Democrats trying to unseat each other

[lpetrich]

What advice?

• PJS: Do self-help. Like take days off with one's family and friends.
• AV: Recognize that one's run is not in isolation, that one is helping to build a movement.
• CB: More self-help, like eating ice cream. Be yourself, like wear ripped jeans.

PJS recalled opponent Joe Manchin being very friendly. AV: campaign managers were like family. CB recalls her campaign managers crying with her, then going to a corner and planned her next campaign. She felt that her let her supporters down. She then bragged about how well she did, despite her loss. PJS felt that she also let people down. She then grumbled about corporate politicians posing as grassroots, populist candidates.

AV won't be running in 2020, but instead will be campaigning for Bernie Sanders. She ended up getting involved in Matriarch PAC, a PAC that supports progressive female candidates. AV then said that she'd likely be running in 2022.

Then about being made a big villain, like AOC. CB talked about some of the nasty things that she went through as an activist. AV conceded that she and others like them may not be able to get their old jobs back. One has to be willing to sacrifice such things to have a movement. PJS recalled being called a treehugger and getting death threats and being stalked for her environmentalist activism against the coal industry.

 

[lpetrich]

Eliot Engel Fumes at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Backing Jamaal Bowman in Primary
First saying that he wouldn't be back in his district if he didn't have a primary, then complaining that AOC is acting like a dictator.

What entertaining drama llama.

Opinion | Can Jamaal Bowman Be the Next A.O.C.? - The New York Times - "The uprising over police violence fuels a progressive primary challenge."

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Our first slate of New York primary endorsements is out today! 🗳
New York: The primary election is on June 23rd.
Early voting starts THIS Saturday, June 13th!
Check ocasiocortez.com/vote to find your early polling location. (image link)" / Twitter
AOC isn't making Joe Crowley's mistake this time earlier - omitting election day.

US Reps: Samelys Lopez (BX, NY-15, open seat), Jamaal Bowman (BX/WC, NY-16, Eliot Engel), Mondaire Jones (WC/RC, NY-17, open seat) -- no others, despite several progressive challengers for other seats.

She is endorsing 15 state legislators, from Man, Bk, Qns, and BX -- all of NYC but Staten Island. Among her endorsements is State Assemblymember Karines Reyes, someone who provides her with a service: office space for a district office. So AOC is endorsing her landlady.

 

[lpetrich]

I'll catch up on the more notable recent election results.

June 2:

In DC, Eleanor Holmes Norton won yet again the position of that territory's delegate to the US Congress. If the Democrats win both houses and the Presidency, they should admit DC as a state. If so, then EHN will likely be that new state's first Representative or one of its first Senators.

IN-01: Thomas McDermott 29.2%, Melissa Borom 9.3%, progressive Jim Harper 7.6%, others 7.5%, 4.7%, 1.5%, 1.5%, 1.2%, 1.2%, 1.1%, 0.6%, 0.4%, 0.3%

MD-05: incumbent Steny Hoyer 73.4%, progressive Mckayla Wilkes 18.1%, others 3.9%, 2.4%, 2.2% (67% counted)

NM-03: progressive Teresa Leger Fernandez 41.4%, Valerie Plame 24.6%, others 12.8%, 8.2%, 6.6%, 4.3%, 2.1%

June 9

GA-07: Carolyn Bourdeaux 46.0%, Brenda Romero 14.5%, progressive Nabilah Islam 13.0%, others 11.4%, 8.2%, 6.9% (94% counted)

GA-13: David Scott 46.8%, Keisha Waites 31.1%, progressive Michael Owens 14.1%, Jannquell Peters 8.0% (94% counted)

WV-SEN: progressive Paula Jean Swearengin 38.0%, Richard Ojeda 33.0%, Richie Robb 29.0% (all but 1 out of 1750 precincts counted)

So it continues to be a mixed record of success and failure.

 

[lpetrich]

Bernie backs insurgent in Kentucky, Engel's challenger in New York - POLITICO
noting
Let’s Send These Progressives to Congress - Bernie Sanders - Medium

His complete list:

• Charles Booker for U.S. Senate in Kentucky
• Jamaal Bowman for U.S. House, NY-16
• Samelys Lopez for U.S. House, NY-15
• Mondaire Jones for U.S. House, NY-17
• Cori Bush for U.S. House, MO-1
• Mike Siegel for U.S. House, TX-10

Engel scrambles to fend off primary challenge from left | TheHill

“Mr. Engel knows how to ‘bring home the bacon,’ but there are people in his district who are starving,” Bowman said at a primary debate against Engel last week. “Where is this bacon? Especially with 30 percent of his population living in food deserts.”

...
“He’s an institution there. He’s been there for 34 years, and he is contesting this race seriously,” said George Albro, co-chairman of the New York Progressive Action Network.

“And yet we have a candidate who is just a superb candidate,” he added, referring to Bowman.

...
He notably wrote about his experience living in New York City during former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s tenure earlier this year in an NBC News op-ed that coincided with Bloomberg’s presidential run. In the piece, he recounted an arrest after police stopped him at a traffic light as well as an earlier arrest in which he was accused of stealing his own car.

But Rep. Engel still has some fight in him.

He still has a significant cash-on-hand advantage over Bowman, with more than $1 million in the bank as of the end of March. And he remains a known quantity, both in his district and nationally. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) formally endorsed Engel’s reelection bid last week.

It’s not just that he’s nationally identified with his district; he’s also a massive presence in it with labor, synagogues, churches, local elected officials, local community groups,” Jon Reinish, a New York-based Democratic strategist, said. “You can’t say that he’s taken his eye off his district, because he hasn’t.”

NY Rep. Eliot Engel in 'hot water' amid Bronx primary fight - unfortunately, not much new.

 

[lpetrich]

Why We Need a Black Lives Matter Activist in Congress - "Ferguson activist and congressional candidate Cori Bush on why we need to vote in a generation of organizers."

I first showed up to a protest in Ferguson the day after Mike Brown was murdered by police officer Darren Wilson in 2014. At the time, I was working as a registered nurse managing a local community mental health clinic. My employer sent me to the apartment complex where Mike Brown was murdered to serve as a triage nurse and to assist with grief and trauma work. I was in disbelief at what I saw: Thousands of people were on the street. The police were dressed like they were ready to head into battle overseas. Police dogs were barking at protesters. There was rage and pain in the air. All this right in my neighborhood—my hair salon was on one side of the street, my nail salon on the other. Little did I know, I would end up coming back to protest for the next 400 days. We were simply compelled to action.

I never thought I would see the kind of state-sanctioned violence and hatred I’d learned about growing up with my own eyes. Yet, overnight, it had become my daily reality. More than 50 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, I saw regular, everyday people brutalized on the streets of Ferguson. I saw people arrested for what felt like no reason at all. I saw people beaten unconscious for the mere act of raising their voices in the name of justice for Black folks.

... When all of our so-called leaders desert us, we learn to lead ourselves. We learn that if we continue to vote the same people into office, they will simply continue to sign off on our destruction.

In Ferguson, everyday people stood up for what we believed to be right. We didn’t care that it was unpopular and dangerous. It’s what we needed to do. And that's what’s needed in Congress. It’s why we need Black Lives Matter activists in Congress.

Cori Bush on Twitter: "We are out here to SAVE LIVES. This isn’t a joke, this isn’t a trend, this isn’t a moment. It’s a movement. When black folks get free, everybody gets free. See you tonight, #STL. #ExpectUS! https://t.co/w502ymK5jk" / Twitter

She's running this year for MO-01, and her run for that set in 2018 was documented in "Knock Down The House".

 

[Harry Bosch]

Bernie backs insurgent in Kentucky, Engel's challenger in New York - POLITICO
noting
Let’s Send These Progressives to Congress - Bernie Sanders - Medium

His complete list:

• Charles Booker for U.S. Senate in Kentucky
• Jamaal Bowman for U.S. House, NY-16
• Samelys Lopez for U.S. House, NY-15
• Mondaire Jones for U.S. House, NY-17
• Cori Bush for U.S. House, MO-1
• Mike Siegel for U.S. House, TX-10

Engel scrambles to fend off primary challenge from left | TheHill

“Mr. Engel knows how to ‘bring home the bacon,’ but there are people in his district who are starving,” Bowman said at a primary debate against Engel last week. “Where is this bacon? Especially with 30 percent of his population living in food deserts.”

...
“He’s an institution there. He’s been there for 34 years, and he is contesting this race seriously,” said George Albro, co-chairman of the New York Progressive Action Network.

“And yet we have a candidate who is just a superb candidate,” he added, referring to Bowman.

...
He notably wrote about his experience living in New York City during former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s tenure earlier this year in an NBC News op-ed that coincided with Bloomberg’s presidential run. In the piece, he recounted an arrest after police stopped him at a traffic light as well as an earlier arrest in which he was accused of stealing his own car.

But Rep. Engel still has some fight in him.

He still has a significant cash-on-hand advantage over Bowman, with more than $1 million in the bank as of the end of March. And he remains a known quantity, both in his district and nationally. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) formally endorsed Engel’s reelection bid last week.

It’s not just that he’s nationally identified with his district; he’s also a massive presence in it with labor, synagogues, churches, local elected officials, local community groups,” Jon Reinish, a New York-based Democratic strategist, said. “You can’t say that he’s taken his eye off his district, because he hasn’t.”

NY Rep. Eliot Engel in 'hot water' amid Bronx primary fight - unfortunately, not much new.

Yea, I'm not surprised to see AOC helping the republicans retain Kentucky. But shocked that Bernie is. He usually can see the larger picture. Very disappointing.

 

[Derec]

Opinion | Can Jamaal Bowman Be the Next A.O.C.? - The New York Times - "The uprising over police violence fuels a progressive primary challenge."

Bowman is a dangerous extremist. For example, he wants a moratorium on ALL deportations.

US Reps: Samelys Lopez (BX, NY-15, open seat),

She is an even bigger nut. She wants to disarm police, among other stupid, dangerous and bigoted ideas. I guess she wants thugs to be the only ones with guns ...

 

[Derec]

Why We Need a Black Lives Matter Activist in Congress - "Ferguson activist and congressional candidate Cori Bush on why we need to vote in a generation of organizers."

No, we don't! Michael Brown shooting was justified because this gentle giant strongarm robber attacked a police officer.

I first showed up to a protest in Ferguson the day after Mike Brown was murdered by police officer Darren Wilson in 2014.

First sentence, and already a bold-faced lie.

In Ferguson, everyday people stood up for what we believed to be right.

If what you believe to be right is fundamentally wrong, then standing up for it is not a virtue.

 

[lpetrich]

Schumer holds off endorsing Eliot Engel - POLITICO

Embattled New York Rep. Eliot Engel claims Chuck Schumer supports him. But Schumer isn’t on the same page.

...
“I haven’t endorsed in that race,” Schumer told reporters. “I’m busy with Senate races.”

Very convenient.

 

[lpetrich]

There's no good reason for Joe Kennedy to primary Ed Markey

He's been ahead in polls: RealClearPolitics - Election 2020 - Massachusetts Senate - Democratic Primary from +2% to +16%.

Though both politicians have their supporters, Sen. Markey's Senate colleagues have not made an all-out effort to save him. JK has been raising much more money than EM.

It's particularly odd in this case because, at least rhetorically, there is practically no daylight between the two. Both claim to support virtually the same positions — save that in Markey's case, he actually has a long record of doing so. Kennedy was clearly to his right until quite recently, only coming around to supporting Medicare-for-all and the Green New Deal in the last couple years as he positioned himself for a run, while Markey was a co-sponsor and the primary sponsor of each respectively, as well as one of the major supporters of cap-and-trade legislation a decade ago. For lack of anything to criticize, Kennedy has had to try to gin up a campaign flame war over the flimsy issue of Markey supposedly not spending enough time in Massachusetts.

Markey is somewhat older, but still more than 13 years younger than the oldest sitting senator, Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and there is no sign he is losing control of his faculties. He's almost certainly got another term in him, and at just 39, Kennedy can afford to wait for a bit. Indeed, there is a strong chance Elizabeth Warren (the other Massachusetts senator) will have some place or another in a Biden administration, in which case Kennedy could surely win the open seat.

Since he started his campaign, Kennedy has faced the question "why?" Let's not be children about this. The real reason for Kennedy's run is that he is currently the most prominent scion of a famously rich, powerful, and well-connected family, and a Senate seat is simply the next rung on the ladder of ambition. Stomping on a dutiful liberal who has loyally served the Democratic Party for 43 years is just unfortunate collateral damage on the way up.

Author Ryan Cooper speculates that his family is grooming him for the Presidency. Like JFK, Bobby Kennedy, and Teddy Kennedy before him. BK was assassinated, and TK had a certain accident that killed a staffer.

About the Democratic establishment,

If Kennedy wins, he will be either about the same as Markey, or (they likely hope) quickly pivot to the right to join the conservative Democrats who vote for financial deregulation and subsidies for insurance companies. Kennedy is the perfect modern Democrat: a guy whose only demonstrated aptitude is defeating the left; a young and handsome face who can mouth the right slogans while quietly keeping the revolving door and the wheels of the corrupt Democratic consulting apparatus well-greased.

 

[lpetrich]

“It’s Just a Raw Power Struggle”: Progressives and Moderates Square Off in War Over Primarying Incumbents | Vanity Fair - "AOC’s endorsement of a challenger to Eliot Engel raised moderate hackles—but progressives say they are hypocritical. “The moderate wing of the party just really does see this as an ideological war,” one progressive strategist said."

Jamaal Bowman vs. Eliot Engel
Joe Kennedy III vs. Ed Markey

“I don’t see a double standard in terms of AOC catching flak. She is using her ample political capital and sharp instincts to help elect people who are closer in line with her views than some of her colleagues. She knows what she’s doing,” a House Democratic aide whose boss endorsed Kennedy over Markey told me. “Her political skills are better than 99% of the people in the House. I mean, she beat Joe Crowley, who was next in line to be Speaker. She is trying to change the institution, so of course the institution is going to push back against that. It’s not a double standard, just an expected consequence of trying to fire someone you work with who has a lot of other friends in the same workplace.”

...
As far as the two lawmakers’ collective congressional endorsements go, they run the ideological gamut and, sources I spoke with say, have more to do with personal relationships than policy.

...
The role national political organizations, like the DCCC and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, in primaries only exacerbates this, progressives I spoke with argue. And that this often results in is Democratic general election candidates who don’t necessarily reflect or represent their districts. For instance, Bowman has racked up a number of key local endorsements—from the New York State Nurses Association, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, and state senators Gustavo Rivera and Alessandra Biaggi. Or perhaps an even more poignant example is in Kentucky in the Democratic primary for Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat. Amy McGrath was quickly anointed the chosen challenger by the national powers that be. But in Kentucky, her progressive opponent, Charles Booker, has gained many endorsements from Kentucky state representatives. (Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders notably endorsed Booker Tuesday.)

“It’s just a really broken system that makes it really hard for people who aren’t already in it to participate,” Ganapathy told me.

 

[lpetrich]

The Squad in the spotlight: AOC, progressive peers face primary challenges of their own - Reuters

A win over any “Squad” member would be an upset, and each has raised significantly more money than her opponents. But Engel appears to have a close fight on his hands, as Bowman – backed by liberal groups including MoveOn and Justice Democrats – has secured endorsements from both Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez.

“The general rule of thumb in these primaries is the challengers almost always fail,” said Kyle Kondik, an elections analyst at the University of Virginia.

Not much new, I must concede.

 

[lpetrich]

A progressive faction has been rising, even if it is still not as well-known as the Bernie Sanders faction, as it may be called. Many of Bernie Sanders's campaigners have gone on to campaign for Congressional candidates, and some have even become such candidates -- and some of those have been elected.

Some of Andrew Yang's followers have founded Humanity Forward - much like Bernie Sanders's followers founding Our Revolution, Local Berniecrats, Brand New Congress, and Justice Democrats. But I don't see any HF-endorsed slate of candidates. It is probably too late to do much, however, since we are halfway through the primary season of this year's Congressional elections. But it may be back in 2022.

But I found recently:
Jennifer Mahlman on Twitter: "Down ballot #YangGangForCongress candidates:
NY10 @ jonathanHerzog5
NY13 @ JFKii
NY14 @ badrun_khan
NY15 @ newyorkvonni
NY16 @ Ravelo4Congress
NY7 @ PaperboyPrince
NY9 @ LutchiGayot
Volunteer! Donate! Follow! RT! Get out the #VOTE! #NYElections #NYPrimary #DemPrimary #DemocracyNYC" / Twitter

• NY-07 - Paperboy Prince - Nydia Velazquez (inc)
• NY-09 - Lutchi Guyot - Yvette Clarke (inc), Adem Bunkeddeko, Isiah James (BS)
• NY-10 - Jonathan Herzog - Jerrold Nadler (inc), Lindsey Boylan (BS)
• NY-13 - James Felton Keith II - Adriano Espaillat (inc)
• NY-14 - Badrun Khan - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (inc, BS), Michelle Caruso-Cabrera
• NY-15 - Chivona Renee Newsome - Tomas Ramos (BS), Samelys Lopez (BS), several others
• NY-16 - Sammy Ravelo - Eliot Engel (inc), Jamaal Bowman (BS)

I'll be perusing #YangGangForCongress for more endorsements, but so far, the Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang factions don't overlap. There is even some bad blood between them, with some "Yang Gang" members disliking AOC for having criticized some UBI schemes late last year.

 

[lpetrich]

Update: JFK II seems to have withdrawn from the race. About the NY-14 race, some of the Andrew Yang faction have created the hashtag #CabreraWhateva -- their favorite Badrun Khan seems much like AOC ideologically.

For the Kentucky Senate race, the Yang Gang is endorsing Charles Broihier - #BroihierBrigade - he's up against Amy McGrath (the Establishment favorite), Charles Booker (the Bernie Sanders faction favorite), and others.

Looking some more in #YangGangForCongress and in Andrew Yang and Humanity Forward I've found:

• David Kim, CA-34
• Jen Perelman, FL-23 (BS)
• Noelle Famera, HI-02
• Antoine Pierce, LA-SEN
• Robbie Goldstein, MA-08
• Russ Cirincione, NJ-06
• Nate McMurray, NY-27
• Tim Ryan, OH-13
• Heidi Briones, OR-01 (defeated)
• Blair Walsingham, TN-01

Also some state legislators.

I've found this:
#RoseCaucus - Rose Caucus - Democratic Socialists - overlaps with the Local Berniecrats but not with (say) Brand New Congress or Justice Democrats.

 

[lpetrich]

Opinion | The New York Times's Endorsements for New York's Congressional Primary - The New York Times - "Here are our endorsements in the congressional primaries. In-person voting begins June 13."

NY-09: Adem Bunkeddeko
NY-14: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
NY-15: Ritchie Torres
NY-16: Jamaal Bowman
NY-17: Mondaire Jones

Now for some cute endorsements. Cute because of their visuals. Like all the emojis in the tweets. Mainly state and local people, but some US Reps also.

Sunrise NYC on Twitter: "BREAKING: We’re super excited to release our VOTER GUIDE for the June 23rd Primary!! We aimed to ID the best progressive candidates, balancing ideals & record w/ viability.
Thread (pic link)" / Twitter

Sunrise NYC on Twitter: "We based these recommendations on our own endorsements in some races, + public endorsements of grassroots orgs. across NYC in others to bring you what we see as the best voter guide for New Yorkers seeking justice!
Breakdown by borough" / Twitter

Sunrise NYC on Twitter: "What up Brooklyn & Queens! --> There are lots of #GreenNewDeal champions running here including our own endorsed candidates like @JuliaCarmel__ @ jabariBrisport @ marcelaforny @phara4assembly @ Costa4NY @SenGianaris @jessicaramos @votejgr @ZohranKMamdani & of course THE @AOC. (pic link)" / Twitter

Sunrise NYC on Twitter: "Manhattan & THE Bronx, we you too! Our endorsed candidates on this list include @SamelysLopez @JamaalBowmanNY @Biaggi4NY @AOC @yuhline & @AMDanQuart, plus other tips from our partner orgs. (pic link)" / Twitter

Sunrise NYC on Twitter: "Reminder You have until June 16 to request an absentee ballot to #votebymail!
Request here: (NYC absentee ballot link)
Or, find out how to vote early in person here: (Common Cause NY link) (Thx [MENTION=990]CO[/MENTION]mmoncauseny!)" / Twitter
Home | NYC Absentee
Common Cause New York's definitive guide to the June Primary - Common Cause New York

Sunrise NYC on Twitter: "Disclaimer: We have not endorsed every candidate in this guide, Recommendations are based on a variety of factors, including viability & endorsements by partner orgs. If you want to learn more about Sunrise NYC endorsed candidates, check here: (link)" / Twitter
Endorsed Candidates — Sunrise NYC

 

[lpetrich]

Intro page:

THE PEOPLE'S VOTER GUIDE NEW YORK CITY

This guide is for New Yorkers seeking justice. The Democratic Primary on June 23rd 2020 is an opportunity to address racism, inequality, gentrification, COVID-19, and the climate crisis. We made this guide in collaboration with grassroots groups across the city. It aims to identify the best progressive candidates on the ballot, striving to balance ideals with viability.

Sunrise NYC consulted NYCC, Make The Road Action, NYC-DSA, TREEage, True Blue, WFP, Indivisible [Empire State, BK, One Queens], 350 Action, Amplify Her NYC, Sierra Club, Persist NY, & Our Progressive Future. Sunrise NYC incorporated their public endorsements, and in a few cases, additional input. Ultimately, however, these recommendations are our own.

Second page (warning: very cutesy graphics in it):

To find which district you live in, check out voterlookup.elections.ny.gov.

Legend:

(crown) Progressive Leader - Strong advocate for intersectional justice

(interlocking rings) Coalition Support - Majority of progressive orgs are aligned on candidate

(GND green sticker) Green New Deal Champion - Bold climate action is central to candidate's platform

(eye) Undesirable Opponent- Listed candidate is *much better* than the other choice

(carrot) Leaning Left - Institutional Democrat, but willing partner

(red rose) Democratic Socialist - Current or previous endorsee of NYC-DSA

(Sunrise Movement logo) Sunrise NYC Endorsee - Learn more at sunrise-nyc.org/endorsements

Note: if candidate has no icon. we're not particularly excited about them, but we believe they are progressives' best option in the race

If your district is not listed on this guide, it is because there is only eligible candidate in the race (or because the only viable candidate/s is not aligned with our values).

Then the four boroughs with candidates that they assessed: Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn. The fifth borough, Staten Island, was omitted.

NY-03 Qns - Melanie D'Arrigo - eye
NY-05 Qns - Shaniyat Chowdhury - eye
NY-06 Qns - Grace Meng - carrot
NY-07 Bk - Nydia Velazquez - rings
NY-09 Bk - Adem Bunkeddeko -
NY-10 Man, Bk - Jerry Nadler - carrot
NY-12 Man, Qns, Bk - Carolyn Maloney - carrot, eye
NY-13 Man - Adriano Espaillat - carrot
NY-14 BX, Qns - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - SM, rose, rings, crown, GND
NY-15 BX - Samelys Lopez - SM, rose, crown, GND
NY-16 BX - Jamaal Bowman - SM, rings, crown, GND

That's commendable pragmatism, willing to work with halfway-good corporate Democrats (the carrots).

Horrible alternatives?
NY-03: Tom Suozzi (incumbent)
NY-05: Gregory Meeks (incumbent)

NY-12 is an interesting exception. SM's endorsers prefer an incumbent corporate Democrat to one of the alternatives. I am guessing that that alternative is Suraj Patel, the catfish campaigner who did legal challenges against others' ballot-petition signatures, both back in 2018: New York Congressional Candidate Suraj Patel Woos Voters on Tinder | Observer, Maloney opponent suing 2 other Dems | Town & Village Suraj Patel has been a professor of business ethnics - NYU Stern - Suraj Patel - Adjunct Assistant Professor of Business & Society Go figure.

 

[lpetrich]

Wins by young progressives start reshaping establishment | TheHill
Wins in places like Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh), New Mexico, and DC.

Progressives claimed sweeping wins in Boston in 2019, when for the first time a majority of the City Council was made up of nonwhites and women.

Advances in technology have allowed progressive candidates to make inroads in big cities once dominated by party bosses, said Waleed Shahid, who directs communications for Justice Democrats, a progressive group that backs insurgent challengers.

"The internet is defeating these political machines. Where 20 years ago you would have to have the blessing of local party leaders just to get on the ballot, now you can have a good social media operation and leapfrog the party leadership and establishment networks," Shahid said.

Though progressives have not been completely successful, with a high-profile loss in Texas, where Jessica Cisneros failed to unseat incumbent Henry Cuellar (TX-28). But Marie Newman was successful against incumbent Dan Lipinski (IL-03), and there are more battles like that to come.

Jamaal Bowman vs. inc. Eliot Engel (NY-16) had gotten prominence for EE acting much like Joe Crowley, but also Shaniyat Chowdhury vs. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), all coming up on June 23, but in September, Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse will be taking on Richard Neal (MA-01), head of the Ways and Means Committee.

Surveys show the millennial generation is more liberal than preceding generations, and as it moves into early middle age, it is accounting for a larger slice of the electorate — especially in larger cities, which have disproportionate numbers of millennial voters.

"The millennial generation is historically liberal. There's never been a generation, particularly of white voters, that has been as consistently Democratic," said Sean McElwee, who heads Data for Progress. "More and more, the typical always-shows-up voter is more progressive. They are urban professionals who are settling down, having kids and are not becoming conservative but instead are voting progressively in Democratic primaries."

Part of the progressive push is an effort to reveal the massive losses in the Obama years. The US has some 7,383 state legislative seats, and the Democrats lost some 1,000 of them in the Obama years.

Sanders's two presidential campaigns served as one catalyst for the new round of progressive challengers but so too has police violence against unarmed black men in Ferguson, Mo., and the New York City borough of Staten Island, Shahid said. Some of the most significant offices in which progressive insurgents have ousted long-serving Democrats have been in district attorneyships in places such as Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Suffolk County, Mass.

 

[lpetrich]

Battle lines are hardening in Jamaal Bowman vs. Eliot Engel in NY-16.
Jamaal Bowman on Twitter: "I am honored to have earned @katieporteroc's support and endorsement.
A member of the insurgent class of 2018, Rep. Porter is a true fighter for working families in her community and across the country.
I look forward to joining her in that fight in Congress. #NY16 https://t.co/fnO30z1bP9" / Twitter

On the other side,
Hillary Clinton Backs Eliot Engel, in Her First House Primary Endorsement of 2020 - The New York Times

The endorsement puts Mrs. Clinton on the opposite side of a wave of progressives who are backing Mr. Engel’s leading challenger, Jamaal Bowman, a middle school principal, including Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont; Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York; the Working Families Party; Justice Democrats; and MoveOn, the progressive advocacy group.

... (on EE's side)
Other recent endorsements included Speaker Nancy Pelosi; the House majority whip, James E. Clyburn; the House Democratic Caucus chairman, Hakeem Jeffries; and Representative Adam B. Schiff, a favorite foil of President Trump’s as the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

...
“As chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, he has helped hold this administration accountable, including by uncovering the illegal firing of the inspector general; secure our elections against foreign interference; and protect dedicated Foreign Service officers from political retribution,” Mrs. Clinton said. “He is deeply committed to working with our allies to maintain American leadership on the global stage.”

Outside super PACs have entered the race, as well.

The Working Families Party and Justice Democrats have announced plans for a $500,000-plus effort to oust Mr. Engel and are airing an ad featuring Mr. Engel’s “I wouldn’t care” remark.

On the other side, a group called the Democratic Majority for Israel has reported more than $600,000 in spending for Mr. Engel.

 

[lpetrich]

Also, GOP Money Flowing to Super PAC Backing Rep. Eliot Engel

A Republican super PAC is funding an outside effort to help reelect Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel, locked in a tight primary against insurgent Jamaal Bowman.

The super PAC is called Americans for Tomorrow’s Future, following in the proud tradition of nonsensically named political action committees.

...
The PAC, presumably due to its visible Republican ties, is not spending directly in Engel’s New York primary. Instead, it funneled $100,000 to another super PAC, called Democratic Majority for Israel, on May 27. DMFI, a controversial operation inside the Democratic coalition, spent heavily against Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary, with help from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, AIPAC, The Intercept reported in February.

So that pro-Israel PAC is getting money from Republicans in this race, despite its name.

The rest of the article was about the numerous big-money connections that this PAC and similar ones have.


Bourdeaux Declares Win in Democratic Congressional Primary - The New York Times

A Democrat is declaring victory in Georgia's 7th Congressional District primary after new vote counts showed her winning a majority of ballots without need for a runoff election.

Carolyn Bourdeaux, who was the Democratic nominee in 2018, claimed victory Monday over five Democratic opponents.

“I got into this race because we must restore the basic promise that the leaders we send to Washington will work to heal what divides us, will actually solve our problems,” Bourdeaux said, citing priorities including healing racial divisions, expanding health care and recovering from COVID-19.

Nabilah Islam for Congress - her campaign page.

She was a very gracious loser:
Nabilah Islam on Twitter: "I feel incredibly good entrusting the future of this district in the hands of @Carolyn4GA7. There is nothing more important than flipping this seat in November and that is why I am encouraging everyone to rally around Carolyn." / Twitter
then
Carolyn Bourdeaux on Twitter: "Thank you for your courage and your voice @NabilahforGA07. I am proud have your support as we turn our eyes to the most important election of our lifetime and I’m glad to have you in the fight to ensure that everyone has quality, affordable health care. #GApol" / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

Jamaal Bowman for Congress A Leader with Energy, Passion & Purpose | Yonkers Times

Warren endorses Jamaal Bowman over Eliot Engel in show of progressive support - POLITICO - "Warren is the latest national progressive icon to support Bowman — a middle school principal challenging a 16-term congressman."


Lauren Ashcraft for NY-12 on Twitter: "Hey @surajpatelnyc I realize we are both running in the same race, but WE are funded by small dollars so when your team keeps ripping down my posters to replace with yours, it’s a huge waste of our resources. I put my posters up next to yours AGAIN. This isn’t how you win. https://t.co/V7elB8rEya" / Twitter
then
Chris Richards #UnitedLeft on Twitter: "@bille3b @VoteAshcraft @surajpatelnyc Suraj Patel is so focused on winning he caught #Covid_19 while there was a "shelter in place" order, because he kept canvassing despite the order. He doesn't have any plans to make things better, but he really wants to win." / Twitter
and
fuelgrannie on Twitter: "@VoteAshcraft @surajpatelnyc
creepygate = rippergate
suraj, the spoiled rich prince from indiana, doesn’t care about other people, or about doing the right thing
he only cares about advancing himself
ask the folks abused by sun development
not what we in district 12 deserve or need, especially now" / Twitter

First catfishing, and now poster-ripping. Not surprising that NYC Sunrise Movement considers NY-12 incumbent Carolyn Maloney as much better than some unnamed rival(s), despite assessing her as an "institutional Democrat" and a halfway-good politician.