2016 congressional races

Blue America is really happy to see tremendous progress from two smart, committed progressives running against two of the worst of the extreme right Republicans in Congress, Darrell Issa and Cresent Hardy. The video up top is the just-released ad from Doug Applegate, a former Marine Colonel who found out yesterday that a third-party poll places him ahead of Trump by 4 points-- 46-42% in a swing district that encompasses southern Orange County and northern San Diego county.Issa, a former car thief, who sold a line of devices to thwart car hijackers, is the wealthiest member of Congress.

Pick yer poisonLast night we talked about how Republicans are already looking at ways to reconstitute their party after Trump is crushed in November. That, however, is certainly easier said than done.

UPDATE: Ryan Just Uninvited TrumpMinutes ago, Paul Ryan announced that Trump won't be at the Walworth County Fairgrounds with him and the rest of the Wisconsin GOP tomorrow.

As we've explained before, political science professor Mary Ellen Balchunis is just too progressive for Steve Israel (Blue Dog-NY), Denny Heck (New Dem-WA), Cheri Bustos (Blue Dog-IL), Ben Ray Lujan (DCCC chair) and crazy old lady Nancy Pelosi who used to be from San Francisco and now represents some alternative universe.

Earlier today, we took a quick look at why Hillary isn't doing better in Florida. Last week, it was Ohio.

New Hampshire is, in a partisan sense, one of those 50-50 states. It swings, sometimes madly, between Democrats and Republicans. Bill Clinton started a presidential winning streak in 1992-- interrupted for one election, in 2000, in favor of George W. Bush who beat Gore by a mere 7,211 votes (which gave America Bush-Cheney). Right now the state has a Democratic governor and a state legislature controlled by the GOP. There are 238 Republicans and 160 Democrats in the state House and 14 Republicans and 10 Dems in the state Senate. There's one U.S.

Records are important. Political figures like Bernie have spent decades building-- what amounts to-- platforms to run on. When Blue America first started urging people to contribute to Bernie, he was a member of the House, a member of the House who had started and led to Congressional Progressive Caucus and who had been working diligently to push a progressive perspective on issues from economic inequality, criminal justice reform and money in politics to issues around war and peace and equal justice for minorities. These are the things that motivated Bernie's public life.

The results of last Monday's debate between Trump and Clinton show something different than just why conservatives don't like debates.

Ohio has been the ultimate swing state. The state went narrowly for Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996, narrowly for George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 and narrowly for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Statewide, Democrats usually have a good shot to win-- unless they recruit, as they did this cycle, incompetent and unelectable candidates (see sad-sack establishment loser Ted Strickland).

DuWayne Gregory and Carol Shea-Porter, 2 opportunities to upgrade CongressOctober 1-- the first day in the final sprint to election day. I've been getting a lot of e-mails and calls from Blue America contributors asking where to focus their money. Like this one from Jennifer on Rosevale Avenue near Ronkonkoma Beach on Long Island.