Democrats trying to unseat each other II

[lpetrich]

If you want to see what a displeased party leadership can do, look at what happened to Liz Cheney.

The leadership might also support primary challenges to Squad members. They refused to do so back in 2020, and they are apparently not doing so this year, but they might, if they get displeased enough.

As to the Justice Democrats dropping Nina Turner this time, I've seen in some biographies of AOC that JD did much the same thing with most of its slate to focus on AOC -- that it was either one candidate winning or none. The original BNC/JD conception was to run a candidate in every open Congressional race, for all 435 House seats and 33 or 34 of Senate seats.

Shontel Brown vs. Nina Turner both times:

• 2021: 50.1% - 44.6%
• 2022: 63.4% - 33.6%

Priorities | Shontel Brown For Congress - she claims to support much of Nina Turner's platform. She talks the talk, but will she walk the walk? Especially when doing so might displease her big-money donors.

I'm seeing the same sort of thing in OR-04 -- Val Hoyle is claiming to support much of Doyle Canning's platform.

 

[lpetrich]

Rep. Cuellar attacked on his anti-abortion stance by opponent Jessica Cisneros in Texas Democratic runoff - "Cisneros' attack is the latest example of how a leaked draft opinion of the Supreme Court's pending abortion ruling could shake up the midterm elections."

"As the Supreme Court prepares to overturn Roe v. Wade, I am calling on Democratic Party leadership to withdraw their support of Henry Cuellar who is the last anti-choice Democrat in the House," Cisneros said in a statement Wednesday morning.

Cisneros, 28, added that "with the House majority on the line, he could very much be the deciding vote on the future of our reproductive rights and we cannot afford to take that risk."

Asked about her request of her party leaders, Cisneros said, "The reality is I would be a better working partner for Democratic leadership to be able to deliver on these Democratic priorities and proposals that Democrats ran on in the last election cycle."

Nancy Pelosi Is Trying to Save an Anti-Choice Democrat as Roe v. Wade Falls

“It’s called conscience: I am a Catholic, and I do believe in right to life, and it’s just a conscience,” Cuellar told reporters in October. “Sometimes people vote because of [politics], they think just because [it’s a] Democratic or Republican issue, for me it’s just a matter of conscience.”

Cuellar has been endorsed by top House Democrats including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, as well as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, whose campaign arm funded attacks on Cisneros in 2020. Pelosi’s political action committee gave Cuellar $4,000 in December, according to FEC records,

Cisneros, on the other hand, is vehemently pro-choice, and has been endorsed by reproductive rights advocacy groups such as NARAL and EMILY’s List, as well as progressive politicians such as Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Texas’ abortion law spurs U.S. House to pass reproductive rights bill | The Texas Tribune

“Once again, Henry Cuellar has refused to stand up for South Texans’ reproductive freedom and the constitutional right to abortion care,” Cisneros said in a statement to the Texas Tribune. “Even after our state’s Republican leaders just passed the country’s most extreme ban—ending almost all abortion access in Texas with no exceptions after 6 weeks—our Congressman refuses to defend us and our reproductive rights.”

Henry Cuellar on Twitter: "THIS JUST IN: We’re getting out the vote with @ClyburnSC06 🗳
San Antonio- mark Wednesday, May 4th on your calendars to join me and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn! #TX28 #GOTV #SanAntonio
RSVP: (link)
Donate: (links)" / Twitter

Why Aren’t Democrats Supporting This Pro-Choice Candidate in Texas?

Cisneros, who finished roughly 1,000 votes behind Cuellar in the primary out of nearly 50,000 cast, told VICE News that it’s been “frustrating” seeing the Democratic leadership stand behind Cuellar—even as he’s opposed Democratic agenda items such as the bill to make Roe’s protections a federal law, as well as the PRO Act, a monumental package of labor law reforms to empower workers.

However, Elizabeth Warren on Twitter: "I'm supporting @JCisnerosTX in her primary against the last House Democrat who opposes abortion rights. The election is three weeks from today. Join me at her fundraiser tonight—this is something we can do right now to fight for abortion rights: (link)" / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

I've seen the theory that Rep. James Clyburn is supporting Rep. Henry Cuellar because the two are on the take from the same big-business lobbies.

EMILY's List poll: Progressive candidate opens big lead in Pennsylvania House primary - POLITICO for PA-12, in the Pittsburgh area

"First elected to the state House in 2018, state Rep. Summer Lee is a lawyer who supports a $15 minimum wage, the Green New Deal and Medicare for All."

The poll: pa-12-poll.pdf

Lee, who received 38 percent of the vote in the late March poll, has two chief opponents in the May 17 primary, lawyer Steve Irwin and law professor Jerry Dickinson. They received 13 percent and 7 percent, respectively. Some 40 percent were undecided.

The Corporate Lawyer Running for Congress in Pennsylvania | The Nation

Steve Irwin, a Pittsburgh attorney and the establishment favorite in a high-profile Democratic primary in Pennsylvania, has spent much of his career defending corporations and their interests in court. For a decade, he led the Labor and Employment division of Leech Tishman, a law firm that provides union-busting services and describes itself as being “predominantly management-side.” Before joining Leech Tishman, filings show, Irwin defended corporations against wage and discrimination complaints, and represented companies against Disability Act lawsuits.

Irwin is currently running for the House seat being vacated by longtime Representative Mike Doyle in Pennsylvania’s newly drawn 12th Congressional District, where he faces a crowded primary field. Summer Lee, a democratic socialist who won a state House seat in 2018, is the other top contender in the race, and represents one of the progressive wing of the party’s best pickup opportunities heading into the 2022 midterm elections. She’s running on a platform that includes Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and support for the PRO Act, Democrats’ sweeping labor reform legislation, which would bolster organized labor nationwide. The district, which includes Pittsburgh and some southern and eastern suburbs, is solidly blue.

Irwin has won endorsements from top Democrats in the area, including from the congressman he hopes to succeed.

His support includes some labor unions(!)

Summer Lee also has plenty of support, from the likes of Bernie Sanders and the Justice Democrats.

Irwin’s campaign has responded by touting his labor endorsements, describing the candidate as “a lifelong progressive.”

 

[lpetrich]

Pro-Israel group attacks Lee as bad Democrat without mentioning Israel, or its own support for GOP | 90.5 WESA

The ad, which started hitting local airwaves last week, accuses Lee of saying “she wanted to dismantle the Democratic Party. … And she’s done everything in her power to do just that.” It faults her for criticizing Biden and accuses her of “refus[ing] to support Biden’s infrastructure plan" in a February City Paper interview.

Lee and her supporters reject those claims — while raising questions about the interests of those who paid for it.

The sponsor of that ad, United Democracy Project, states that its goal is to “help elect candidates that … will be strong supporters of the U.S.-Israel relationship. UDP, in turn, is sponsored by the America-Israel Political Action Committee, a PAC that gives to politicians from Hakeem Jeffries D-NY to Jim Jordan R-OH.

“When you can hide behind a made-up organization, when you get to flood money into elections, you can play both sides,” Lee said.

She calls the spot “disingenuous in every way.” While her political career has been built around challenging the power structure on behalf of marginalized communities, she said the spot wrenches those efforts out of context. Her Biden remarks, for example, were made during a hotly contested primary during which many Democrats locally and nationwide had other favorites but rallied behind Biden once he became the nominee.

The ad is falsely "trying to convey that I did this during the general election,” Lee said.

In any case, she added, “Are we saying constructive criticism is bad? That marginalized people shouldn't criticize the party on the ways in which it should do better?”

Gainey, other Dems call out attack ads against Summer Lee in 12th District race | TribLIVE.com

This month, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, state House Minority Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, and a group of Allegheny County progressive Democrats sent a letter to the Irwin campaign condemning the attack ads, which they said are spreading misinformation about Lee. The letter calls on Irwin’s campaign to join them in criticizing the ads — which portray Lee as a phony Democrat who does not support President Biden.

“As Democrats from across the commonwealth, we find it shameful that you would team up with a corporate super PAC that has endorsed over 100+ pro-insurrectionist Republicans to attack and smear our Democratic colleague, state Rep. Summer Lee, as not a Democrat,” reads the letter, which also is signed by state Reps. Sara Innamorato and Jessica Benham, Allegheny County Council members Bethany Hallam and Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, as well as Pittsburgh City Council member Deb Gross. All are allies of Lee.

The Squad could grow stronger even if Dems lose big in midterms
Greg Casar TX, Jessica Cisneros TX, Summer Lee PA, Erica Smith NC, Becca Balint VT, Amy Vilela NV, according to "multiple progressive strategists".

"In 10 years, a lot more of Congress is going to look like the Squad," Karthik Ganapathy of Left Flank Strategies, a political consultancy supporting left-wing candidates, told Axios. "This is where our politics is headed. Not just as Democrats — as a country."

...
"The progressive values we’ve been building our campaign around have attracted leaders in this space," Lee, the Pennsylvania candidate, told Axios.

 

[lpetrich]

"Bush and Bowman both face credible primary challengers, though Bowman has more than doubled his challenger's fundraising."

Steve Roberts challenges incumbent Cori Bush for Congress | STLPR

He added: “She made a comment that she wanted to defund the Pentagon. The NGA (National Geospatial Intelligence Agency) is a multimillion-dollar project that's in my Senate seat, in the 1st Congressional [District], those folks don't have a voice.”

But a CB staffer responded

“Their Congresswoman who loves them and delivered hundreds of millions of dollars to St. Louis, and a host of ego-driven men who seem to think all that Black women leaders do is never good enough,” the written statement said.

The prospects for the candidates:
Manion says Roberts is fashioning himself as a more moderate candidate.

“He's going to be looking for maybe an older voter, a more traditional voter, but I think he's going to have to figure out how to get the enthusiasm to have them turn out in a Democratic primary,” she said.

Manion still believes Bush has the advantage in the primary.

“I think she has a lot of enthusiasm in her base. And that'll be really difficult for Senator Roberts to overcome, particularly in a Democratic primary,” Manion said.
[/quote]
He has a scandal.

Before his term in the House, Roberts was accused by fellow freshman lawmaker Cora Faith Walker, who died this month, of drugging and sexually assaulting her. Prosecutors did not press charges against Roberts, and both Walker and Roberts dropped their lawsuits against each other.

Manion says Walker’s recent death has brought more attention to the allegations.

“I think that makes it a more of an uphill battle for him. And particularly when we know that Black women are the core of the Democratic Party in St. Louis and elsewhere. And in a primary election, it's about energy and turnout,” Manion said.

The statement from Bush’s office mentioned Roberts’ assault allegations, saying, “Such men do not belong in public service, much less representing the incredible people of St. Louis in Congress.”

Republican Andrew Jones launches run for congressional seat held by Rep. Cori Bush of St. Louis | Politics | stltoday.com

 

[lpetrich]

Democrats’ Tough Choice in Missouri 1 - The Bulwark - "Re-elect Squad member Cori Bush despite her far-out views? Or vote for her challenger despite his baggage?"

Pro-Israel groups wade into Dem primary fights - about dueling pro-Israel PAC's, AIPAC and J Street.


I checked on Home | FEC - the Federal Election Commission - to see who is in each race for the Squad members.

AOC has raised over 10 times the money of her rivals combined, mostly Republicans. Rashida Tlaib has raised about 8 times as much, Ayanna Pressley an infinite amount more -- her challengers, two Republicans, are listed by the FEC as raising $0.00. Ilhan Omar has the strongest competition. Her biggest Republican challenger has raised almost as much as she has, and her biggest Democratic one less than 5 times as much. IO's biggest R challenger is a certain Cicely Davis, with Shukri Abdullahi Abdirahman far behind, at half as much as another Republican, and 1/12 as much as CD. Like IO, SAA is a Somali refugee.

Jamaal Bowman is mainly challenged by some Democrats, though they have raised only half as much money as he has, but Cori Bush, also mainly challenged by Democrats, 17 times as much,

 

[lpetrich]

Rep. Henry Cuellar Tried to Discredit a Staffer He Fired at 28 Weeks Pregnant - "Court documents show that the congressman himself requested staffers write letters about the woman’s job performance after he fired her."

In August 2018, Kristie Small was newly serving as the acting chief of staff for Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar, an anti-abortion Democrat, when she told him she was pregnant. Small requested maternity leave via email, and Cuellar responded that they would need to talk about the leave—and the 90-day probationary period for all new hires. It was the first time Small, who already had a young daughter, had ever heard about the policy, which wasn’t in the employee handbook. Cuellar never approved her parental leave and, on October 16, he fired her over the phone, citing poor job performance, while she was in her third trimester. About two weeks later, Small delivered her baby at 30 weeks pregnant. It was a stillbirth.

Small filed a lawsuit against Cuellar’s office in May 2019, alleging both sex and pregnancy discrimination under federal law and noting that she’d worked for another congressman for 13 years without any performance issues. Cuellar’s office tried to dismiss the lawsuit on summary judgment and submitted letters from Small’s colleagues about her job performance but, according to court documents reviewed by Jezebel, Cuellar himself requested staffers write these letters after he fired Small, and at least five were dated after Small filed her lawsuit.

Seems very vindictive. Stillbirth = born dead.

Meet the Press on Twitter: "ICYMI: @JCisnerosTX says her Democratic opponent, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), “could become the Joe Manchin of the House” due to anti-abortion stance.

“The last thing we want is to hold onto a slim Democratic majority and then have someone ... keep siding with Republicans.” (vid link)" / Twitter

 

[Elixir]

The last thing we want IS a Manchin. They should kick him out of the Party. He gives the GQP side the ability to tar The Democrats for not doing all those things he keeps them from getting done.

To those who say "it's better to have his vote on xyz" I ask what evidence there actually is, that his vote would be any different if he was kicked out of the Party?

The general public will be more responsive to the need to elect more Democrats when if they are not holding an ostensible "majority". Wariness of majorities seems to be a strong dynamic.

 

[lpetrich]

Rep. Henry Cuellar Tried to Discredit a Staffer He Fired at 28 Weeks Pregnant - "Court documents show that the congressman himself requested staffers write letters about the woman’s job performance after he fired her."

In August 2018, Kristie Small was newly serving as the acting chief of staff for Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar, an anti-abortion Democrat, when she told him she was pregnant. Small requested maternity leave via email, and Cuellar responded that they would need to talk about the leave—and the 90-day probationary period for all new hires. It was the first time Small, who already had a young daughter, had ever heard about the policy, which wasn’t in the employee handbook. Cuellar never approved her parental leave and, on October 16, he fired her over the phone, citing poor job performance, while she was in her third trimester. About two weeks later, Small delivered her baby at 30 weeks pregnant. It was a stillbirth.

Small filed a lawsuit against Cuellar’s office in May 2019, alleging both sex and pregnancy discrimination under federal law and noting that she’d worked for another congressman for 13 years without any performance issues. Cuellar’s office tried to dismiss the lawsuit on summary judgment and submitted letters from Small’s colleagues about her job performance but, according to court documents reviewed by Jezebel, Cuellar himself requested staffers write these letters after he fired Small, and at least five were dated after Small filed her lawsuit.

Seems very vindictive. Stillbirth = born dead.

Meet the Press on Twitter: "ICYMI: @JCisnerosTX says her Democratic opponent, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), “could become the Joe Manchin of the House” due to anti-abortion stance.

“The last thing we want is to hold onto a slim Democratic majority and then have someone ... keep siding with Republicans.” (vid link)" / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

Texas House race poses test for Democrats on abortion and climate politics - The Washington Post

As the battle over abortion puts more attention on the race, environmentalists hope to rally support for Cisneros, whom they view as a champion of bold climate action, and erode support for Cuellar, whom they have dubbed “Big Oil's favorite Democrat.”

Texas unions roast Henry Cuellar, stump for PRO Act at San Antonio rally - Texas Signal

Major Texas unions, labor and progressive groups gathered in San Antonio on Friday to make noise for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act and to deride its number one opponent in the U.S. House, Rep. Henry Cuellar.

“Let’s talk about why we’re here, Representative Henry Cuellar,” Geronimo Guerra, president of the Communication Workers of America Local 6143 told unions gathered outside the labor group’s headquarters. “[Cuellar] has spent time and time again in Congress voting against the interests of the working people. We are here today to remind you, when we said we wouldn’t forget the constant insults to working families in the district, we meant it.”

“The PRO Act is a once-a-generation piece of legislation that would transform the rules of the economy,” Guerra said.

Which makes one wonder why the party leadership loves someone who stabs their party's base in the back so much.

 

[lpetrich]

Guess who is endorsing Jessica Cisneros. Her former opponent Tannya Benavides:
Jessica Cisneros on Twitter: "Our coalition is getting bigger! Grateful to team up w/ @TannyaForTexas & have her support.

Tannya ran as a pro-choice progressive candidate to meet the challenges working folks face in #TX28. Over 50% voted for change in the primary, and I know we will defeat Cuellar on May 24. (pic link)" / Twitter

The primary election's vote:

• HC: 48.4%
• JC: 46.9%
• TB: 4.7%

Texas' 28th Congressional District - Ballotpedia

If JC can get TB's votes, that will be enough for her to win.

 

[lpetrich]

EMILY's List poll: Progressive candidate opens big lead in Pennsylvania House primary - POLITICO - Apr 4 (a month ago)
noting
pa-12-poll.pdf - "Summer Lee Holds Commanding Lead in PA-12 Primary"

A recent survey1 among likely Democratic primary voters in Pennsylvania’s 12th District finds State Representative Summer Lee with a 25-point lead over corporate lawyer Steve Irwin, 38-13 percent, with constitutional law professor Jerry Dickinson claiming 7 percent. Lee leads across nearly every major demographic, ideological and regional group of voters.

Importantly, balanced introductions of Lee, Irwin and Dickinson push Lee’s vote share to almost 50 percent; Lee either maintains or expands her lead with virtually every group of voters after hearing more information about her and her two chief opponents.

Ryan Grim on Twitter: "Six weeks ago, polling had Summer Lee up by 25 points with a big local approval rating. She was cruising toward becoming the first Black woman to ever rep western PA in Congress.
Then AIPAC stepped in. Now it’s a dead heat. (link)" / Twitter
The America-Israel Political Action Committee.

Eric J on Twitter: "@resplendentKid @ryangrim TV ads for Steve Irwin ran for three weeks last month while none ran for Summer Lee during that time." / Twitter
noting
Eric J on Twitter: "Please support progressive Summer Lee in #PA12.
Steve Irwin:
- Worked for a law firm as a union buster.
- Worked for Sen. Arlen Specter when he was a Republican.
- Donated to Sen. Pat Toomey (R).
- Opposed a bill for paid sick leave.
@SteveIrwinPA #SummerLee @SummerForPA" / Twitter

 

[Derec]

[never mind]

 

[lpetrich]

Summer Lee Faces AIPAC Spending Onslaught in Final Days

For Irwin, a former Republican U.S. Senate staffer, it would take something of a miracle to turn numbers like that around in the six weeks that remained. But ahead of Tuesday’s contest, Irwin’s backers have attempted to close the gap with something else: a tsunami of outside spending, funneled through two major pro-Israel organizations that have made it their mission to undermine progressive Democrats in contested primaries.

In less than a month, the United Democracy Project — the political action committee for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC — poured more than $1 million into ads in Pennsylvania’s 12th District. The bulk of the messaging attacked Lee, though just over $100,000 went to materials supporting Irwin. In total, United Democracy Project has spent more than $2.3 million on the race so far.

...
“When you look at who DMFI has spent money attacking,” says a new video released Monday by Organize for Justice, a sister organization of Justice Democrats, which recruited Lee to run, “they [also] just so happen to want to hold Israel, the biggest recipient of U.S. aid, accountable for how they spend billions of American tax dollars.”

Justice Democrats on Twitter: "WATCH: Why have Republican-funded groups like DMFI and AIPAC spent millions of dollars to try to beat progressives like @SummerForPA, @JCisnerosTX, @BernieSanders, @ninaturner, and @JamaalBowmanNY in primaries? (vid link)" / Twitter

“When you look at who DMFI has spent money attacking,” says a new video released Monday by Organize for Justice, a sister organization of Justice Democrats, which recruited Lee to run, “they [also] just so happen to want to hold Israel, the biggest recipient of U.S. aid, accountable for how they spend billions of American tax dollars.”

Summer Lee on Twitter: "Trayvon, ..." / Twitter

Trayvon, a kid, was walking in his own neighborhood, going home.

George didn't like the way he looked and assualted him.

Trayvon fought back with his fists.

George drew a gun and killed him.

American government: "George had a right to defend himself."

When I hear American pols use the refrain "Israel has the right to defend itself" in response to undeniable atrocities on a marginalized pop, I can't help but think of how the west has always justified indiscriminate& disproportionate force &power on weakened & marginalized ppl

The US has nvr shown leadership in safeguarding human rights of folks its othered

But as we fight against injustice here in the mvmnt for Blk lives, we must stand against injustice everywhere. Inhumanities against the Palestinian ppl cannot be tolerated or justified

Back to the article.

AIPAC’s United Democracy Project ran an April 22 ad that suggested that Lee isn’t really a Democrat. Two days prior, the group had released a slate of endorsements including more than 100 Republican candidates who voted to overturn the 2020 election results. “Groups like AIPAC and DMFI don’t have much name recognition even amongst Democratic primary voters, and even amongst high-level operatives and journalists,” Justice Democrats spokesperson Waleed Shahid told The Intercept. “Some of the people at the highest levels of Democratic Party politics have no idea what these groups are, what their political goals are.”

 

[lpetrich]

Mike Doyle, the longtime incumbent in the predecessor district of PA-12, has retired. But he has decided on a successor.
Julian Routh on Twitter: "Mike Doyle ..." / Twitter

Mike Doyle and Rich Fitzgerald are holding a press call w/ other Steve Irwin surrogates to hit Summer Lee for rallying w/ Bernie Sanders today. Doyle says “Sanders wing” and Squad won’t work with other Dems to “get things done.”

Mike Doyle: “You don’t get anything done being Bernie Sanders or the Squad. If you point to anything they’ve done resulting in law, I would love to know what it is. That just hasn’t happened.”

Doyle says transforming PGH hasn’t happened by being “a loner.” It’s happened by working with Dem caucus, labor leaders, business community, etc. Doyle says you won’t get anything done by being a “crusader.”

Also on this call: PGH City Councilman Daniel Lavelle, County Councilman DeWitt Walton.

Fitzgerald and Doyle say this isn’t about a difference in issues — Irwin and Lee believe much of the same — but style. Fitz on Squad and Sanders: They make noise. They’re on MSNBC. They’re on social media. They don’t accomplish anything for the people that they represent.”

Gainey, other Dems call out attack ads against Summer Lee in 12th District race | TribLIVE.com

This month, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, state House Minority Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, and a group of Allegheny County progressive Democrats sent a letter to the Irwin campaign condemning the attack ads, which they said are spreading misinformation about Lee. The letter calls on Irwin’s campaign to join them in criticizing the ads — which portray Lee as a phony Democrat who does not support President Biden.

“As Democrats from across the commonwealth, we find it shameful that you would team up with a corporate super PAC that has endorsed over 100+ pro-insurrectionist Republicans to attack and smear our Democratic colleague, state Rep. Summer Lee, as not a Democrat,” reads the letter, which also is signed by state Reps. Sara Innamorato and Jessica Benham, Allegheny County Council members Bethany Hallam and Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, as well as Pittsburgh City Council member Deb Gross. All are allies of Lee.

Akela Lacy on Twitter: "uh, @SteveIrwinPA on Summer Lee: “The attraction of having a Black woman as a congressperson, on its face, is very attractive ... I know how she's worked with people ... it does not indicate that it would be conducive to getting things done." (links)" / Twitter
SL responded to SI:
Summer Lee on Twitter: "1st he diminishes me as just a "professional protestor." Which is obviously offensive
But THIS, is disgraceful
This is the misogynoir we witnessed w/#JudgeKBJ & COUNTLESS qualified Blk women who threaten white male hegemony. And as we see it doesnt just come from Republicans..." / Twitter

Misogynoir - hostility to black women from being both black and female.

 

[lpetrich]

Rachel F. Ventura on Twitter: "I know what it feels like to run against the broken, corrupt political machine that seeks to serve their wealthy campaign donors. (link)" / Twitter
She ran in 2020 against a longtime incumbent.

They Are Not Even Pretending Anymore - May 17, 2022 - "Democratic leaders are joining with oligarchs to try to permanently destroy the progressive movement."

Democratic leaders don’t just want avocado toast and mimosas — they want an outright counterrevolution. Only not against the GOP insurrection — against the Democratic rank and file, and in many cases for the politicians most hostile to the party’s (purported) agenda.

Last week, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sounded an important alarm about all this, slamming billionaires and conservative advocacy groups blanketing the airwaves with television ads supporting corporate candidates in this week’s pivotal Democratic congressional primaries. But the Vermont senator understated the situation.

The perpetrators rigging these elections aren’t just meddling oligarchs operating on their own. This call is coming from inside the Democratic house from party leaders, who are at minimum passively condoning the trend, and in many cases actively fueling it with endorsements and its machine.

Noting such corporate-Democrat support for:

• OR-05 -- incumbent Rep. Kurt Schrader over progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner
• OR-06 -- Carrick Flynn “an electoral novice who’s barely participated in Oregon civic life,” (the Oregonian) over progressive State Rep. Andrea Salinas
• OR-04 -- former Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle, gas-pipeline supporter, over progressive activist Doyle Canning, gas-pipeline opponent
• OH-11 -- Shontel Brown over Nina Turner
• PA-12 -- Steve Irwin, former leader of the “union avoidance” division of a corporate law firm, over Summer Lee
• NC-04 -- Nida Allam, under attack by DMFI, AIPAC donors, and cryptocurrency billionaire and Joe Biden donor Sam Bankman-Fried's super PAC.
• TX-28: -- incumbent Henry Cuellar over progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros

 

[lpetrich]

Back to The Lever.

This is one large party-sanctioned operation aimed at the left, even when corporatists are undermining the party’s agenda and its own president. Indeed, rather than amping up potential progressive primary pressure on Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Biden’s political machine actually ran ads touting her as she was killing his signature economic legislation and driving down his approval ratings.

Without even expecting some quid pro quo -- we'll support you if you support BBB -- it seems.

Up until the mid-2000's, Democratic leaders typically did their candidate-choosing behind the scenes.

That tradition began to change in 2006 after Rahm Emanuel bought a Chicago-area congressional seat and began hand-picking House Democratic nominees through the party’s campaign apparatus. Later, the party’s political machine went all in against Sanders’ 2020 presidential primary campaign and then went in even stronger for corporate candidates in contested Senate primaries in Iowa, Maine, Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas and Colorado — and in the latter case, even progressives like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) participated in the scale-thumbing.

All of this escalated to the DCCC literally blacklisting political consultants who worked for unapproved Democratic candidates.

Their favorite argument is "electability", asserted with little or no evidence, and even counterevidence like Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, in purple states, many of those corporate-friendly candidates picked by party bosses for their alleged “electability” last cycle were summarily crushed in their general elections.

The Democratic Party leadership is much like Soviet leadership in the last years of the Soviet Union -- old, stuck in its ways, and intent on preserving its power.

 

[lpetrich]

Jewish Progressives Concerned Over Pro-Israel Election Targeting - "AIPAC and DMFI are leading scorched-earth campaigns in Democratic primaries. Progressive Jews warn the tactics are all too familiar."

The gravity of the political moment is forcing at least one purportedly progressive pro-Israel group to pick a side. J Street, an organization that has at times struggled to operate in the gap between traditional pro-Israel groups like AIPAC and unapologetically anti-occupation Jewish groups like Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, is leading the counteroffensive against the flood of cash that AIPAC and DMFI are pouring into Democratic primaries. The group has spent over $100,000 backing progressive Jessica Cisneros over AIPAC-endorsed anti-choice incumbent Henry Cuellar, and its statements indicate plans to multiply that amount by 10 before the cycle concludes. J Street’s conduit PAC has also raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for progressive candidates.

Kurt Schrader Calls Pelosi “Truly a Terrible Person” While Killing Build Back Better - "Pelosi has endorsed the Oregon Blue Dog, who faces a primary challenge from Jamie McLeod-Skinner, but the feeling is apparently not mutual."

He was one of those who helped kill Build Back Better, by splitting off the infrastructure parts, which got passed, while the rest of the bill was obstructed by Manchinema / Sinemanchin.

Schrader, now facing a tough primary challenge on Tuesday from Jamie McLeod-Skinner, has campaigned as a supporter of many of the policies in Build Back Better that he helped kill.

Congressional candidate Alexandra Hunt wants you to look beyond her past : NPR - as a stripper

In a lot of ways, Hunt is a traditional progressive candidate. She's well-educated and has a background working in public health. She's also running on the main pillars of the progressive platform — like the Green New Deal and Medicare for All.

In other ways, she's a bit unusual for someone running for Congress.

She's spoken publicly about her brief time as a stripper in college to make ends meet.

...
In a conversation with NPR, Hunt said she's worked in public health for years and is so much more than her past.

Jennifer Lawless, politics professor at the University of Virginia, said Hunt's campaign represents how far American society and politics has gone.

"Ten years ago or 20 years ago she couldn't have even run" because of societal beliefs and pressure, Lawless said.

She added: "It's progress in and of itself that somebody with that background feels confident and qualified to run for office. I think that demonstrates some degree of progress."

 

[lpetrich]

Daniel Marans on Twitter: "It won't show up on public filings for another day or two, but I have learned that Rep. Katie Porter's PAC just contributed $5,000 to @JamieforOregon, who is challenging Rep. Kurt Schrader, a colleague of Porter's in the House Democratic Caucus." / Twitter
also
Daniel Marans on Twitter: "Porter had not officially endorsed yet, but her former mentor Elizabeth Warren has.
$5,000 is the most that a PAC can give to a candidate. (links)" / Twitter

Crypto gets its first big political test - POLITICO - "A super PAC largely backed by cryptocurrency billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried has poured more than $11 million into a House primary in Oregon."

Protect our Future, a super PAC largely backed by cryptocurrency billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, has spent more than $11 million backing Democrat Carrick Flynn in a crowded House primary where the super PAC’s stratospheric spending has generated hard feelings.

...
Protect our Future’s big spending — which has included everything from mailers to GOTV calls to radio and TV ads on Flynn’s behalf — has made the Oregon contest the most expensive House primary race so far this cycle. It’s also drawn the ire of several Democratic leaders and progressive groups who complain that the super PAC has boxed out several experienced women of color in favor of a white man with no political experience.

“Democrats don’t like it when people try to buy elections, and grassroots organizing can overcome big spending by outside groups,” said Kristian Ramos, a long-time Democratic strategist that has closely followed the race. “This will be the real test of that this cycle.”

Still, the super PAC hasn’t shown any sign of letting up — in fact, it recently made a last-minute spend on attack ads against one of Flynn’s top opponents. While Protect Our Future has been plowing money into the race in support of Flynn since mid-February, only in the last week did it begin spending to oppose state Rep. Andrea Salinas, who, if elected, would be the first Latina to represent Oregon in Congress.

...
The super PAC, which is largely funded by the 30-year-old billionaire co-founder and CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has repeatedly said it intends to back Democrats “who take a long term view on policy planning,” especially as it relates to pandemic preparedness and prevention.

Flynn has also been the beneficiary of an unexpected intervention by House Majority PAC, the House Democrats’ flagship super PAC which spent $1 million in support of Flynn. That move pitted HMP against the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ campaign arm, BOLD PAC, which endorsed Salinas to represent the newly drawn district that’s more than 20 percent Latino.

...
The super PAC, which is largely funded by the 30-year-old billionaire co-founder and CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has repeatedly said it intends to back Democrats “who take a long term view on policy planning,” especially as it relates to pandemic preparedness and prevention.

Flynn has also been the beneficiary of an unexpected intervention by House Majority PAC, the House Democrats’ flagship super PAC which spent $1 million in support of Flynn. That move pitted HMP against the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ campaign arm, BOLD PAC, which endorsed Salinas to represent the newly drawn district that’s more than 20 percent Latino.

OR-06 Public Policy Polling Memo.docx - Google Docs

 

[Derec]

Summer Lee Faces AIPAC Spending Onslaught in Final Days

As we fight against injustice here in the mvmnt for Blk lives, we must stand against injustice everywhere

Damn. She must be really hard up on fundraising. She can't even buy a vowel.

they [also] just so happen to want to hold Israel, the biggest recipient of U.S. aid, accountable for how they spend billions of American tax dollars.

In plain English, they attack Israel for defending herself, while giving Palestinians a pass on terrorism such as rocket barrages from Gaza and stabbing attacks in places like Jerusalem.

Trayvon, a kid, was walking in his own neighborhood, going home.
George didn't like the way he looked and assualted him.

Actually it was Trayvon who assualted[sic] Z.

American government: "George had a right to defend himself."

American government wasn't involved. State of Florida said that it was 2nd degree murder and prosecuted him. A jury of Z's peers disagreed and found him not guilty of that charge.
Does Lee even know how criminal trials work in this country?

Why is she even bringing up a case from 10 years ago?

When I hear American pols use the refrain "Israel has the right to defend itself" in response to undeniable atrocities on a marginalized pop, I can't help but think of how the west has always justified indiscriminate& disproportionate force &power on weakened & marginalized ppl

Oh, she is bringing it up as some sort of weird analogy to bash Israel with. LMAO!
So if Z is supposedly Israel, what does that make Trayvon? Hamas and Islamic Jihad with their rockets, suicide bombs and stabbings?

The US has nvr shown leadership in safeguarding human rights of folks its othered

Huh? That does not make sense even after correcting mistakes in spelling and grammar.

But as we fight against injustice here in the mvmnt for Blk lives, we must stand against injustice everywhere. Inhumanities against the Palestinian ppl cannot be tolerated or justified

What about the inhumanities of Hamas wanting to destroy Israel?

Justice Democrats spokesperson Waleed Shahid told The Intercept. “Some of the people at the highest levels of Democratic Party politics have no idea what these groups are, what their political goals are.”

It looks to me that groups like DSA and JD have been infiltrated by Islamists and other haters of Israel. A dangerous development. Mainstream democrats need to distance themselves from this anti-Israel fringe.

I really hope Steve Irvin wins. Right now, with ~30% reporting, he is leading Lee with 51%-31% of the vote. May it remain so!