After mass turnout, can protests turn into political impact?

DENVER (AP) — Organizers of the Women’s March on Washington and parallel demonstrations around the country have scored a success with huge crowds. But can they transform that into an actual movement?

That’s the question many on the left are asking a day after Saturday’s rallies. Other protest movements have drawn big crowds, but fizzled without changing the political landscape.

Liberals are hoping the protests evolve into something like the Tea Party, the Conservative movement that led opposition to President Barack Obama. It started with protests in 2009 and channeled its volunteers into politics.

They helped Republicans increase power in state, local and federal elections.

Organizers of the Women’s Marches pledge to divert some of the anti-Trump energy into political organizing. But they see value in future mass protests, too.

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