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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCA-SEN: Poll finds De Leon draws most of his support from Republicans
Senate candidate Kevin de León has campaigned as the progressive alternative to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, but with the election just weeks away, his strongest support is coming from Republicans, according to a new USC-Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll.
De León planned his campaign as an insurgency from the left against his fellow Democrat, but a funny thing happened on the way to the revolution: The battle over Brett Kavanaughs nomination to the Supreme Court made Feinstein, the senior Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, a high-profile target of President Trump.
On conservative media, commentators have urged California Republicans to cast ballots against Feinstein as retribution.
The poll, which was in the field while the Kavanaugh fight raged, cant show cause and effect, but does clearly indicate an unexpected twist in the race: De León, one of the most liberal candidates to run statewide in a general election, now gets more support from registered Republicans than from liberal Democrats.
It is a profound irony, given the rationale of his campaign, that De León is getting more support from Trump supporters, said Robert Shrum, co-director of USCs Center for the Political Future. Hes doing better among people who fundamentally disagree with his message than people who agree with his message.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-usc-latimes-poll-senate-20181018-story.html
DIANNE FEINSTEIN
https://feinsteinforca.com
JI7
(89,276 posts)by wanting to try to hurt feinstein for what she did with the kavanaugh case.
SoCalNative
(4,613 posts)They don't have a dog in the fight, but they hate Feinstein so much they will vote for her opponent to try and unseat her.
diva77
(7,663 posts)As for the rethugs supporting him, maybe they've inhaled too many fumes from burning nikes and taylor swift cds
RandySF
(59,341 posts)Don't let them have it.
diva77
(7,663 posts)their vote as a way to punish Feinstein. I see it as a vote for a progressive.
Garrett78
(10,721 posts)diva77
(7,663 posts)Small-Axe
(359 posts)Last edited Fri Oct 19, 2018, 09:20 PM - Edit history (1)
puts the judgment of the CA State Democratic Central Committee in grave doubt.
At best this endorsement of De Leon shows the committee is very out of touch with Democratic voters and at worst that it has been infiltrated by "activists" who seek to hijack the party.
CA Democrats need to wake up and make sure our party isn't hijacked by the Green Tea Party with the help of Republicans.
The good news is Dianne Feinstein will be re-elected.
Garrett78
(10,721 posts)...like it's time for a change. de Leon is not a bad option by any means. He's the leader of the State Senate. He's not some random activist off the street. But Feinstein obviously has much more name recognition, and she's the incumbent.
Small-Axe
(359 posts)...but it is very clear that Dianne Feinstein is the overwhelmingly choice of Democratic voters, so the "people" are not feeling it is time for a change. Instead we have a CA Central Committee that is out of touch with the will of the people and that is worrisome to this Democrat.
RandySF
(59,341 posts)on a Saturday morning.
diva77
(7,663 posts)with the Central Comm. It's not a hijacking and the progressives are not "out of touch" with the voters.
Small-Axe
(359 posts)Last edited Fri Oct 19, 2018, 10:34 PM - Edit history (1)
if so-called "progressives" made an endorcement that flys in the face of Democratic voters?
Democrats overwhelmingly support Dianne Feinstein. This move is prima facia evidence that the Central Committee has been taken over by activists who don't reflect the will of CA Democratic voters.
This isn't a close call.
RandySF
(59,341 posts)that swung the endorsement. They did not reflect the party at all.
Small-Axe
(359 posts)Which is worrisome to this CA Democrat.
R B Garr
(16,993 posts)The draw for Republicans is to divide Democrats.
The endorsement of California Democrats Committee is by the activists desperate to score here in very liberal California. But it looks like liberal California voters are more interested in winning than playing message games based on the election results.
Great post. You nailed it.
VOX
(22,976 posts)Even older CA Democrats, whove appreciated what Diane Feinstein has done over the decades, are ready for a change. Shes a centrist, and tends to avoid scrapping with opponents. All in a time when we need tough fighters who arent afraid to go after the assholes-in-power.
RandySF
(59,341 posts)VOX
(22,976 posts)Wanting a more vocal, liberal senator for several years now. Nobodys joining anything to do with Republicans.
Dianes been a fine public servant, but shes 85 years old and was fitted with a pacemaker last year. Over the years, theres been controversies involving her husband's government contracts (which look like chicken feed now, compared to 45s profiteering).
Id rather have another senator (in this vastly underrepresented state of nearly 40 million) who can bring the energy and focus of Kamala Harris. Thats all there is to it.
RandySF
(59,341 posts)A vote WITH Republicans to oust a vocal Trump/Kavanaugh critic.
Merlot
(9,696 posts)Actually it would be kind of funny if the repubs in all their wisdom got rid of a centrist democrat and replaced her with a liberal.
When I read this headline my thought was that DeLeon was trying to court repubs which is a deal braker. But if repubs are just using this to exact sometype of "revenge" well then, fine by me.
I like Feinstein, have not had any problem with her though I wish she hadn't run again. Still not decided on who I'm voting for...wish DeLeon could make a stronger case than "it's time for change."
VOX
(22,976 posts)I cannot control what Republicans do or don't do. This is a lose-lose proposition for them, whatever happens. But I urge you to read De Leon's endorsements via the link below. This is NOT a guy Republicans would love.
https://www.kevindeleon.com/endorsements/
Codeine
(25,586 posts)Feinstein wouldnt be winning by a comfortable margin even with the useful idiots on the Right supporting deLeon, now would she?
VOX
(22,976 posts)Polls aside, if de Leon was a Republican stalking-horse, the California Democratic Party wouldnt have endorsed him now, would they? This is a win-win for Democrats if Feinsteins re-elected, great (although her age/health at 85 is a concern; if shes unable to perform at any point, well get someone we didnt vote for). If de Leon bucks the polls and gets elected, great. This is a non-issue issue. California will have a Democratic senator, regardless.
Whatever Republicans do will have no consequence. If they should tip the vote away from Feinstein and make de Leon the winner, then theyve done something historically stupid: in exacting revenge for Kavanaugh, California will have a senator whos even more liberal than Diane Feinstein. Republicans couldnt even celebrate a gambit that insane, even for them. What could they say? Well, we knocked out our archenemy Feinstein, didnt we? And now those leftists will be stuck with a far-out, liberal Hispanic socialist. What a great victory for Republicans and conservatives not only in California, but aross the country!
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-senate-feinstein-de-leon-endorsement-20180714-story.html
In rebuke of Dianne Feinstein, Kevin de León wins endorsement of California Democrats in Senate race
By PHIL WILLON
JUL 14, 2018
California Democratic Party leaders took a step to the left Saturday night, endorsing liberal state lawmaker Kevin de León for Senate in a stinging rebuke of Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
De Leóns victory reflected the increasing strength of the state partys liberal activist core, which was energized by the election of Republican Donald Trump as president.
The endorsement was an embarrassment for Feinstein, who is running for a fifth full term, and indicates that Democratic activists in California have soured on her reputation for pragmatism and deference to bipartisanship as Trump and a Republican-led Congress are attacking Democratic priorities on immigration, healthcare and environmental protections.
De León, a former state Senate leader from Los Angeles, received 65% of the vote of about 330 members of the state partys executive board more than the 60% needed to secure the endorsement.
Feinstein, who pleaded with party leaders meeting in Oakland this weekend not to endorse any candidate, received 7%, and 28% voted for no endorsement.
<snip>
Takket
(21,639 posts)roamer65
(36,747 posts)they have to vote for solid liberal Democrat like DeLeon. They are screwed either way on this one.
I love how the system out there is quite often excluding Repukes from the general elections.
StevieM
(10,500 posts)she lost because the voters wanted to punish her for not embracing a Bernie Sanders-style future for the country.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Codeine
(25,586 posts)when she wins!
kimbutgar
(21,215 posts)I smell A Rat.
David__77
(23,549 posts)Its great to have two Democrats on the ballot!