The newly elected members of Congress haven't even been sworn in yet but you can already get an idea about their trajectories in the House by seeing which caucuses they've joined. Carol Shea-Porter (NH), Jamie Raskin (MD), Pramila Jayapal (WA), Ruben Kihuen (NV), Nanette Barragán (CA), Lisa Rochester (DE), Ro Khanna (CA), Donald McEachin (VA) and Anthony Brown (MD) are among the 13 freshmen who have joined the Progressive Caucus. The Republican wing of the Democratic Party is still keeping the list of the corrupt corporatists joining its ranks-- the New Dems and Blue Dogs-- secret. But some, like Orlando conservaDem Stephanie Murphy, have already signaled that they're allying themselves with the right-wing of the party.We've been emphasizing that opportunities abound for progressive Democratic candidates in 2018. But Republicans aren't just going to roll over and play dead. And they understand the dynamic of how to beat Republican-lite Blue Dogs and New Dems. They're already going after Murphy before she's even cast her first vote. Far right attorney Kenneth Lewis, a self-described Ted Cruz follower with a terrible local reputation as an extremist, is the first to jump in against her. He's best known in the Orlando area for being fired as a prosecutor after a series of ugly Facebook posts following the mass shooting at the Pulse Nightclub.
Downtown Orlando has no bottom. The entire city should be leveled. It is void of a single redeeming quality. It is a melting pot of 3rd world miscreants and ghetto thugs. It is void of culture. If you live down there you do it at your own risk and at your own peril. If you go down there after dark there is seriously something wrong with you. Disney does everything in its power to shield visitors of Disney from its northern blight. That doesn’t change reality. Disney may be the happiest place on Earth but Orlando is a national embarrassment. If this is an act of a domestic terrorist it is so very important that we don’t publish the religion, name, or motive of the terrorist as not to offend anyone.
Later he added that "All Orlando nightclubs should be permanently closed. With or without random gunmen they are zoos; utter cesspools of debauchery." He would be a dream candidate for Murphy of course. Every Democrat wishes they draw a crackpot like Lewis as an opponent. He'll have to get through what looks like a fierce Republican primary first.
The 2018 7th Congressional District race will be one of the more high profile contests of the election cycle in Central Florida. The GOP will try to regain the Seminole-Orange County seat from Stephanie Murphy, who defeated longtime incumbent John Mica last month.The primary is expected to be brutal with no less than eight current or former lawmakers considering a run.Lewis believes he can raise money but also says his unconventional campaign strategy that hasn’t been seen in a local race in this area will work in his favor. He’s also not phased by the amount of talent considering the contest because he refuses to be outworked by anyone.However it’s running to represent all of the people and not just the special interests, is where he believes the direction will be set on the path to victory.“When you represent all of the people other than just special interests, your base of donors is infinitesimally higher.” Lewis says “People know I will speak the truth opposed to the typical “political speak”. Many people have the utmost disdain for the PC police but are paralyzed to speak out. I will be their champion instantly.”
Another right-wing opportunist sniffing around the congressional district is tow truck operator and state Rep. Bob Cortes, best known as the guy who campaigned on lowering taxes in a City Commission race and then, once in office, raising property taxes. Recently he's also become infamous for accepting bribes from fracking lobbyists and then voting to frack up Florida. He's been already making the kinds of noises barnyard Republicans make when they decide it's time to challenge a Democratic incumbent.
State Representative Bob Cortes is calling on newly elected Congresswoman-elect, Stephanie Murphy to oppose House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s legislative agenda when she takes office in January. The statement was released by Cortes shortly after Pelosi was re-elected to the position by her slimmest margin to date.“I congratulate Congresswoman-elect Stephanie Murphy on her recent victory, but if she joins the majority of her caucus in support of Leader Pelosi, that is a vote against the best interests of her Central Florida constituents.” said Cortes “Pelosi has led the charge on Obamacare, Dodd-Frank, more government spending, higher taxes, and open borders. These are the failed policies rejected by the voters of Florida and the United States in this last election.”...“All Central Floridians deserve better, and we will be watching to see whether Congresswoman-elect Murphy votes to continue Pelosi’s status quo or works to enact policies that will truly rise above partisan bickering and make life better for the hardworking men and women she represents.” added Cortes in conclusion.
The two other Republicans in the picture up top are notoriously drunken real estate agent, computer hacker and state Rep. Lee Constantine and his old enemy state Sen. David Simmons, something of a moderate for a Republican who will be savagely attacked by Lewis in the primary for not being anti-immigrant enough. Numerous staffers who have worked for Constantine have described his office as a hellish hostile work environment. The local ABC-TV affiliate reported that his own staffers termed him "Soul-crushing, demeaning, unfair, inconsistent and rude."Meawhile, keep in mind that the DCCC spent $3,532,937 to get Murphy elected and Pelosi's House Majority PAC kicked in another $1,075,445. They're likely to kick in even more in 2018 to defend her after she de-motivates Democratic base voters since she will certainly vote with the GOP in the absurd hope of attracting Republican voters. It's the same old song and dance that Rahm Emanuel institutionalized at the DCCC and has caused them to lose 70 seats since and kept them in the minority.