Democrats rallying health care ground troops

As Republicans take the battle to the airwaves, Democrats are mounting a grass-roots campaign in Nevada to push their side of the health care debate.

The Democratic National Committee is hosting a meeting in Reno tonight to rally supporters of President Obama around the health-care reform effort as it heats up in Congress. It's part of a nationwide "listening tour" by the DNC's Organizing for America project, which grew out of the Obama presidential campaign.

The Obama campaign was marked by an extraordinary grass-roots effort, both nationally and in Nevada, and Democrats hope they can keep those volunteers and supporters mobilized to push for the president's policy initiatives. During the campaign, they knocked on their neighbors' doors and tried to persuade them to vote for Obama; now, the idea is, they'll knock on doors to make the case for health-care reform. Health care will be a major test of the grass-roots network's continued viabilitiy, though it's not clear how the success of a movement that doesn't end in an election can be measured.

At tonight's meeting, "Attendees, including supporters and volunteers from the general election, will be invited to offer ideas on how OFA should organize in Reno to support President Obama's priorities," according to a news release. "The group will also discuss the best way to provide Americans with the tools to make their voices heard in Washington and help bring about the long-term change voters asked for so overwhelmingly last November."

Events also have been hosted by the state Democratic Party to rally Nevadans around health care, including one in Las Vegas this past weekend.

"We have just one goal for these events - to listen," Nevada Organizing For America State Director Jennifer Lopez said in the news release about tonight's Reno meeting. "The historic dedication and commitment of our supporters is what brought us victory in November and is what will help us advance President Obama's bold vision for the country over the coming years. They, more than anyone else, know what approaches will work best in Reno and we're eager to hear their ideas."