Like other political junkies across the blogosphere I have been following the primary contest in Illinois’ 6th Congressional District. That seat is one which Democrats have a pretty fair shot at winning so it’s been the focus of a good deal of attention.It’s an open seat and the primary contest has been the mirror of a contest that’s been boiling along inside the Democratic Party: Democrats who identify as progressive, ‘net-roots,’ activists versus Democrats who represent the established Democratic (read ‘inside the beltway’) Party.
In her last run for Congress Cegelis ran against the Republican incumbent, Henry Hyde, and although she lost (receiving 44 per cent of the vote) her performance in a traditionally Republican district turned winning the seat from a forlorn hope to a real possibility. Cegelis immediately started her 2006 campaign and won union support and an endorsement from the Democracy for America organization.
Cegelis’s performance coupled with the retirement, after 35 years, of Hyde attracted the attention of the DCCC’s Leader Emanuel Rahm, who came down on the contest like a duck on a June bug. Rahm introduced and supported Tammy Duckworth, a double amputee combat helicopter pilot, from Iraq. Duckworth is, by all accounts, a very imprssive campaigner and candidate.
Now how are we to read this primary? Is it a loss for the ‘net roots’ faction and the DFA and a win for the DCCC and the beltway? Are there national implications or is the contest simply indicative of the mood inside Illinois CD 6?
4 comments:
I'm not so sure that she's "anti war" according to what I thought I heard from her earlier campaigning.
She takes the same approach as most the DCCC/DLC bunch. This is one major difference I see between Latas and Duckworth. Oh, one other major difference, Latas is a true progressive, like Cegelis, Duckworth is a recruited DLC/DCCC carpetbagger. She is most defiantly not a progressive. This is why the Deputy Director of Progressive Democrats of America, Keven Spidel, took a leave of absence to be Cegelis' manager and Jim Dean and DFA endorsed Cegelis. Duckworth is no progressive and I think it's time you do some research and learn the differences.
Kral,
What is it with the "cut and run" repug vocabulary? You are a dem aren't you?
Is this the only argument you have in your game plan now that the "only experienced politician" thing just doesn't work anymore?
You perceive that the Giffords campaign has been attacked repeatedly, but in reality, it's just facts. For the last several months, you claimed to check Giffords record out, but you refuse to divulge it. Her voting record has disappeared from the electronic sites, why?
If you think this is attacking, you’re wrong. We want the truth and you aren't helping, why?
My observation, for what it's worth, worst case scenario would have Huffman win the Republican nomination. Giffords can not win this. Both are from the same cloth, both pro-bus. Repug vs Repug lite always goes Repug. Huffman is also military reserves. Weiss can't win this race either.
Latas is the most likely to win a Huffman/Latas race when it comes to the General. He will have no problems with anyone else. He will beat all the Repugs hands down. He will get DCCC and DLC and DNC and PDA and DFA and all other progressive and democrat support, where Giffords may not get the progressive organizations. Watch the Duckworth race now, see if DFA and PDA get behind her, they may not. Giffords will be badly attacked by the Rove machine and painted as either wishy washy or a cut and run dem and weak on national security. Patty will be called pretty non-effective by the machine and "cut and Run" candidate. Latas will be called an angery dem, but some like this (backbone).
I'm an observer, not a pundit. Latas is the strongest in this match to include repugs. The sooner you learn this, the better. I would suggest people start getting behind Latas if you want the CD-8 seat or you will loose your chance.
PS. Staying in Iraq argument is pro-war.
Kralmalajes wrote (in part):
"I admire his conviction, his forthcoming nature, and everything else about his story. So impressive...but I don't admire his supporters for attacking Giffords...and yes...you all have been attacking...for what reason...I do not understand."
Actually, the reason is very simple. Their candidates have no record to defend or attack. If the DCCC and Rahm suddenly decide that Latas is CD-8's Tammy, do you think he'll say 'no thanks?'
Is Weiss really interested in 'reforming the party?' and transforming campaign finance? Yeah, sure. Or is she just looking for another high profile job?
There seems to be an underlying supposition, which we're asked to embrace, that Latas's military service
in Iraq gives him special insight into
what's going on.
But is it not correct that Latas did not fly in the present Iraq war? He served at a different time in a very different engagemnent (Desert Storm.)
Considering the bumbling of the war by the current military establishment, I don't think being part of that establishment is necessarily an argument in favor of geo-political wisdom on his part.
Post a Comment