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By Kevin Liptak, CNN

updated 3:07 PM EDT, Fri September 19, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Washington (CNN) -- Democrats were making an election-year pitch to women on Friday, mindful of their past advantage among the voting bloc and hoping to convince enough women to cast ballots for their candidates in November's mid-term contests.

Without strong turnout and support from women, Democrats stand little chance of keeping control of the Senate -- the party's top priority this year.

The biggest draw at the Democrats' Women's Leadership Forum in Washington was Hillary Clinton, their leading 2016 potential presidential contender and, in the minds of some Democrats, a potential boost to mid-term candidates. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden also were on the event's roster.

"We have fought for families, for moms and dads and kids and the values that hold us all together," Clinton said during her midday speech, which was warmly received by the room of party activists.

Women have provided Democrats a boost in recent elections, including in 2012, when 55% voted for Obama in that year's presidential contest. But as Obama's poll numbers have slid, so, too, has his support among women.

The most recent CNN survey of Obama's popularity showed 55% of women disapproved of how Obama is handling his job -- the same percentage that voted for him in 2012. That disapproval rate was on par with the figure for men.

On pressing issues including terrorism, the economy and Ukraine, more women than men disapprove of how Obama's doing his job.

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Democrats make new pitch for women votes

Not long ago, Minnesota's 8th Congressional District was considered a DFL stronghold.

But that's began to change in recent years. Republican Chip Cravaack unexpectedly beat longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar in 2010 after conservative areas closer to the Twin Cities were added to the huge district.

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Although the DFLs regained the seat two years ago with U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan's defeat of Cravaack, Democrats say they can no longer take the northeastern part of the state for granted anymore.

With that in mind, this year Democrats and their allies are making a big push to turn out voters in the area, which state DFL Party Chair Ken Martin considers key to this election year.

Rep. Rick Nolan is in a tough race with Republican Stewart Mills, and Democrats need to protect key legislative seats to keep control of the Minnesota House.

On top of that, Martin has to make sure Gov. Mark Dayton and U.S. Sen. Al Franken do well on the Iron Range so they win statewide.

"It is a very strategically important part of our plan to win," Martin said. "You have this rare confluence of all of these things coming together that make the 8th ground zero for Democrats this year."

The 8th District stretches from the northern Twin Cities suburbs to the Canadian border and west to Bemidji. The party is expected to spend an unprecedented amount of money in the area this fall.

Martin won't say how much. But the money will pay for a barrage of mailers, phone calls, television ads and an extensive door-knocking campaign.

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Democrats and their allies redouble efforts in changing 8th District

WEST PALM BEACH

History is against them. But Democrats were undeterred Saturday night, insisting that 2014 is going to be the year their party will finally prevail and elect one of their own as Florida governor for the first time in 20 years.

Democrats are better organized and have more technology than ever before, said Allison Tant, chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, vowing her party will match the past Republican advantage in absentee voting.

There won't be a repeat of 2010, the midterm election debacle for Democrats across the country, said Jennifer Granholm, former governor of Michigan. "You don't have the tea party as motivated," she said. "In 2010, I do think Democrats stayed home."

Voters will reject Republican Gov. Rick Scott, an unknown four years ago who "turned out to be an unabashed ideologue," said Martin O'Malley, the governor of Maryland and a possible 2016 presidential candidate. "You know that Florida can do better."

Their hopes are riding on Charlie Crist who was elected governor in 2006 as a Republican before becoming an independent and then a Democrat and on South Florida.

Crist needs a big victory in the three South Florida counties to overcome the Republican advantage elsewhere in the state. His problem is that Democrats have trouble turning out their voters in midterm elections between presidential contests. Without them, he can't defeat Republican Gov. Rick Scott.

"The future of this state is in the hands of the voters of Palm Beach and Broward counties," said U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, who represents parts of both. U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, who also represents parts of both counties, was more direct. He told Democrats to "get off their asses and do everything they can to defeat Rick Scott and elect Charlie Crist."

The activists, at least, are fired up. So many people wanted to attend the Palm Beach County Democratic Party's Truman-Kennedy-Johnson Dinner at the Marriott Hotel in West Palm Beach that party leaders had to shoehorn them in a move that meant removing the big video screens that would have allowed people in the back and at the sides to see who was speaking.

County Democratic Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo said the event would take in at least $150,000.

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Democrats say they'll defy history and win in November

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