National Dems Attacks On Progressive Signal Aggressive Primary Posture

[babylonsister]

Any thoughts on this, especially from Texans?

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/national-dems-attacks-on-progressive-signal-aggressive-posture-for-primaries

National Dems’ Attacks On Progressive Signal Aggressive Primary Posture
By Cameron Joseph | February 23, 2018 1:02 pm


House Democrats’ official campaign committee took a very public swipe at one of its own candidates Thursday night, a sign that it’s willing to risk fury from its base to push forward what it sees as the best general-election nominees.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) posted damaging research on Laura Moser, a favorite of progressives running in a crowded primary who national Democrats worry would cost them a shot at defeating Rep. John Culberson (R-TX) this fall.

The move is by far the most aggressive and public stance the DCCC has taken this cycle against one of its own, a risky move given the current tensions between parts of the liberal base and the party establishment but one they argue is necessary given Moser’s flaws. While party operatives have signaled for months that they’d step in to block candidates they see as unelectable, this shows how much they’re willing to risk the wrath of the left to do so — not just in Texas, which holds the nation’s first primaries, but throughout the coming year as the battle for the House heats up.

“We’ve gotten involved in primaries in the past when there’s a disqualified general election candidate and have noted all cycle we might need to do that again,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Communications Director Meredith Kelly told TPM Friday morning, arguing the committee was stepping up to help make sure local activists’ efforts weren’t squandered with a flawed candidate. “This potential involvement in primaries is about ensuring voters have a fighting chance to flip these districts in November. These people have been fighting all year organizing against Republican incumbents and we don’t want to rob them of the opportunity to be competitive in November.”

Those decisions are risky ones, threatening to infuriate liberal activists locally and nationally as the party is seen strong-arming locals and picking favorites, potentially the party with a split base heading into the general election. This year, Democrats have a glut of candidates in many top races, a good problem to have but one that risks letting flawed candidates sneak through with a plurality of the vote and blow winnable races.

The DCCC’s move left many liberals livid.

“In this vital year, with so much at stake, the DCCC should be using their limited resources to go after Republicans, not peddle false and misleading garbage against a progressive Democratic woman who has been an outspoken leader in the resistance. It is hard see how the DCCC thinks turning its own voters against each other is a winning strategy,” MoveOn.org Political Action Executive Director Ilya Sheyman told TPM.

The move could also backfire by elevating the very candidates the DCCC wants to stop.

more...

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/national-dems-attacks-on-progressive-signal-aggressive-posture-for-primaries

[Wwcd]

1. Anyone can enter a campaign. But in this case, the stakes are so high & the anti-Dem message is

..so clear with Moser.
She has nothing to lose.
That's the whole problem. The rest of us would like to see the long fought efforts to unseat Republicans finally take its place.

Yippee, enter another opportunistic spoiler, who sees a claim to personal fame at the expense of possibly seating a Dem. Repeat of 2016 Stein bs.
She will never win, bit she may get a Republucan reseated.
So what's her endgame again?

[shanny]

4. Harry Truman

had a few words to say about the relative fates of a fake Republican running against a real one.

[GulfCoast66]

2. Ironic the OP did not list the reasons the DCCC took this action

But it seems smart if trying to win a toss up election in Texas of all places that we work not to have a candidate who is on record stating she ‘would rather have her teeth pulled than live in Texas’.

Not to mention that she still claims homestead exemption in her home of Washington DC for gods sake. And the financial ties her campaign has to her husbands business.

If you expect your candidate to receive support from the party pick one who has a chance to win.

[Historic NY]

3. Imagine the TeeVEE field-day....

[blogslut]

5. She's not running in my district.

I'm more interested in the massive effort of extreme wingnut group, Empower Texans, to unseat republican encumbents across the state.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/politics/michael-quinn-sullivans-latest-stunt-aims-undermine-democracy/

It's not enough for villainous billionaires to have conservative politicians, they want bought-and-paid-for zealots in their pocket.