stump speech. “Folks, this election comes down to a binary choice. I have already sworn, and have proven that I will take no special interest money, and I thank you for your generous support. But I’m still waiting for my opponent to take the same, simple step, to get dirty money out of politics, and return it to the people. The choice is yours. Who would you rather have represent you? Someone who is responsible to you, and your needs, or someone responsible only to the Koch brothers?”

These candidates are already running rings around their opponents in their districts, talking about local issues that their incumbent challengers are abysmally ignorant of, having listened to nobody but their corporate overlords since being elected. Casting their opponents as a shill of power brokers,corporate overlords, and special interests should help to rive the final nai into the coffin.