Democrats Are Blaming A Big-Spending Candidate For A Potential Disaster In California

[UCmeNdc]

National operatives are increasingly worried no Democrat will advance to the general election in a key U.S. House district in Southern California, blaming a self-funding candidate’s attacks on other Democrats for a potential disaster that could harm the party’s chances of winning the U.S. House.

Democratic operatives are pointing fingers at Paul Kerr, a Marine veteran and businessman, ahead of the primary vote on Tuesday. Kerr has spent over $5 million of his own money on the race to replace retiring GOP Rep. Darrell Issa in San Diego County. Despite the heavy spending, he was running fourth among Democrats in two polls of the district released this week, one from the San Diego Union-Tribune and the other from the Democratic firm Tulchin Research.

The problem comes from California’s top-two primary system, where the two leading vote getters in the primary advance to the general election regardless of which party they belong to. While Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won the 49th District by 7 percentage points in 2016, national operatives now fear a four-way split of Democratic votes could lead to two Republicans advancing to the general election.


https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/paul-kerr-democrats-california_us_5b12c1a9e4b0d5e89e200a8d

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Told ya

[saidsimplesimon]

2. I can't vote in Cali.

I do have family in the area who are also expressing some concern. Is there some reason Democrats have not found a favorite to stand with? Who is the best candidate for the win in November?

[dameatball]

3. Selfish crap. Dems doing what we do. And it isn't just him.

[NurseJackie]

4. This sounds familiar to me.

candidate’s attacks on other Democrats for a potential disaster that could harm the party’s chances of winning

This sounds familiar to me. I don't think this is the first time that something like this has happened.

All I'm trying to say is that it's too bad that people don't learn from the mistakes of the past.

[Roland99]

10. Is this guy an actual Dem or a plant?

[tirebiter]

5. 4th isn't in the top 2 category

It's a red district. Get over the hand wringing

[OilemFirchen]

6. Per the article:

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won the 49th District by 7 percentage points in 2016.

You were saying?

[tirebiter]

11. Issa's beenj winning the district since 2001.

His endorsement of Diane Harkey has put her in the lead over Doug Applegate the guy Issa beat last election when Hillary had that 7 point win for president. That's what I'm saying.

[Bettie]

7. So, what's the answer?

No primaries for Dems, just let the "power people" pick who they want and only have one candidate?

If someone wants to run how do you propose to stop them from doing so?

I suppose taking it from a multiple choice thing to a single choice takes any chance that there will be any "negative" campaigning. If you can keep anyone but the "chosen" candidate off the ballot, I guess it is a done deal. Plus, there's the added bonus of no debates and no need to put forth any real statements of policy.

The fact is that California's system sometimes works for Dems and sometimes doesn't. I see people celebrating when the two final candidates are both Dems and getting angry when they aren't. It's going to cut both ways sometimes.

So, what is the solution to ensure that those who are not "chosen" don't run?

[red dog 1]

8. + 1

[red dog 1]

9. I like what Rep. Ted Liu (D-CA) said in a tweet to Levin:

"You can certainly promote yourself..But in a top two primary where Dems can get boxed out, you should not be spending money going negative against the other Dem candidates in #CA49, Stand down your negative ads"