D.C. Dems are hurting chances to beat Scott Brown

[Mass]

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1343355

D.C. Dems are hurting chances to beat Scott Brown

By Doug Rubin
Monday, June 6, 2011 - Updated 10 hours ago
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Memo to Democratic Party officials in D.C.: Put up or shut up.

In recent weeks, there’s been a lot of behind-closed-doors buzz by Democratic officials in Washington about the need to recruit a “top-tier” candidate to run against Sen. Scott Brown. Stories have appeared in the New York Times , on the Associated Press wire and on the political blogs citing unnamed senior party leaders bemoaning the lack of a “high-profile” candidate, and detailing efforts to recruit someone to run.

This might make for nice D.C. cocktail party chatter, but it’s not helpful on the ground in Massachusetts.


I understand that this is how it works in D.C. Elected officials are judged on how much money they can raise, or how often they appear on the Sunday morning talk shows. Contested primaries are viewed only as roadblocks that force “serious” candidates chosen by the party to spend money early and take the focus off of attacking the Republicans.

The problem? That thinking has not led to electoral success recently in Massachusetts. Deval Patrick emerged from a hard-fought primary in 2006, against a candidate favored by many party insiders, to end 16 years of Republican control of the Corner Office. Scott Brown ran and won in 2010 only after higher-profile candidates like Andy Card declined to enter the special election. And Suzanne Bump survived a contested primary and won election as state auditor against a strong Republican challenger in November.

The speculation from D.C. hurts the existing field, which is already filled with strong, talented candidates. It keeps donors who are loyal to the party on the sidelines, and forces some very important grass-roots organizers to hold off from making a commitment to a candidate. It also creates media stories about the supposed weakness of the field, which is a disservice to those candidates who have chosen to run.

The best thing for our state is for candidates who feel like they have a compelling reason to run for U.S. Senate to get in early, do the hard work at the grass-roots level and broaden the Democratic message and vision. A clean, hard-fought primary will strengthen the party and energize the grass-roots.

If Democratic Party officials in D.C. have a preferred candidate, let us know who it is and get him or her up here to start doing the hard work it will take to win.

Talk right now is not only cheap, it’s hurting our chances of winning this Senate seat in 2012. Democratic Party leaders in D.C. need to go all in, or get out of the way.