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ArcticStones's avatar

Now that David Hogg is out of the DNC leadership, and no longer has a conflict of interest, it will be interesting to see the list of "ineffective" incumbents that his organization is trying to oust. Anyone seen a list of names?

Another thing to watch, of course, is the long list of very-old Democrats: Who has announced they are seeking reelection, and who is retiring?

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MPC's avatar

I'm just glad they gave Hogg the boot.

Dem House Reps who are retiring: Jan Schakowsky (IL)

Democratic Senators who are retiring: Peters (MI), Durbin (IL), Shaheen (NH), Smith (MN)

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ArcticStones's avatar

Those are the only ones I am aware of. And yes, David Hogg had to make a choice.

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MPC's avatar

I wish Hogg would devote his resources to helping FL Democrats regain ground in the state instead of him mucking around with the DNC leadership.

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JanusIanitos's avatar

I feel Florida is so far gone that this is not a good priority. We also have state party leadership that should be the ones in charge of that anyway.

We’ve had three dem congress members die in office already this year. There’s no shortage of old incumbents around that don’t add any value over replacement. And right now we have a huge image problem with our marginal voters who think democrats are a party made up of a retirement home.

I think this is a good goal.

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MPC's avatar

He should be using his PAC to help divide FL Republicans and get the squishy ones to vote against their own party. I get where Hogg is coming from, I really do, but I would rather follow the path Ken Martin and Malcolm Kenyatta are laying down.

Ken Martin helped make Ben Wikler a wunderkind in Wisconsin and helped regain fair maps in the state. 95% of Wikler's strategies are what Martin taught him. Martin didn't have someone like Hogg when he was building up the MN DFL after the 2010 shellacking -- and now MN is reliably blue thanks to his efforts.

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Henrik's avatar

I think Hogg’s intentions are genuine and frankly admirable. I don’t think it was at all appropriate for him to pursue them as a DNC Vice Chair. This outcome is best for everyone

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Techno00's avatar

Frankly I agree. Ken Martin's proposal to require neutrality from Democratic leadership in primaries is one I fully support -- and ironically, from a progressive standpoint progressives could even benefit from it as this would also prevent Democrats in leadership from trying to tip the scales against progressive candidates in primaries.

As far as primaries go, I'm of the "let the voters decide" mind. If someone insane or scandal-plagued wins the primary, that's the fault of voters for voting for that person. Voters need to be more educated and politically literate in general. Political parties shouldn't be doing it for them.

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Henrik's avatar

Right, exactly. I think people overstate the DNC’s influence but progressives should be delighted that Martin unequivocally is against “the establishment” putting a thumb on the scale for anyone

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YouHaveToVoteForOneOfUS's avatar

Winning statewide is probably not on the table anytime soon. But there are races we should be winning downballot but aren’t and clawing back those are a good place to start as any. FL may be red, but it doesn’t need to look this lopsided.

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JanusIanitos's avatar

It's all opportunity cost. Yeah, maybe he could spend his time working on downballot candidates in Florida and make our minority in the state legislature larger.

But we're in a time right now where people do not like the democratic party and a large portion of that is that they think our party is too old. Both too old as in literal age, but also too old as in their approach to politics.

Improving our party image nationally is worth way more than being in slightly less of a deficit in Florida as far as I'm concerned.

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stevk's avatar

Why are these two objectives in conflict with one another? Shouldn't we do both?

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JanusIanitos's avatar

As I said at the start, it's opportunity cost. Resources are finite, people's time is finite. Voter energy and fundraising are finite. Everything needed to win elections is finite and we only have so much of it.

If a person spends their time on doing thing A (trying to boost us in Florida), that is time they cannot spend on thing B (replacing weak/ineffectual incumbents). Even if Hogg had 48 hours available to him each day there is a limited ability to keep people on board with multiple messages that do not overlap, there is a limited ability to hire and direct people to work on those goals with him.

"We" can do both, but there are already people who have the job of making us do better in Florida, through their roles in the state dem party. That's up to them. There is nobody out there with the job of replacing shitty incumbents that collectively make the electorate think poorly of us. That means it's a great task for someone to take up, as it should be done.

Also, this is wholly tangential but I do not for the life of me get why people are so insistent on focusing so much hope on improving in Florida. Florida has been getting worse for us every single cycle for over a decade now. It's been over a decade since we last won statewide there, and every single cycle we do worse. This isn't North Carolina where we're just falling short time and time again with the occasional victory. This isn't Texas where we lose by a little bit less each cycle. This isn't Georgia or Arizona where we were losing by a bit less each cycle and then suddenly it became competitive. This is us doing worse, and worse, and then worse, each and every cycle. We're losing Florida by double digits right now.

At what point do we stop lying to ourselves? Florida was more red than Colorado was blue in 2024. Florida voted more like a republican version of Oregon than it did like any swing state. We need to be frank with ourselves and recognize competitive Florida is gone for the time being, and investing to "lose by less" is a bad idea when we can direct those resources somewhere else and possibly win that somewhere else.

At this point we might as well let the state became a republican vote sink. Have it siphon up all the conservative retirees that might have otherwise gone to Arizona or stayed in the midwest.

Yeah we all want to win everywhere. But resources are finite. Directing energy — and consequently, creating future disappointment, which does have a cost to it! — into Florida is not the best use of that energy.

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Avedee Eikew's avatar

"We’ve had three dem congress members die in office already this year. There’s no shortage of old incumbents around that don’t add any value over replacement. And right now we have a huge image problem with our marginal voters who think democrats are a party made up of a retirement home." can't rec this enough.

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NewEnglandMinnesotan's avatar

He recently endorsed state delegate Irene Shin in the VA-11 special

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Jay's avatar

I don’t like the optics of kicking out someone who is being vocal about dramatically changing the party at a time when even a majority of Dems don’t like the party. But I understand that it was a necessary move for the DNC. I hope Hogg goes hard against ineffective incumbents of all persuasions and doesn’t just tinker around the edges. Someone needs to organize and direct the anger Dems have at their own party at something worthwhile.

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Mike in MD's avatar

Primarying ineffective incumbents is one thing, but Hogg comes off as too self-promotional or self-righteous to work effectively as part of what is supposed to be a team.

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michaelflutist's avatar

Yeah, and I'm sure he'll bash the DNC for firing him, but my only criticism is that they hired him without a pledge from him not to attack incumbents and waited so long to fire him.

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Zero Cool's avatar

I thought Hogg was great in founding Never Again MSD and leading the charge to bring more awareness on the issue of gun control and stopping mass shootings.

However, taking his stature to the degree where he aimed to help elect more Democrats kind of compromises his ability to be apolitical with organizations like this. Hogg's bright but he ought to be focused on his agenda in making a difference instead of being about something else.

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derkmc's avatar

He was involved in another PAC last year and reports showed he was collecting a six figure salary and most of the PAC $$ wasn't going to candidates. Maybe he has good intentions but there's evidence pointing that this is all a big grift for him.

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Miguel Parreno's avatar

I'd like Brad Sherman to be on that list. Interested if there's anyone who can beat him.

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NewEnglandMinnesotan's avatar

Jake Rakov has been running against him for a bit now. He went to the CA Democratic party convention, so he seems to be upping his name recognition and building connections

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Miguel Parreno's avatar

I just went to his Instagram page and his top priority is "Lower Taxes and Creating Jobs" I had to check just to make sure he wasn't a Republican. Pass.

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Zack from the SFV's avatar

The California top-two runoffs make it harder for that to happen. While CA-32 is highly unlikely to elect a GOP member, there is a Repub base vote of maybe 30% or so in the district and there are GOPers who like to run for office. In that district if there is one Repub candidate they are likely to get the second spot in the runoff.

If there are Dem challengers to Sherman they are bound to fail to get into the runoff because Brad has the money and name recognition to make the runoff and then defeat the hopeless GOPer. Having not one but two "Some Dudes named Jake" running makes their task even more difficult. Look for the runoff to feature Sherman vs Lucie Volotzky (R) again in 2026. Depressing...

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Paleo's avatar

I’m not a fan of Sherman. But apparent crypto is targeting him. So count me in camp Sherman.

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Zack from the SFV's avatar

Brad Sherman is a tax geek. He is both an accountant and tax attorney who served on the CA Board of Equalization (tax board) before his election to the House.

If you care about the tax system you know that crypto undermines the ability to have the fair administration of the tax laws and provide revenue to keep the government running. Crypto helps out tax cheats and other various criminals. You know that, I know that, and Brad Sherman knows that.

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Paleo's avatar

It’s a total scam being pushed by libertarian fascists such as Musk and Thiel.

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Zack from the SFV's avatar

Libertarian fascists plus many other scammers. The big boys with connections can make some bucks but the little guy or gal investor loses out on their get-rich-quick dreams because they don't have the inside information.

As well as being a tax geek I am an environmentalist. The excessive energy consumption for a counterproductive "product" is insane when we are facing the climate crisis. We need to use less energy more efficiently if we want to have a future we can live in.

OK, enough of my rant for now...

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Paleo's avatar

Just today:

16 Dem senators crossed lines to vote with the GOP to invoke cloture on the crypto bill, forfeiting any leverage.

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Brad Warren's avatar

Joe Walsh as the *Democratic* Senate nominee in *South Carolina*?

Yeah, that dog ain't gonna hunt.

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Paleo's avatar

At least David Jolly is running in the same state he represented.

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John Carr's avatar

Why doesn’t Jolly just run against Luna in FL-13? He would actually have a chance there in 2026.

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MPC's avatar

Perhaps Jolly thinks enough FL R voters won't vote for Donalds (due to his skin color) and he can break off squishy Rs.

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bpfish's avatar

Hard to see voters who are too racist to vote for the Black Republican voting for a Democrat. Seems more likely they would choose the independent (Pizzo) rather than the Democrat (Jolly). Many of them may not know Jolly is a former Republican and Pizzo is a former Democrat. But anything that drives down Donalds' numbers would still work to Jolly's advantage.

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ArcticStones's avatar

Perhaps controlling Florida’s governor’s mansion matters more than FL-13... Key question: Do you have a better gubernatorial candidate than David Jolly?

(Edited to fix mistake.)

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Paleo's avatar

He's running for governor.

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John Carr's avatar

FL-13 is to the left of the state as a whole by a bit at this point and Luna is an underperformer. It’s highly unlikely that a Democrat can win statewide in Florida at this point.

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stevk's avatar

I agree - I think we're more likely to win FL-13 than the Governor's mansion. Question is - is Jolly the guy to do either one of those things?

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michaelflutist's avatar

Probably not, but kudos to him for running!

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Ron Britney's avatar

There isn’t one that I think would be electable in Florida. This is Florida Democrats last chance to stem the GOP dominance of the state government. If the Dems let Donalds or DeSantis’ wife waltz in to the governor’s office it won’t be open again till 2034. I’m willing to give Jolly a chance but personally I think Florida is gone.

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NewEnglandMinnesotan's avatar

Has there been any effort/talk of replacing Nikki Fried as Florida Democratic Party chair? What is the general opinion of her leadership and is there anyone in the wings who could revive the FL Dem party?

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Ron Britney's avatar

Not a lot of support for Fried in my area of PBC. I fear we are stuck with her at least through 2026. Imho state Rep Anna Eskamani could, given some time, possibly revive the party. But she’s running for Orange County mayor so I don’t think that’s going to happen.

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Harrison Konigstein's avatar

I don't think any Florida Democratic Party chair could help make the state more competitive-it's just too Republican.

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PollJunkie's avatar

Republicans only have a 5 point generic ballot lead in Florida Governor right now in two polls, with 30 percent+ undecided even after a 13 point November win.

Really disappointed with another potential candidate "Progressive" Miami Dade Mayor Levine Cava who has agreed to a far right councilmember's proposal to "disappear" inmates whom ICE desire from the registry and data systems because Trump named the county as a "sanctuary". I am not against deporting criminals but this is ludicrous.

I am looking forward to David Jolly's campaign, he is a sharp orator and has a compelling story about his changed liberal positions unlike perennial Crist. He says he left the Republican party after becoming a NeverTrumper not the other way round with the Republican party going right and leaving him. He also says that he found out during his political journey that one can be against abortion but pro choice and pro women's rights at the same time which he didn't understand earlier due to his evangelical upbringing. My only fear is that Black voters hate Republicans and former Republicans so he might not be able to run up margins with them and the opposing candidate is also Black. According to him, this is not an ego trip or publicity stunt and he is in it because he believes the race will be competitive during a 2026 Blue Wave.

Do note that Biden lost Florida by 3 points, DeSantis won in 2018 by less than 1 point and 200k Reps moved to Florida compared to 100k Dems during the COVID era as per L2 voter registration data, not enough to turn the state so red. It's been due to same Latino swing that we saw in NY, Texas, NJ and so on.

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Mark's avatar

Oh c'mon. What part of the Palmetto State's history would suggest they'd be averse to a party-switching carpetbagger from Illinois moving there to represent them in the federal government?

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Wolfpack Dem's avatar

One supposes he's not running to win (b/c not possible, for any Demmycrat), but rather to troll Graham for funsies.

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stevk's avatar

Ehh...why not? Not like we're going to win that race anyway, and maybe he'll get some folks to the polls, or raise some local candidates to victory...

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Brad Warren's avatar

I just don't think Joe Walsh is the right candidate to fulfill either of those objectives (which I also think are very important).

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Andrew's avatar

“I’m running bc my opponent is a piece of shit.” I’ll take it!!!! I remember loathing this guy back in the day. Have fucking at it my buddy. Maybe he’ll finally be the one who digs up the dirt on Graham being gay and making guys sign non-disclosure agreements to have sex with him. Allegedly.

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Brad Warren's avatar

If that's true, Graham's done a better job keeping it under wraps (30+ years!) than pretty much any other public figure I can think of.

My suspicion is that he really isn't interested in sleeping with anyone, regardless of gender.

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MPC's avatar

Do Nebraska Republicans REALLY think they can pass a near total abortion ban constitutional amendment in a D-favorable midterm?

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dragonfire5004's avatar

They’re almost certainly mistakenly believing that the 51-49 defeat for the pro choice amendment means there’s a majority of Nebraska voters who are pro life. They’ll find out that error only after they’ve wasted millions of dollars that could’ve gone to other Republican campaigns in 2026. I hope the GOP tries to do this in every state that has ballot amendments personally.

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Diogenes's avatar

55% of Nebraskans oppose further restrictions on abortion; 40% favor it. So a total abortion ban on the ballot might be good news for Dan Osborne in his campaign to unseat Sen. Pete Ricketts.

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PollJunkie's avatar

Osborn*

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CuriousReader4456's avatar

The tepid support for the ballot measure tells you that most elite republicans don't think it will succeed.

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Paleo's avatar

Kansas Sen. Cindy Holscher says she will seek the Democratic nomination for governor to try to protect public schools and shield the state from a potential double dose of “slash and burn policies” ignited by Republicans at federal and state levels.

https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/12/democrat-steps-forward-in-race-for-kansas-governor-focuses-on-schools-and-kitchen-table-issues/

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dragonfire5004's avatar

Going from D+9 in 2020 to D+23 in 2024 is an incredible achievement. Does anyone know if the Republican they nominated in the seat was an insane opponent in 2024? Or was this just her and her brand? Regardless, about the best Democrats could hope for in a candidate to try to pull off a seemingly impossible three peat Governor win in a still red state.

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Jay's avatar

I would guess that her 2020 opponent was just a stronger candidate since it looks like he was a state representative before. The city she represents, Overland Park, is a poster child for “wealthy suburb that has abandoned Republicans since trump’s election” but there was probably some residual support for Romney-esque Republicans.

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Zack from the SFV's avatar

The CA congressional district is misnumbered in the digest. CA-30 was the old number of Brad Sherman's district in the south and west San Fernando Valley. Now it is CA-32. CA-30 is mostly in the eastern SFV, with Burbank, Glendale and also parts of Hollywood. That one is represented by Rep. Laura Friedman, new to Congress this year.

I remember Jake Levine's father Mel for his comically bad run for U.S. Senate in 1992. He ran third or fourth in the Democratic primary (back when we had party primaries) behind the winner, Rep. Barbara Boxer, and also Lt Gov Leo McCarthy. Good times!

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David Nir's avatar

Thank you for the catch, and for sharing the memory!

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brendan fka HoosierD42's avatar

If the Bustos name is familiar for the IL-Sen item, apparently Awisi is Cheri Bustos' (soon-to-be-former) daughter-in-law. The Bustos family is "not supportive" of Awisi's run.

https://x.com/allymutnick/status/1932921851157626948

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Hall's avatar

Women voting for their own deaths in pregnancy and childbirth are abhorrent. Disgusting women more than happy to murder women for their “belief.”

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michaelflutist's avatar

Men are always more supportive of forced birth than women, so why are you focusing on women?

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James Trout's avatar

Because said behavior is more expected coming from men than from women. For some on the left, the very notion, the very idea that not all women view abortion as a women's right or women's health issue is absurd and unthinkable. Not to mention the fact that studies show more people vote solely on being anti choice than vote solely on being pro choice. Thus - unfortunately - advantage, Republicans.

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michaelflutist's avatar

There are actually people who don't know that many women oppose abortion? What world do they live in?

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PollJunkie's avatar

Women are more passionate than men on both sides of the issue.

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michaelflutist's avatar

How many women have bombed abortion clinics or murdered obstetricians? I think men are more passionate.

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Hall's avatar

Of course men are. I chose to speak about the women that betray other women today.

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Diogenes's avatar

Mark Green (R-TN) is a creationist, a climate skeptic, and an anti-vaxxer. When he leaves the House, Michael McCaul (R-TX), a somewhat more rational fellow who strongly supports Ukraine, will take over as chair of the Homeland Security Committee.

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Buckeye73's avatar

Who else suspects that Mark Green is being caught up in in a "Nigerian Prince" type scam.

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ArcticStones's avatar

As opposed to a $Trump cryptocurrency scam? Could be both.

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Zero Cool's avatar

That's insane. Whitman was a moderate Republican back in the day when she served in the first term of President Bush's adminsitration.

I'm sure it's easier for her to endorse Sherrill now that she left the Republican Party some time ago. However, this may also complicate her efforts to build the would-be Forward Party.

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JanusIanitos's avatar

Is it insane? She voted for HRC, spoke at the 2020 DNC in favor of Biden, and endorsed Harris in 2024. Supporting a middle of the road democrat against a fully Trumpist republican candidate in NJ is exactly what I'd expect with that history.

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Zero Cool's avatar

Just to be clear, I'm aware of Whitman's history.

However, we're talking about Whitman being the last woman Governor of the state, when she was still a Republican. That's what's insane.

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James Trout's avatar

The Forward Party would have some viability if center left Democrats were the exception, not the rule among Democratic Party politicians. That is far from the case though. Even in deep blue states.

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JanusIanitos's avatar

I think the obstacles to a new party gaining prominence are sufficiently large that they could be a perfect ideological match for a large, underserved portion of the electorate and still be completely nonviable.

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Zero Cool's avatar

Andrew Yang seems to be the one person who is the voice of Forward. Otherwise, it's got nothing, especially considering that its mission of electing more in Yang's view, "people of the radical middle" has been accomplished by the Democratic Party for a long time.

It was back in the day that the Reform Party was the Forward Party at the time. However, it was hijacked by Pat Buchanan soon after Jesse Ventura was elected as Governor of Minnesota.

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Avedee Eikew's avatar

Andrew Yang is a grifter.

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michaelflutist's avatar

She wasn't even that moderate.

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Zero Cool's avatar

From the sense of being a Republican, yes.

However, per On the Issues, Whitman during being Governor and then while being EPA Secretary had still more moderate positions than she was given credit for.

1) She was moderate on the Arctic Wildlife Refuge drilling situation. She believed drilling should take into account environmental impact as opposed to those being pro-ANWR who wanted to drill, drill, drill. On the other hand, she didn’t exactly aim to challenge the status quo in the GOP on the environment.

2) Opposed Boy Scouts ban on gay members. Back in 2001!

3) Pro-Affirmative Action

4) Pro-choice

However, Whitman was also pro drug war. She argued for more funding in this sense.

https://www.ontheissues.org/Christie_Todd_Whitman.htm

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michaelflutist's avatar

But she was a Reagan Republican. And remember this? At least she had the decency to apologize, which is more than Trump and those of his ilk do, but she has blood on her hands: https://time.com/4486557/epa-leader-apology-911-september-11-air/

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Zero Cool's avatar

Yes, Whitman was.

I remember her making the apology although frankly it came too late. The impact of her apology could have been better if she apologized soon after she originally said it back when she was EPA Secretary. It wasn’t like she was apologizing for the Iraq War.

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AmandaR's avatar

Fight!!!

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Paleo's avatar

Senator Padilla manhandled for asking questions at Dog Killer’s “press conference”

https://bsky.app/profile/vanhollen.senate.gov/post/3lrgmcutzrs25

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Miguel Parreno's avatar

She should resign in disgrace but instead she'll fly around on the taxpayers dime until her usefulness to Trump ends.

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Paleo's avatar

As I’ve said before, Democrats in the house should introduce an impeachment resolution against her. Signed by all Democratic house members.

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Paleo's avatar

What set him off:

Noem said Homeland Security agents were staying to "liberate the city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor have placed on this country."

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Paleo's avatar

He had been escorted into the briefing room by federal agents, Padilla said, while he waited for a scheduled meeting with U.S. Northern Command to begin. He stood in the back, listening, until “the political rhetoric got to be too much to take,” he said. “So I spoke up.”

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Essex Democrat's avatar

re the recission package just passed by the house:

it's nothing but cruelty to gut pbs and npr, especially given how much rural folks rely on their services. I remain a proud biden supporter, and I believe our party too often goes after its own rather than presenting a united front.

However, the bill passed by two votes, and four democratic members did not show up to vote. This is unacceptable, and I accept I'm late to the party--as I've always tried to steer clear of broad indictments of the party leadership. What is the purpose of having a whip if you don't even bother to get the living members of your caucus to vote? Only two republicans missed the vote, i.e., the bill fails if democratic members do the bare minimum and show up to work.

Much less devastating than the "well we all die bill," but when someone like me starts losing faith, in the party to fight for us, I begin to wonder how many people can still trust us to be an effective opposition party. I truly do not mean to rant, I simply cannot believe we continue to blunder forward incoherently. Yes, republicans will pay a price in 26, but how much faith do we have that we will restore funding if and when we retake power. We never repealed the trump tax cuts while we held power--and a repeal of those would have helped cool inflation. Republicans have been attempting to destroy the federal government since barry goldwater, and it seems to come as a Suprise to elected democratic leadership still.

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michaelflutist's avatar

Why apologize for ranting? This is absolutely inexcusable!

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JanusIanitos's avatar

It really is.

It increasingly feels like a distressingly non-zero portion of our party officials do not see their job as one possessing the importance and impact that it has. Public office isn't a perk, it isn't a career capstone, it isn't a hobby. It isn't even like a typical job that you can get tired or call out sick or take a vacation because you need it. Even if you really and truly do need a vacation or a sick day.

Public office is a role that impacts our lives in dramatic ways. In the US and to a lesser extent globally too, due to the US' power and influence. That needs to be treated seriously.

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NewEnglandMinnesotan's avatar

Democrats not voting were Joyce Beatty (OH), Lou Correa (CA), Donald Norcross (NJ), and Emily Randall (WA)

https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025168

I'm not sure why they didn't vote. This is just the list

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hilltopper's avatar

I'm spitting mad at these four. After the November elections it seemed that we had 215 members and the R's would have troubled winning close votes. Now we have 212 and of those 212, four don't bother to show up for a close vote. Where were they?

Of note, the vote almost failed as six R's voted "no" but then Don Bacon of Nebraska and Nick LaLota of New York flipped to yes.

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NewEnglandMinnesotan's avatar

The only one I can excuse is Donald Norcross who is recovering from sepsis. I haven't found excuses for the others, but I can't think of anything other than a medical emergercy that I would find reasonable

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Harrison Konigstein's avatar

I wouldn't have considered a medical emergency reasonable either-Norcross or whoever is acting in Loco Parentis for him should have resigned/had him resign when he was hospitalized.

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derkmc's avatar

I think they find the votes even if those Dems were still alive. The only true NO vote on most of these bills is Massie, everyone else their arms can be twisted.

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hilltopper's avatar

Actually Massie voted yes. He was proud to cut funding for PBS, NPR and foreign aid.

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JanusIanitos's avatar

It's probably true that republicans would get the majority passage in the end.

But it's inexcusable all the same. Force all of them to vote for it. Don't give them room to pretend they oppose it. Force each and every republican to own their bad votes.

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stevk's avatar

Do we think people are seeing positive IA-SEN private polling, given how many folks are entering the race?

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AWildLibAppeared's avatar

Not necessarily. I think they're seeing Joni Ernst's gaffes.

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Stargate77's avatar

It's possible that both of these are reasons why people are entering the Iowa Senate race (i.e. private polling shows that Ernst is vulnerable because of her gaffes).

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dragonfire5004's avatar

I kind of doubt there’s any accurate polling about any race that takes place 1.5 years away from now, but especially so for a WWC state with very few urban/suburban areas and a ton of hard to reach rural Trump base voters. It’s probably more like a Democratic special election massive overperformance/s + Ernst national headline gaffes combo pulling people in.

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derkmc's avatar

IA-SEN: Not impressed by Wahls, he definitely seems to be the weaker candidate between Scholten and Sage. He sits in a deep blue district and has never won a competitive race. And while his activism for LGBT issues is noble, I doubt it will resonate given how Trumpy Iowa is these days.

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PollJunkie's avatar

I am rooting for Sage as he is the closest candidate in the race to Dan Osborn who lost 47-53 while Harris lost 39-59. (Nebraska borders Iowa and has a similar economy)

Why aren't Democrats recruiting Osborn like Independents for other red states (not talking about Iowa) is a question which deserves to be asked. An Independent label sheds the programmed toxicity of the Dem brand among rural working class voters, the candidate can't be tied to "communists" and "ëlitists" like Bernie, Biden, Clintons as well as California, NY (it blunts Republican attacks) and can take positions that may be unpopular among the Democratic primary electorate.

There was a lot of discussion here when Bernie asked the left to run as Independents but here is the full context:

In The Nation interview, headlined “Bernie Sanders: We Need More Working-Class Candidates to Challenge Both Parties,” Sanders declared:

"I think that what Dan Osborn did should be looked at as a model for the future. He took on both political parties. He took on the corporate world. He ran as a strong trade unionist. Without party support, getting heavily outspent, he got through to working-class people all over Nebraska. It was an extraordinary campaign and it tells me that the American people are sick and tired of seeing the rich getting richer. They think billionaires dominate both political parties. They want real change, and Dan’s campaign raised those issues in a very significant way."

Asked by Nichols if he was “talking about creating a third-party, or creating a new political grouping” the nominally independent senator from Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats, responded, “Not right now, no.” He added:

"What I am saying is that, building off of Osborn’s campaign… where people can run in the Democratic primary and win, that’s fine. Where it is more advantageous to run as an independent, outside of the Democratic primary process, we should do that, as well."

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derkmc's avatar

Non-politicians definitely seem to be the way to go. They don't have a voting record to pick apart and can mold themselves ideologically the way they want to. This is what Osborn did and Sage can do it better than Scholten/Wahls.

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Harrison Konigstein's avatar

If we're going to be running a serious candidate in Iowa (which Scholten is), than I'd like to see someone with a higher profile jump in before I can consider this race competitive, like the Governor's race (Unless there is a GOP wave, Rob Sand is going to do well-he might not win, but he will outrun our Senate nominee unless someone stronger comes along).

My personal preference is for Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague to jump in. I think he's hypothetically a stronger candidate than Scholten.

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Harrison Konigstein's avatar

https://apnews.com/article/sex-crimes-south-carolina-lawmaker-rj-may-81901be6f700f24a99ba3346086f8b61

South Carolina State Representative RJ May (R-HD 88) is under indictment on ten counts of distributing sexual abuse material involving children.

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michaelflutist's avatar

That's horrific!

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Harrison Konigstein's avatar

More importantly (since I'm assuming May either resigns or is expelled-there is literally no way his colleagues want an accused child predator in office-even if he's acquitted I think it's very unlikely he'd survive an expulsion proceeding), House DIstrict 88 is the suburbs of Columbia-this might be competitive in a special election with the right candidate.

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Tim Nguyen's avatar

That's what now, the second time during this administration that a state representative has been charged for abusing or trying to exploit a minor? The first notable case was Minnesota state senator Justin Eichorn who resigned after he was caught in a sting operation for trying to solicit a minor for prostitution. Who knows how many more politicians will get exposed for sex crimes and other criminal acts.

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michaelflutist's avatar

There are always a few, aren't there? Power gives easy access to abuse, but there are always a certain number of abusers in every walk of life.

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Tim Nguyen's avatar

A shame that the likes of Pam Bondi have yet to seen justice catch up to them yet.

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