2016 congressional races

State Senator Mike Noland, progressive DemocratNow that Tom Cullerton has dropped out of the race to replace Tammy Duckworth as Representative from Illinois's 8th Congressional District-- Chicago's northwest suburbs, Elgin and Schaumburg-- there is a clear two-man choice.

Eric Kingson and his grandson, SammyNY-24, the congressional district centered on Syracuse, is the bluest district (D+5) in the entire country represented by a Republican-- thanks in no small part to the deranged insistence from the DCCC that only conservative DINOs should run there.

Steve Israel (r) was recently found to be the least effective Member of Congress from NY-- but he's very effective in foiling  Democratic hopes to take back CongressObama won Iowa's 3rd Congressional District both times. He beat McCain 52-46% and 4 years later beat Romney 51-47%.

Nevada's 4th Congressional District is another blue district that fell into Republican hands in 2014 because of sheer DCCC incompetence. Although the gigantic district covers about half the state, almost the whole population lives in North Las Vegas in an area bounded by the 15 and 95 freeways and Highway 215.

Blue America’s last endorsement of the 2014 cycle was Jason Ritchie, the candidate running for the Blue-leaning Washington State seat currently held by conservative Republican Dave Reichert, in a district that stretches from the suburbs south and east of Seattle all the way out to Wenatchee and Ellensburg. At the time, Ritchie vowed he word make a concerted effort to win the seat over at least two cycles.

Today Blue America is endorsing progressive Democrat Bao Nguyen for the Orange County congressional seat being abandoned by Blue Dog Loretta Sanchez as she runs for the U.S. Senate. CA-46, once a deep red GOP hellhole represented by right-wing sociopath Bob Dornan, has changed drastically over the last couple of decades. The PVI is now D+9, and Obama beat McCain 59-39% and Romney 61-36%.

Maryand's 4th Congressional District is as blue as they come. The PVI is D+26 and Obama beat McCain 77-22% and four years later beat Romney 78-21%. The current congresswoman, Donna Edwards, has one of the best records on Capitol Hill and last year the district's voters gave her 70% of the vote. She won 77% of the vote in the last presidential year, beating out the other 7 Maryland incumbents. But with Donna running for the U.S.

Although the PVI of IL-12 is even, Obama won this district in the southwest corner of Illinois (across the Mississippi from St. Louis) twice-- 55-44% against McCain and 50-48% against Romney. When longtime conservaDem Jerry Costello finally retired in 2012, Obama's draw at the polls helped another DINO type, Bill Enyart, hold the seat for the Democrats.

Chris Christie might want to punch former school teacher Paula Hawks in the mouth, but the 2-term progressive state rep has a better chance of being elected to Congress than he has of getting into the White House. I asked some of my friends how progressive she is and they were all pretty positive. "If," one told me, "Stephanie [Herseth-Sandlin, Blue Dog, DINO and the last Democrat to hold the seat] is a 3 on a 1-10 progressive scale, I'd have to say Paula is a 7+.""If I'm elected to the United States House of Representatives," she explained in her announcement video (above),

More than a few highly qualified progressives told me they would never-- or, in many cases, never again-- waste their time and resources running for Congress with Blue Dog Steve Israel anywhere near the DCCC. Technically, Nancy Pelosi replaced him with New Mexico novice Ben Ray Luján, although many observers see Luján as little more than a figurehead, with Israel still calling entirely too many shots, especially in regard to recruitment.