Primary Succession
I'm no fan of Jon Chait but I'm glad to see him take up the idea I've been pushing for years. That being primary challenges to "moderate" Dems, a/k/a pols who sell out to their corporate overlords.
Chait suggests the primary challenge should only be strong enough to scare the recalcitrant Dems into compliance with the big agenda issues. Screw that. Pols like DiFi have sold out so regularly to deep pocket contributors, I want progressive challengers who can win. Even if that means that a newcomer would lose to a Republican.
What difference would it really make as long as the incumbent is voting along the GOP line anyway? At least that way the bad votes aren't tainting the Democratic party brand.
[More posts daily at The Detroit News]
Chait suggests the primary challenge should only be strong enough to scare the recalcitrant Dems into compliance with the big agenda issues. Screw that. Pols like DiFi have sold out so regularly to deep pocket contributors, I want progressive challengers who can win. Even if that means that a newcomer would lose to a Republican.
What difference would it really make as long as the incumbent is voting along the GOP line anyway? At least that way the bad votes aren't tainting the Democratic party brand.
[More posts daily at The Detroit News]
posted by Libby Spencer at 11:57 AM
4 Comments:
As you know, I completely agree, except I don't think a progressive win in the primary ever "means" that the newcomer would lose to a republican. Each race is its own, and if the winner of a Dem primary loses to the Repub, I'd expect that the winner might have also. All these "electibility" calculations is what keeps us from getting good Democrats in office.
I realize that you didn't mean that a progressive win is necessarily a sacrifice play, I just think the connection overall is used too freely.
You're right Dirk. It's used as an excuse to not challenge by the establishment Dems way too often.
Party discipline needs to be rediscovered if Democrats are ever going to make the changes we voted for. I'm probably the only one here that will admit patronage and rewarding loyal party members while sendng a message to the DINO's of no pork for you until you get in line is correct. You want that new bridge? Vote for health care reform. Don't vote for unnecessary wars. Quit playing croquet with Mitch McConnell.
I think that happens already Truth, except that they buy the votes to please their corporate masters instead of us.
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