Let's replace Trump & Ryan-- but not by empowering garbage like Steny HoyerAs the leader of the House Dems, Pelosi didn't really have much of a choice-- unless she wanted to cause a rift in the Democratic House caucus-- but to publicly back Lipinski... and she did. I remember a similar race in Maryland where a progressive reformer, Donna Edwards, was challenging an extremely corrupt conservative incumbent, Al Wynn. Hoyer was all in for Wynn and Pelosi knew how to play the game and backed him as well. When Donna kicked his ass an became a congresswoman, Pelosi bent over backwards to bring Donna into leadership and make it clear she was happy Donna was in Congress. (Needless to say, Wynn immediately took a big-paying job on K Street, selling access to his old colleagues on an hourly basis, as whores tend to do.)Laura Barrón-López had an interesting perspective at the Washington Examiner yesterday: A Dan Lipinski defeat could spur future primary challenges. Yes! Perhaps nothing something Pelosi-- or most incumbents-- would appreciate, but something really and truly needed by the increasingly pathetic, increasingly geriatric party she heads. "If Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) is beaten by his progressive opponent in next month’s primary," wrote Barrón-López, "liberals are hoping it sends a signal to other potential candidates that they can take on an incumbent from the left and win." This liberal sure is!
A number of Democratic lawmakers have attracted challenges from the left but few are as endangered as Lipinski, and he’s receiving no help from the party apparatus.With influential progressive groups in her corner, businesswoman and nonprofit executive Marie Newman is closing in on the seven-term congressman.It's three weeks out from the March 20 primary and Lipinski is in the fight of his career. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has held back on endorsing him despite promises, reported by Politico, that it would do so. Members of the Blue Dog Coalition, which Lipinski co-chairs, have bristled at the snub by DCCC and are stunned by their Democratic colleagues fundraising for his opponent.Progressives see Newman’s bid as a test. Does the Democratic Party believe a woman’s right to an abortion is a core principle-- Lipinski opposes legal abortion-- and can a progressive oust an incumbent Democratic congressman?Those rallying behind Newman, argue that Lipinski doesn’t represent the district’s views on a variety of policy issues. In his time representing the solidly blue district, Lipinski has voted against LGBT rights, abortion rights, the Dream Act, and the Affordable Care Act.“It’s not just Dan Lipinski, but there are Democrats in blue districts across the country that do not represent the policies of voters in those district, whether it’s about holding Wall Street accountable or whether it’s about Medicare for all,” said Waleed Shahid, spokesman for Justice Democrats. “This is really going to send a message to those Democrats that they should be held accountable and watch their back.”Shahid criticized Democratic campaign arms for trying to clamp down on grassroots candidates, making it harder for them to secure resources and access. But so far, few challenges from the left against sitting Democratic lawmakers have gained steam.If Newman wins, Shahid predicted, that could change, especially in future cycles.“Marie Newman and the organizations that have endorsed her have shown tremendous courage to stand up to that [Democratic] machine,” Shahid said. “If Marie Newman wins it will send a big shock wave and there will be more of this stuff happening.”For freshman Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who endorsed Newman, the race captures the split among Democrats on the issue of abortion rights in particular. As party leaders welcome Democratic candidates who oppose abortion rights, arguing that to win back majorities they have to have a big tent, progressives and powerful reproductive rights groups have grown in number.Khanna equated Lipinski’s anti-abortion stance to someone who might support racial segregation. “I don’t think we can support someone who does not believe in the legal right to reproductive choice,” Khanna told the Washington Examiner.Khanna said he respects members' personal faith and views on abortion but that the party shouldn’t tolerate those who vote against abortion rights.“It’s too important an issue to consider the electoral politics,” Khanna said. “Would we put up a candidate in a swing district who believed in the Muslim ban, and say, ‘Well, that’s just the politics of the region?’ Absolutely not.”“This is a question of what does the party stand for? Do we believe that a women’s right to choose is a fundamental human right that should be a core principle of this party?” Khanna continued. “I believe it should.”Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois said the contrast between Newman and Lipinski compelled her to get involved.“I’ve never endorsed against a member of Congress, an incumbent, before,” Schakowsky said. But Newman’s pro-abortion rights, pro-LGBT, and progressive platform attracted the Illinois Democrat.Schakowsky, a member of DCCC leadership, said she never would have endorsed Newman if it threatened Democrats’ hold on the district.But a number of Democrats are frustrated by the party’s handling of the race. The DCCC’s decision to remain out of the race and not endorse Lipinski baffled not just official Blue Dog members, but moderates in caucus.“Not getting involved is getting involved,” said Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH). "I hope we’re not going down the road of purity tests.”“DCCC should be protecting its incumbents,” said Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA).Lipinski didn’t want to comment on the DCCC’s reticence to support him, instead saying his constituents are “very, very happy that I’m not a rubber stamp.”The Chicago Democrat brushed off questions about Newman’s attacks on his voting record, saying he’s confident about his re-election. Lipinski pointed to his poll numbers, which internally put him ahead of Newman by 30 points.
For a little background... Tim Ryan and Scott Peters are both conservative Democrats. Ryan spent his whole political career opposing Choice, mostly because he didn't have the guts to say he was pro-choice. Peters, one of the richest men in the House, spent his helping the Republicans increase economic inequality. Using the phrase "purity tests" means only one thing: making the Democratic Party stand for nothing at all, just a machine to enhance the career goals of politicians regardless if, like Lipinski, they oppose everything that draws anyone to the party. These arrogant politicians think people flock to them because of their charm and that shared values mean nothing. That's their own vanity and it's bullshit. The Democratic Party, at least on a grassroots level, does mean something and politicians like Lipinski, Ryan and Peters would very much rather it didn't. Yesterday, writing for the Texas Tribune about the hard-fought primary in TX-21, Patrick Svitek, reported that the contest between the progressive, Derrick Crowe and the so-called "ex"-Republican, an establishment conservative shithead, Joseph Kopser, "has put on display a growing debate over whether the party should court disaffected Republicans this year, focus on getting their revved-up base to the polls or do some of both." Crowe put his finger right on the problem Texas Democrats have had in recent years as the party nominated one conservative asswipe after the other and then scratched their heads about why they always lose. "We have a turnout problem, and you don’t solve a turnout problem by trying to signal you’re a centrist, said Crowe, a climate activist and former congressional staffer. "You solve a turnout problem by giving people something to believe in."And speaking of asswipes, the crook who ripped off Howard Dean and now systemically rips off every Democrat he can get his hands on, the infamous Joe Trippi, is running Kopser's sleazy campaign. "You’ve got to be able to win enough Republicans in a district like this," Trippi said," seemingly forgetting the Democrats win by turning out Democrats and persuading independents, not be converting Republicans (who have their own candidates). "Yeah, it might feel good to nominate somebody who can’t get Republicans to vote for him, but that’s all-- it’s going to feel good, but that’s about it." I don't know if Trippi gets extra pay by the word or not but he sure knows how to lather on the bullshit."National Democrats," wrote Svitek of the corrupt conservatives who run the DCCC and who have lost dozens and dozens of seats since they took over, "saw Kopser as fitting the mold for the kind of candidate they believe can win traditionally GOP districts in 2018." Sure they do, they look at him and it's like looking in the mirror-- and imagining they can win. Corrupt conservatives love Republicans and passionately hate progressives. They would always prefer to lose with one of their own and see a Republican win a seat than see a progressive win, more of a direct threat to their own corruption and "power." Needless to say Kosper was endorsed by one of the most personally corrupt men in Congress, K Street owned slimebag Steny Hoyer. An e-mail from Derrick Crowe to his supporters today, further puts the lie to Kopser's and Trippi's call to "win" by abandoning progressive values. The primary is in 4 days, Tuesday, and early voting has been going on all week. "This primary election is blowing people's minds. Just a few weeks ago, political observers were dismissing the idea that the blue wave could happen here, saying Texas was 'blood red' and that 'the state is not gonna turn blue in 2018.' But after almost two weeks of early voting, Democratic turnout is 90 PERCENT higher than the last mid-term election in the counties for which data is available. In fact, more Democrats have voted early than Republicans... If we do this right, we can move into the general election with a Democratic ticket focused on building a country that works for everyone, not just corporations and the rich. But everything comes down to the next few days." See that thermometer above? Please help progressive candidates like Derrick, Jason Westin, Hector Morales, Rick Treviño, Dayna Steele and Lillian Salerno by clicking on it and contributing what you can.Elliott McFadden, former head of the Travis County Democratic Party and also a candidate, knows just what a bucket of slops Hoyer is. He told the Tribune that "Washington Democrats are trying to pick our candidate for us. And the candidate they’re pushing turns out to be a former Republican, now a corporate friendly executive who sits on the board of the most powerful conservative business group in Texas. What a choice!"
