When someone is running for reelection in Texas, they're not looking for votes in California or New York.

One strategy that the tea party smartly embraced was one of being almost entirely defensive. They consciously decided not to figure out which of their really abominable conservative policy priorities to prioritize. Instead, anything that came out of the Obama White House they were against. What they recognized is that when you've lost the White House and the House of Representatives and the Senate, you're not setting the agenda anymore. We progressives find ourselves in a similar situation now.

To the extent that we can shine a light on the bad things being done, that's going to have a positive impact.

It is really crucial that folks focus on their own representatives. If you call or write a member who does not represent you, I can tell you that contact is going to be a waste of time. You might as well just talk to yourself in your living room.

You have to be local. You have to focus on your local members of Congress.

Another crucial thing the tea party did really well is to focus in on the folks who are more or less on your side, and make sure they are as bold as possible.

Obama had a mandate for change and Trump clearly does not.