Bernie Sanders Heads to Montana for High-Profile House Race

[Omaha Steve]

Source: NBC

by BETH FOUHY

MISSOULA, Mont. — Bernie Sanders is set to jump into a highly competitive House special election here that could serve as a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency and policies, particularly health care.

Sanders will join Democratic candidate Rob Quist, a folk singer and political novice, on four campaign stops on Saturday and Sunday, just days before polls close here May 25. Absentee voting has been underway since late April.

The Montana contest is shaping up to be a test of whether Trump's scandal-plagued early months and the largely unpopular new GOP-backed health care plan can put a seat into play in this rural, rugged and largely Republican state thousands of miles from Washington.

With progressives highly mobilized across the country to help Democratic candidates, so far there is evidence the anti-Trump effect here is real: Quist stunned the political world this week with his announcement that he had raised more than $5 million for the race, through a vast network of small campaign contributions across the country.

FULL story at link below.


Bernie Sanders addresses supporters at a Democratic unity rally. George Frey / Getty Images

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/bernie-sanders-heads-montana-high-profile-house-race-n762386`

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Donate to Rob here: https://robquist.org/

[Me.]

1. I'm Assuming He Was Asked

though the article doesn't specifically say, but BS has a mixed record when advocating for others and I wish he would just stay home.

[WellDarn]

7. Don't know much about this race, huh?

Rob is Bernie on steroids AND he's within a couple of points in district where we lost by 20% in 2016.

Do you really want to talk about national politicians hurting down ticket races?

[Me.]

11. Actually I Do, Thank You Very Much

And if they are 2 of a kind, fine but it is always dicey as the past has shown and within a couple of points is not a couple of points ahead. Yes Gianforte is being called the carpetbagger from NJ and he hasn’t raised nearly as much as Quist but this is Montana and the least little thing can tip the race either way.

[WellDarn]

12. So you know that

The Rob-Bernie approach is outperforming 2016 by 20 points? You know that and you decided to take a swipe at Sanders?

I find that interesting.

[SunSeeker]

16. What "Rob-Bernie approach"? Rob does not even mention Bernie on his website.

Rob got this far because of Rob, playing up his Montana farmer and small business roots, and pointing out that his opponent is a millionaire from New Jersey who has no feel for the Montana middle class.

I don't see how Bernie helps Rob in a place like Montana. It will just open Rob up to criticism that he is supported by out of state liberals, Eastern liberals at that. If I were Rob, I would have brought in Manchin.

[Me.]

19. You Can Find It As Interesting As You Like

But even though the Cons are more worried about this race than the one in Georgia, I’m going to hold my breath that BS doesn’t mess this one up. Especially if he does his stomping on Dems bit.

[sheshe2]

23. Well Darn,

would you please post your links to the stats you are reporting on. TIA.

[WellDarn]

28. Here's one source

https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/montana

55.6 Trump
35.4 Clinton

5/7 Senate Majority PAC poll has Quist down by 1 among most likely voters as per Roll Call.

[sheshe2]

31. No.

I want to see this...

WellDarn (167 posts)

12. So you know that





The Rob-Bernie approach is outperforming 2016 by 20 points? You know that and you decided to take a swipe at Sanders?

I find that interesting.

............................

You state that there is a Rob-Bernie approach and gave the numbers, I would like to see the article that explains this.

Thanks.

[WellDarn]

32. So it's not that

You want documentation that Democrat Party cirque 2016 is being outperformed by Rob Quist and his ally Sanders by 20 points in 2017, what you want an article saying that Rob is taking a new approach?

[sheshe2]

33. What I want is you to back up your original claim.

First you say Rob is Bernie on Steroids and gave percentages...

"Rob is Bernie on steroids AND he's within a couple of points in district where we lost by 20% in 2016.
"
Do you really want to talk about national politicians hurting down ticket races?"

Then...this was to the poster Me...Again you post stats and no back ups.

"WellDarn (169 posts)

12. So you know that


The Rob-Bernie approach is outperforming 2016 by 20 points? You know that and you decided to take a swipe at Sanders?

I find that interesting.

I would like this to be about the candidate that the Democratic party desperately needs and not about Bernie.

[WellDarn]

34. Agreed

Which is why I was so disappointed to see the first response wishing that Bernie would stay home and talking about his "mixed record."

Which is why I was so disappointed to see another post blaming Bernie for what happened in Omaha.

If we are going to listen to people who blame Bernie and progressive Democrats when candidates they support underperform, we are going to have to listen to people give them credit when candidates they support outperform expectations.

[emulatorloo]

26. Bernie's a tough guy. Doubt he needs yr help to defend him from every imagined slight.

[SunSeeker]

17. Rob is not "Bernie on steroids."

Rob is a relatively moderate Democrat. As his website notes, he supports the Second Amendment and believes in the ACA. He makes no mention of single payer.

[murielm99]

13. Mixed?

People he has backed have lost.

I would really like to see our side take this race. Stay home, Bernie.

[Me.]

18. I Was Being Kind

[thesquanderer]

35. As expected, Bernie gets criticized here no matter what he does.

He doesn't help a candidate? People post "Why isn't Bernie helping?"

He does help a candidate? People post "He should stay home."


ETA: for example, see also https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028948137#post151
and that entire thread

[LuvLoogie]

2. I hope Bernie comes with a positive message...

tired of his bourgeois socialist shtick.

[turbinetree]

3. Rob Quist

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/the-democrats-battle-for-montana-w482375

[denvine]

8. Thanks for sharing this article.

Interesting that the DNC and DCCC had not been in touch.

[crazycatlady]

20. the DCCC did invest in this race

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dccc-invests-rob-quist-montana_us_590943b3e4b05c39768423fc

[turbinetree]

21. Your welcome

[Plucketeer]

4. If Bernie's backin' this guy

I'm sendin' cash!

[calimary]

5. Uh-oh...

Hmmm... didn't work very well in Nebraska recently. His endorsement is not always golden. At least when the available fan base isn't big enough to overcome the enemy troops who use him as a rallying cry for their side.

http://www.newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-heath-mello-mistake-607898

Bernie Sanders may be the most popular political figure in the United States, but his involvement in this week’s mayoral race in Omaha was termed “a colossal mistake” by a former Democratic mayoral staffer and political scientist. Even though the Vermont senator spoke at a rally for Heath Mello, the Democratic candidate was beaten by close to seven points by Republican incumbent Jean Stothert, in what was officially a nonpartisan race.

(snip)

According to University of Nebraska professor Paul Landow, Sanders’s attempts to give the Democrats one of their first significant wins of the Donald Trump presidency were spectacularly ill-conceived.

“Why do you bring an ultraliberal into a moderate city to campaign for a moderate candidate for mayor?” Landow was quoted as saying by the Omaha World Herald Thursday. “Bernie Sanders is not going to do anything to expand your base.”

If you're working in a DEEP RED district, sometimes you have to go a little slower. Those DEEP RED voters will likely not be swayed by someone like Bernie. May even give them more motivation to get out there and vote against his candidate.

If we're going to use Bernie Sanders, and he definitely can be an asset in some places, we have to use him judiciously. I don't think it's very wise to send him in where Dems don't have a realistic chance to win - like a DEEP RED area. Seems to me it would be FAR BETTER to work on the wobblers - use him all over the place in purple states. Use him all over the place where trump won by maybe a single point, or where there's a CON representing a blue district or state, or an area where Hillary won.

DO NOT squander him. Send him where it's realistically flippable and maybe he's exactly the one who can push it over into the blue column.

[Stuart G]

9. I agree with what you said, "he definitely can be an asset in some places"

but much of Montana is rural. Only in a few places is there an world view. Perhaps in the cities with universities, Bernie can help. I sure hope that he does indeed help.

[WellDarn]

15. Y'all need to get your Google on

And research Prairie Socialism.

Places like North and South Dakota, Montana, Utah and Wyoming even, used to have substantial pro-worker movements and were once a ready and reliable source of Democrat legislators.

You know, back when we didn't measure succeess by the DJIA.

Rob Quiet doesn't measure succeess by the DJIA. He measures it by caring about people who are hurting.

[hrmjustin]

6. Glad to hear it and I hope it helps.

[FairWinds]

10. Sure would be nice if the traditional and progressive wings . .

of the Democratic Party could get along.

Both have things to learn.

[beastie boy]

14. Excellent! I hope he will then head to Georgia

for a high profile House race.

[floppyboo]

22. Huh? Bernie beat Hillary by 7.4% in the Montana primary

How could he be harming Quist?

[2naSalit]

24. Over here in Montana...

I know that Bernie is a hit, unlike in many other places. They have had to get larger venues for his appearances this week as the crowds are expected to be much larger than originally thought. Bernie is still a big draw here. I didn't vote for him but quite a few did.

Rob is down to earth and given the claims made about him on his opponent's behalf... he sounds like half of Montana, if not more than that. It's a poverty state, and the financial problems Quist has had in the past make him far more like most Montanans than his opponent.

And the national party IS putting quite a few ads out on his behalf here.

I have spoken with Quist a couple times, personally, and he gets it, he sees what is at stake and I think he has a great chance at this point. I early voted and it took me more time to find a stamp than it did for me to fill in the little bubble next to his name on the ballot. I see far more yard signs for Quist than his opponent who was already rejected by voters in November. Since the fateful 1/20 event, many are seeing what they have to lose if they don't elect Quist.

In fact, several of our JobService offices, my town included, are closing at the end of June due to funding cuts. So are funds for subsidized housing, which I need right now but can't find so I am sleeping in my vehicle, and it's been pretty damned cold the past couple weeks... and it sucks to high heaven. Not everyone is feeling the pain yet but they will.

So for those of you who want to armchair quarterback this House election, go for it but you might be way off the mark as this state isn't like your other red states.

Sincerely,

2na in Montana.

[riversedge]

27. Thanks for your post--and I hope Sanders can help your state. Also hope you can

get some help so not sleeping in a car anymore. Serious.

[2naSalit]

37. You're welcome...

Montana is a strange animal and hard to understand if you haven't lived here for any length of time.

And thank you. I get a brief respite when I have to got to a family reunion the first week of June. Otherwise, I'm glad it's not so cold, like it was earlier last week, that wasn't fun... and it costs a lot to be out here. there are no free camping places anymore, this year even the state run places were free until this spring and cost more than the Forest Service campgrounds, by at least twice as much. And a shower at the truck stop is at least $10 and that's the cheap one. When I was a driver, it was about $2 or $3 max. I have good reasons for hating capitalism, and these are some of them. It will get more dangerous as the tourists and seasonal workers start glomming the place and compete for places to be.

[WellDarn]

29. Thank you n/t

[stuffmatters]

25. Everyone from DNC Perez to GOP smarm Kaisich have used Bernie to draw a crowd/support

Bernie is deep in the tradition of Harkin and Mcgovern...they used to be called prairie populists. He's currently the most popular, trusted politician of either party in America according to polls. And he won the Dem primary there by lots.

If you want to draw and grow a big, enthusiastic crowd, I think Bernie's a good fit there. And he's supported this candidate from the beginning.

I support the unification and value of all of our Party and maximizing/tailoring the 50 State/all Districts strategy to win back the House, Senate and Presidency.

[WellDarn]

30. Thank you as well

[Sunlei]

36. good, Bernie won the D primary there and has a lot of Montana supporters.