General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums'We want to win': Democrats face choice in key Senate race
John Fetterman was sitting, alone, in the corridor outside the hotel ballroom where Pennsylvanias Democratic Party committee members were gathered, looking every bit like someone who didnt belong there. Moments later, Fetterman Pennsylvanias sitting lieutenant governor got trounced by more than 2 to 1 by U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb in the endorsement vote in the partys primary race for U.S. Senate.
Not only did Fetterman come from the partys progressive wing, but he is irreverent, blunt and, well, something to see. At 6 feet 8, he is tattooed and goateed, his head is clean shaven, and he is most often seen wearing shorts even in winter and casual work shirts. Fetterman leads in campaign fundraising and is also the only one in the race to have won a statewide campaign, or even run statewide.
But the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol stiffened the resolve among Democratic state committee members to vote for the candidate who is most electable in the November general election in this presidential battleground state, some Democrats say. For many, that means voting for Lamb, viewed as a more moderate, more conventional candidate with a resume that has more crossover appeal.
Those of us in politics who are in the know, we want to win the Senate race, so we want to pick the most electable person statewide, and I think a lot of people agree that that person is Conor Lamb, said Christina Proctor, the Democratic Party chair in Washington County. Lamb, 37, a clean-cut former federal prosecutor and ex-Marine, worked hard for months to win the partys endorsement, coming up just short of the required two-thirds vote threshold after months of courting state committee members. Lamb has backing from the state partys Latino Caucus, the National Organization for Women and the vast majority of building trades unions, plus Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Rich Fitzgerald, the chief executive of Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh.
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/03/we-want-to-win-democrats-face-choice-in-key-senate-race.html
John Fetterman (left) and Conor Lamb (right)
Polybius
(15,385 posts)I hope John Fetterman wins.
Before reading, I knew it was this shit.
"We need someone who can win statewide! So, let's not choose the guy who's won statewide!"
Stellar reasoning here.
Some people and powers just want the most conservative Democrat possible. However, they can't be that naked about it. So they attempt this shit.
drray23
(7,627 posts)Going for the "Safer" candidate will probably backfire. Fetterman has one big advantage, he has an order of magnitude more charisma than Conor Lamb. These days, it counts for something. Conor should hold onto his house seat, we need it. Fetterman can win the senate.
Demsrule86
(68,552 posts)the right than Fetterman...sending Fetterman money and I live close enough to work the campaign as well. We need that seat.
BumRushDaShow
(128,846 posts)and it was his, so he chose not to run again in the reconfigured districts in Western PA.
IMHO, Fetterman has much more "national" and "statewide" recognizability and some of the issues he promotes are also cross-over faves with indie voters, such as legalization of recreational marijuana here (medical marijuana is legal already), where a survey last year reached a record number of Pennsylvanians supporting it -
There are claims that Lamb has been campaigning here in Philly (our mayor endorsed him for some reason) but I haven't heard of where.
Deminpenn
(15,278 posts)actually got bluer by picking up more of northern Allegheny county and losing it's section of Butler county.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)Deminpenn
(15,278 posts)and in fundraising. Schumer is also staying out of the primary.
The state Dem party is not particularly liberal. No surprise they'd prefer Lamb. Lamb is no more electable than McGinty was 6 years ago.
I think Fetterman could bring just as much cross over or more than Lamb does. I am voting for Fetterman but of course Lamb would get my support if he wins.
Demsrule86
(68,552 posts)In fact, Lamb barely won a House seat. If I could vote in PA, I would vote for Fetterman who is beloved by working guys, union guys...pretty much everyone but the left. I will donate to Fetterman. There are not enough votes to elect Lamb. Winning is not just everything...it is the only thing. I know Fetterman from the 2020 campaign. He is a great guy and can really win in a state like PA or even Ohio...of course Tim Ryan has pretty much the only chance here in Ohio.
https://triblive.com/local/regional/republican-sean-parnells-lead-over-u-s-rep-conor-lamb-shrinks-to-less-than-2000-votes/
peggysue2
(10,828 posts)has amassed a huge war chest from grass-root donors from all over the state. I will vote for whoever wins the primary but Party leaders may find voters have a different idea on who can and cannot win.
Unless, they (Dem leadership) can make a reasonable argument on the 'why' of their decision, I don't see the electorate being moved. Is it because they fear the base won't support the blunt-talking Fetterman? Or something else? Something in his past, perhaps. Most have read about the incident with the AA jogger. Is that it? I've always thought John Fetterman would need to address this incident directly, head-on, and then see where the cards fall. I have yet to see a direct statement or explanation.
For myself, I hope we see debates between these two. Because I want to win, too, as do all Dems I know.
vercetti2021
(10,156 posts)He is a tough guy and we need that in our party. We need a strong voice and someone who can resonate well with rural voters and this guy does.