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It is amazing what a difference a serious primary challenge can make. Representatives in Congress who have serious primary challenges never seem to buck their party. The Politico wrote:
[F]inally, today’s study in contrasts: moderate Sens. Michael Bennet and Blanche Lincoln, both of whom face tough races next year. Lincoln, the final hold out on Saturday, has threatened to withhold her support going forward. Bennet on Sunday candidly pledged to support the bill even if he knew it would cost him his seat.
What is the difference between Bennet and Lincoln? Bennet is currently facing a serious primary challenge from Andrew Romanoff, while Lincoln is not currently facing a primary challenge.
Romanoff is the former speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives. This gives him some statewide name recognition and a history of successfully running political campaigns, unlike the political novice Bennet. It is possible Romanoff could beat Bennet in a primary, so Bennet is worried about angering the Democratic base. Bennet claims that he will support health care reform, even if it could possibly cost him his seat, and this may well be true. But what Bennet left unsaid was that he knows opposing health care reform would definitely cost him his seat–thanks to his credible primary challenger.
We have seen the same pattern from Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania that we see from Micheal Bennet in Colorado. It is amazing how quickly a serious primary challenger turns a senator into a reliable vote on the important issues.
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Michael Bennet told me in a face to face conversation last spring that he would support the public option and could support single payer if it had a chance. This was long before Romanoff had declared any interest. I do however think that Lincoln deserves to be primaried as does Harry Reid.
Don’t forget Evan Bayh is up for election in 2010. I would almost consider getting a second job just to help fund any primary challenger to Bayh.
Primary Blanche. It might get her out from under the desk of Wal-Mart’s CEO.
Where do we donate?
Good for Bennet. I saw this info at the Denver Post this AM. It was an AP story but it seemed like Bennet was addressing it more towards the Republicans than a primary challenge.
If Lincoln threatened by a primary challenger, I think she’d cave in her opposition to the Senate voting up-or-down on a public option mighty fast. Frankly, I don’t get the impression that she’d then vote for any hcr with a public option under any circumstances. But so what? It just gives a primary challenger more ammunition to defeat her.
Well, what I’ve gathered about Bennet of CO is that he’s a far smarter, more capable person than many other Senators of either party.
I know squat about that primary, but if the New Yorker report on him was accurate, he’s seen a lot of ‘on the ground’ families when he was the Supt. of Denver schools.
Like Jay Rockefeller, he appears to have been reared in comfort, but he has principles and a wider experience of the world. In Rockefeller’s case, it was Vista; in Bennet’s, it was working in schools.
I don’t think Lincoln should be equated with Bennet.
Can’t primary anybody without a candidate. In FL candidates have until May to gather signatures or pay the filing fee but candidates can’t wait until then to set up a campaign committee and start collecting contributions. People thinking of running for any office should be thinking now whether they’re in or out. If they’re in they need to set up a campaign committee asap. Primary challengers need every minute and every dollar they can muster to have a chance at unseating an incumbent. Now is the time to crank it up.
I’m speaking as a campaign treasurer in 2 congressional campaigns that unsuccessfully challenged Bill Young (R-FL10) in the general election in 06 and 08.
OT warning:
Isn’t it time to quit labeling Democrats such as Ben Nelson “moderate Democrats?” The president is a moderate Democrat, and he is to the left of those Dems who the traditional media have been calling “moderate.” Harry Reid is hardly a “progressive” Democrat, he is a moderate, and so are many of those who voted
“Conservative” Democrat is far more of an accurate description of any Democrat who would oppose a health care bill with even a strong, non-opt out public option, and I think everyone who follows Democratic politics knows that.
Again, time to stop letting the trad. media define the political spectrum, since they all have beltwayitis.
Above, meant to say:
…Harry Reid is hardly a “progressive” Democrat, he is a moderate, and so are many of those who voted to close debate on the Senate HCR bill with no posturing…”Conservative” Democrat etc
Bill Halter needs to announce he will challenge Blanche, NOW
Let’s call them what they really are: neoliberals.
Senator Bennett is getting much more credit than he deserves from some commenters here. Just a few months ago, he was discounting the importance of a public option, and making noises about not supporting a public option in the Senate bill.
Choose from the following options:
1. He was taking a principled stand against government intervention in health care.
2. He was anticipating how watered-down the “public option” would be, once it got to the Senate floor.
3. He’s just another bought-and-paid-for politico, looking for someone to scratch his back.
Got any supporting links?
So when is the Lt Gov of Arkansas announcing his run against Lincoln. Money would not be a problem I suspect…well except not much from United Health..they bought there girl already.
Myxzptlk!!! Superman’s impish nemesis! I thought you had been totally forgotten. Welcome back!