Republican wing of the Democratic Party

When it comes to the mishmash of groups that make up the Democratic Party coalition, what's called "women's groups" tend to be one of the most salient-- and for good reason: conservatives tend to target women with particular vehemence, almost as much as racial minorities.

It's worth reading Sunday's Salon post by Sean McElwee, Jesse Rhodes (the singer-songwriter?) and Brain Schaffner about the pernicious impact big Republican donors-- like Sheldon Adelson, Robert Mercer, Ken Griffin, Liz Uihlein, Paul Singer, Joe Ricketts, Ron Cameron, Diane He

Assemblyman Jimmy GomezYesterday, Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, who represents a huge swath of hipster and Hispanic Los Angeles (Silverlake, Echo Park, Boyle Heights, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Montecito Heights, Cypress Park, Chinatown, East L.A.) yielded to an animated draft movement by progressives in his district to run for the congressional seat Xavier Becerra is giving up to become California Attorney General.

Painting by Attila Richard LukacsImagine you're a professional politician who's been striving for decades to get to the top of the heap. And then imagine that the Senate is the top of the heap. Say... nominal Democrat-- he's a Blue Dog-- Joe Donnelly, an unlikely freshman senator from Indiana, who should never have gotten into the Senate in the first place.

The New Dems-- even worse than the old DemsMost leadership battles are playing out in Congress outside of the purview of regular Americans. A couple weeks ago, we mentioned that the Republican wing of the Democratic Party-- the New Dems-- was in the process of electing new officers.

Between 1869 and 1970, Tennessee only elected one Republican to the U.S. Senate. That Democratic dominance was flipped on it's head in more recent decades. The last Democrat elected to represent Tennessee in the Senate was Al Gore (1990). Today, every statewide official in Tennessee is a Republican, from the governor on down. The state House has 73 Republicans and 26 Democrats and the state Senate has 28 Republicans and just 5 Democrats.

Tulsi-- always palin' around with fascistsCollin Peterson, a Minnesota Blue Dog, is, arguably, the most reactionary Democrat in Congress. ProgressivePunch rates him an "F" and his lifetime crucial vote score is a mind-boggling 39.81. It's been even worse lately-- 35.95 in the current session, the 4th worst of any Democrat in the House.

Wall Street Joe Crowley-- the establishment Dems want to elevate him nowDemocrats aren't going to win back the House in 2018 by spending all their energy whining about Trump's over-the-cliff appointees-- no matter how bizarre Steve Bannon is-- and the growing influence of other far right fringe players, like Ted Cruz adviser, psychotic Islam

This morning weather is conducive to voting... just about everywhere except Ohio. And there was a big earthquake in Fracklahoma that may keep people in Pawnee and Payne counties, near Tulsa, from voting. (In 2012 Romney won both-- Pawnee with 70% and Payne with 64%-- but Trump will win Fracklahoma by a wide margin. It's his kind of state.)If you're a regular reader of this blog-- or even an occasional reader-- you know this is Bernie Sanders territory.

Tomorrow's the big day here in California. Let me remind you, that all of our endorsements for the 17 statewide propositions are here. There are no Republicans worth voting for anywhere in the state-- not for any office. In the U.S.