On Monday, Georgia progressive Michael Owens penned a post for Daily Kos on a topic that should be familiar to all DWT readers by now-- DCCC Incumbent Protection Policy Threatens a Progressive Congressional Race in Georgia. The DCCC policy of stifling primaries isn't new, but under Cheri Bustos they're pursuing it openly-- and with a vengeance.
Two-headed dog, two-headed dog, I've been working in the Kremlin with a two-headed dogGood essay this week by Sean McElwee and Tory Gavito for GQ-- The Democratic Party Is Waging a War Against Its Very Own Base.
Not likely to vote Republican this cycleI don't usually turn to Charlie Cook for words of wisdom, but after the sheer nonsense I read the other day from Jeremy Peters at the New York Times-- Republicans’ Messaging on Abortion Puts Democrats on the Defensive, any palliative will do.
Yesterday the big news was that Alabama Republicans had passed a total, punitive-- and unconstitutional-- ban on all abortions in their state. The worst DCCC chair ever, the odious Blue Dog from northwest Illinois, Cheri Bustos, thought that would be a good day to announce that she's hosting a fundraiser for Congress' most anti-Choice Democrat, fellow Blue Dog, Dan Lipinski. That's the invitation above.
Trump is so disgusting. Reich is so right about him-- and his enablers in Congress. It seems impossible the Democratic Party could lose against them even if they try. How about if they try really, really hard? Ah... so we're talking about the DCCC. Did you see that piece by Elaine Godfrey in The Atlantic on Monday: The Democratic Party Just Ticked Off Its Youngest Organizers? Pelosi really should get rid of Bustos before it's too late.
I'm not sure how much of this is bravado, but almost all the progressives challenging reactionary Democratic incumbents for congressional seats this cycle, have been telling me Bustos' new DCCC anti-primary policy has actually been helping them! One told me that dislike for the policy and for the DCCC in general has sparked grassroots fundraising. Yesterday I had a long talk with Georgia progressive, Michael Owens, who is announcing his primary against corrupt Blue Dog David Scott in the morning.
When Ben Ray was chair of the DCCC last year...When Tom Udall announced he wouldn't run for another 6 year Senate term in 2020, DC swamp monster, Ben Ray Luján, immediately announced his availability. Like his old pal, Joe Crowley, Luján is quite popular in DC and if it was only lobbyists and consultants and the Washingtonian elite voting, he would win.
