primaries

Millions of Democrats are eligible to go to the polls tomorrow and put their collective foot down and stop the rise of the Republican wing of the Democratic Party. There are primaries in New Jersey, Iowa, Montana, and California where the two wings are in deadly conflict. In most cases, most Democrats aren't even bothering to learn the issues or understand that the primary tomorrow is as important-- or in many cases-- more important than the November election. Far more Democrats will not vote tomorrow than will vote.

Sunday morning we asked what it's like to be a Blue Dog in America today. And the picture that emerged was far from pretty. When looking at the natural progression from Blue Dog-- the Republican wing of the Democratic Party-- to plain old Republican, we focused on the freak from Kansas who led the anti-gay and anti-Choice forces of hatred and bigotry in her badly afflicted state, Janice Pauls, finally finding her natural home in the GOP.

L.A.'s dirtiest politician, Wendy Greuel, learned her political skills while she was still openly admitting she was a Republican. Vicious, negative campaigning is all she's ever knownA week from today there are important primaries in Iowa-- where progressive champion Pat Murphy is leading comfortably in his crowded House race-- in New Jersey and in California (as well as in some other states without significant Democratic contests).

Speaker Boehner beats French teacher WintereggLast night there were primaries in Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina. Unless you're related to one of the candidates, there was nothing to write home about in Indiana but there was a lot of action in Ohio and North Carolina. Well, a lot in North Carolina and a bit in Ohio.

This morning Shira Center, Abby Livingston and Emily Cahn, writing for Roll Call, released a list of the 10 most vulnerable members of 2014. 5 of their vulnerable incumbents are facing bitter primaries and 5 have tight general election races to contend with.

This morning, Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders endorsed a Democrat running for a House seat in Pennsylvania. Senators don't often endorse in House races and almost never endorse in primaries in other states.

You may have learned this month, as I did, that Surveillance State shill "Dutch" Ruppersberger of Maryland has an energetic young primary opponent, Paul Rundquist. MD-02, most of which is part of Baltimore County (with pieces of Anne Arundel, Howard and Hartford), is solidly blue, with a PVI of D+10.

Remember reading how CPAC had once snubbed Chris Christie and had welcomed him as some kind of conservative hero this year? Well, maybe John Boehner will be caught up in a big scandal one day that will make him a hero too, but he-- unlike Mitch McConnell-- was snubbed by CPAC this year.

Republicans know they will never win the CA-17 congressional seat. It's way too educated, way too blue for them, D+20. So wealthy GOP plutocrats are bankrolling a sleazy, conservative fake Democrat, Ro Khanna to run against beloved progressive icon Mike Honda. It won't work any more than Khanna's past ridiculous races against Democrats Tom Lantos and Pete Stark.

Sunday, as part of an introduction to Blue America's latest endorsed candidate, George Gollin in central Illinois, we mentioned in passing that the mediocre Republican incumbent, careerist Rodney Davis, has a primary to worry about next month.