The success of the battle for the future of American Democracy-the struggle for progressive values-the battle between democracy and autocracy-between hope and fear-will not be determined entirely by the merits of our values or even the strength of our conviction.

It will be determined by how well American progressives organize to promote those values. It will be determined especially by how well we execute the nuts and bolts of election campaigns.

This book is about the fundamentals. It's about execution.

It's about the fundamentals of great electoral organizing, effective political communication, understanding the self-interest of the voters, political fundraising, using social media and other new technologies, creating high intensity field programs, voter mobilization, the qualities of great organizers.

It is a step-by-step field manual for how progressives can win electoral campaigns - and a textbook for anyone who wants to know how electoral politics really works.