Democrat safe seats no longer safe as primary revolt grows

Grassroots anger sweeps away party veterans

A wave of anti-establishment anger is ripping through the Democratic Party, with six House incumbents already losing their primaries despite representing districts once considered politically untouchable.

The growing rebellion is exposing deep divisions within the party as frustrated grassroots voters reject long-serving lawmakers and demand a new generation of candidates ahead of November's elections.

Latest casualty shocks party leadership

The latest victim is Michigan Congressman Shri Thanedar, who was defeated despite vastly outspending his opponent and receiving the backing of House Democratic leaders, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition.

State Representative Donavan McKinney secured victory with support from Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and influential left-wing organisations including Justice Democrats, the Democratic Socialists of America and the Working Families Party.

Not just an ideological battle

Some Democrats insist the defeats are not simply a victory for the party's progressive wing. One senior House Democrat argued Thanedar lost because voters believed he had neglected his constituents.

"He didn't deliver constituent services. All he did was talk about himself," the lawmaker said.

Nevertheless, the result reinforces growing dissatisfaction with the Democratic establishment and signals that incumbency is no longer offering the protection it once did.

Veteran lawmakers toppled

Thanedar joins a growing list of Democratic casualties, including Adriano Espaillat, Diana DeGette and Dan Goldman, who all lost to challengers running from the left.

Elsewhere, veteran Texas Congressman Al Green was defeated by freshman Congressman Christian Menefee after redistricting placed the pair in the same seat, while Congresswoman Julie Johnson was beaten by former Congressman Colin Allred.

Political analysts note this is only the fourth election cycle since 1994 in which at least six sitting House Democrats have been defeated in their own primaries.

More battles still to come

The turmoil may be far from over. Several senior Democrats now face increasingly serious primary challenges, particularly lawmakers aged over 70 who have served in Congress for decades.

Among those under pressure are John Larson of Connecticut, Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, Ed Case of Hawaii, Doris Matsui and Mike Thompson of California. Progressive activists are also targeting Jimmy Gomez, Jared Moskowitz and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Warning signs before November

Wisconsin Democrat Mark Pocan believes the surge in anti-incumbent sentiment reflects voters demanding stronger leadership against President Donald Trump rather than simply rewarding political loyalty.

He argued the unrest could ultimately strengthen the party if Democratic candidates reconnect with frustrated voters, warning that respecting the concerns of the electorate will be crucial if Democrats hope to unite before November's elections.

SOURCE

24 minutes ago, Social Media said:

Democrat safe seats no longer safe as primary revolt grows

Grassroots anger sweeps away party veterans

A wave of anti-establishment anger is ripping through the Democratic Party, with six House incumbents already losing their primaries despite representing districts once considered politically untouchable.

The growing rebellion is exposing deep divisions within the party as frustrated grassroots voters reject long-serving lawmakers and demand a new generation of candidates ahead of November's elections.

Latest casualty shocks party leadership

The latest victim is Michigan Congressman Shri Thanedar, who was defeated despite vastly outspending his opponent and receiving the backing of House Democratic leaders, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition.

State Representative Donavan McKinney secured victory with support from Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and influential left-wing organisations including Justice Democrats, the Democratic Socialists of America and the Working Families Party.

Not just an ideological battle

Some Democrats insist the defeats are not simply a victory for the party's progressive wing. One senior House Democrat argued Thanedar lost because voters believed he had neglected his constituents.

"He didn't deliver constituent services. All he did was talk about himself," the lawmaker said.

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Nevertheless, the result reinforces growing dissatisfaction with the Democratic establishment and signals that incumbency is no longer offering the protection it once did.

Veteran lawmakers toppled

Thanedar joins a growing list of Democratic casualties, including Adriano Espaillat, Diana DeGette and Dan Goldman, who all lost to challengers running from the left.

Elsewhere, veteran Texas Congressman Al Green was defeated by freshman Congressman Christian Menefee after redistricting placed the pair in the same seat, while Congresswoman Julie Johnson was beaten by former Congressman Colin Allred.

Political analysts note this is only the fourth election cycle since 1994 in which at least six sitting House Democrats have been defeated in their own primaries.

More battles still to come

The turmoil may be far from over. Several senior Democrats now face increasingly serious primary challenges, particularly lawmakers aged over 70 who have served in Congress for decades.

Among those under pressure are John Larson of Connecticut, Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, Ed Case of Hawaii, Doris Matsui and Mike Thompson of California. Progressive activists are also targeting Jimmy Gomez, Jared Moskowitz and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Warning signs before November

Wisconsin Democrat Mark Pocan believes the surge in anti-incumbent sentiment reflects voters demanding stronger leadership against President Donald Trump rather than simply rewarding political loyalty.

He argued the unrest could ultimately strengthen the party if Democratic candidates reconnect with frustrated voters, warning that respecting the concerns of the electorate will be crucial if Democrats hope to unite before November's elections.

SOURCE

You were warned. The crazies are trying to take over.

To an outsider (non American), the Republicans and Democrats have traditionally been seen as two sides of the same coin. The Democrats, that many right wing Republicans like to call 'liberals', are, generally speaking, pretty center-right when compared to other countries like UK or Australia Labor parties or Canada's Liberal Party (though the latter has shifted a bit to the right under Carney).

The Democrat backlash the article describes is, in a way, the same backlash that resulted in Trump's victory. The working class and lower middle class, traditionally the Dem's base, feel abandonded by the party. It started under Clinton's time and accelerated - with Dem politicians ignoring their base to hang out with millionnaire musicians and Hollywood weirdos. The plumbers, other trades men and women, and virtually every other working class and small business owners that keep America running had lost connection with the Democrats. The hollowed-out Unions might have continued their support, but that didn't and doesn't mean their members will vote Democrat. As for the left wing shift to so-called 'social democrats', they've seen the way Bernie Sanders was treated by his own party, they are increasingly seen as America's main pro-Zionist party, and wonder why the richest country in the world can't provide universal public health care, or daycare for working parents, etc., and they rightly wonder what, if anything, they get back for the taxes they pay. They haven't forgotten how the party backed Republican's endless wars. Finally, during this second term of Trump, the Democrats have been largely AWOL with a few vocal exceptions - and those tend to be social-democrat voices (Sanders, The Squad). Some say this will divide the party if it is a sign of what's ahead. Maybe, or maybe it's the beginning of a real shift to what the party should be doing.

So one person, spoken to casually as they boarded a plane, is the foundation for this report that moderate Democrats will now vote Republican..........what a joke.