I just donated to the DCCC.

[RandySF]

Some people see perceive undemocratic barriers against challenging incumbents, I saw the organization avert disaster in the California primaries (by preventing R vs. R runoffs) and help us pick up six seats in November.

[Kurt V.]

1. how can you base your entire decision on one state

[RandySF]

3. Thwir accomplisgmwents go well beyond California

but their decision to get involved in the June primaries (one of the rare instances of 2018) was crucial to winning the majority.

[riverine]

2. I will too. It will be my first to the DCCC. I hate litmus tests.

I like all kinds of Democrats.

[shanny]

6. I don't.

I don't equate AOC and Manchin, for example.

[riverine]

8. Where is the litmus test there?

And I definitely equate them. They are both perfect for their district/state.

[shanny]

11. wth? the DCCC is applying the litmus test

of "thou shalt not primary incumbents or we will blackball you (consultants) in the future. According to THEIR litmus test, Dan Lipinski is Just Fine. Because Incumbent!

eff that

[riverine]

13. a political litmus test is one in which a single position decides whether a candidate is supported.

For instance "We won't support Candidate X because of his/her position on gun bans".

Re-electing Democrats is not a litmus test. It is a good thing.


Choice is the primary litmus test out there. I am pro-choice but support the reelection of Bob Casey.

[shanny]

15. We disagree. Electing GOOD Democrats is a good thing. eom

[riverine]

18. "Good" Democrats are the ones who win.

Any Democrat is better than any Republican.

[shanny]

23. so a Democrat who is willing to trade away SS or Medicare

is a "good" Democrat, simply by virtue of being elected?

that explains a lot.

[riverine]

25. Winning is that important. If "Conserva-Dems" Mark Pryor, Mary Landrieu, Kay Hagan had won in 2014

there would be no Gorsuch and Kavanaugh on the SCOTUS.

Winning matters more than anything.

[shanny]

34. Winning what? exactly.

[Blue_true]

21. What is your definition of a "good democrat"?

The example that you gave for the Illinois Congressman is a good one, in cases like him, I would prefer that the DCCC stand back. I contributed to his democratic primary opponent, something that I almost never do (contribute to one democrat in a democrat against democrat prinary fight, except the presidential primary). There were democrat versus democrat primaries in California and in Texas that could have easily caused us to not win seats, fortunately all went well because the DCCC preferred candidate prevailed in the primary and won the general. But we can't always count on such end results after we thoughtlessly self wound ourselves.

The Our Revolution candidates are pretty much out to create a bloodbath in the primary, that is different from a truly progressive democratic candidate challenging a Lipinski in an Illinois district, I believe the DCCC get that right most of the time, but not on Lipinski.

[shanny]

26. Hmmm.

So, the DCCC backed a candidate that was not perfect for NY 14th? They backed Crowley, not AOC. By their metric, that was the right thing to do.

Thank you for making my point.

[riverine]

28. Democracy is dynamic like that.

WASHINGTON – With 18-days left before the Democratic congressional primary runoff in Houston, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairman Ben Ray Lujan is doubling down on his criticism of activist candidate Laura Moser, who is in a spirited battle with attorney Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for the party's nomination.

Pressed Friday by MSNBC host Hallie Jackson on whether the DCCC has its "finger on the scale" against progressive Democrats in primary contests around the nation, Lujan defended the campaign committee's unusual decision in February to publicly attack Moser, one of his party's own candidates.

As he has in the past, Lujan said the DCCC's move was about promoting what party officials see as the most electable candidate to challenge Seventh Congressional District Republican incumbent John Culberson in November.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/article/DCCC-redoubles-attack-on-Laura-Moser-in-12888593.php

Fletcher won.

[shanny]

32. did Crowley?

No. Was he "perfect for his district"? No. Would the new DCCC policy have supported him, or supported the person who primaried him and who is, according to the person I was responding to, "perfect for the district"? I'll let you guess.

How dynamic!

[emulatorloo]

29. Ocasio-Cortez ran a great campaign, Crowley did not. Pretty simple

I don’t think we need another “evil DEmoncrat” theory here on DU do we?

[aikoaiko]

14. That's kind of the point to AOC's call for pausing donations to the DCCC

The DCCC apparently doesn't like Democrats who challenge incumbent Democrats in primaries.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/436592-progressives-hammer-dccc-over-blacklist-targeting-primary-challenges

[Blue_true]

24. We have a choice of contributing to a progressive candidate that has a chance at winning.

I did that in the Illinois race that another poster mentioned. The candidate did not win, but if she goes into a primary again, I will support her again, even as I support the DCCC. I think that the DCCC gets it right most of the time.

[manor321]

4. They will put that money to horrible conservative Democrats that fight against...

...75% of what we fight for.

It is 1000 times better to donate directly to candidates.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

7. +1

[Raine]

12. Exactly

and I choose for my money to go to my choice not theirs.

[GulfCoast66]

20. Is that a 'Royal We' you used?

Many of us support the Democratic Candidate that can win. Not the one that puts up a good fight and loses.

Most of our Freshman House Members are moderates who won republican leaning districts. With the help of the DCCC. AOC and a few others getting the press are not the typical freshman and had all our candidates supported her positions we would still be in the minority. Don’t get me wrong, I like her and she is great in her district. But we are not winning a majority in Congress with candidates with her positions.

I would love Joe Manchin as my Senator. Cause now I have Rubio and Skeletor.

[Blue_true]

27. What democrat vote against 75% of what we are for?

Manchin? Lipinski? Gabbard? Gabbard has mostly a liberal voting record in Congress, though I would like to see the democrat that is primarying her win in 2020. Manchin votes with us most of the time and I suspect that Lipinski does also. Would I like to see someone much more progressive than Manchin and Lipinski hold their seats? Yes, but not at the risk of someone getting the seat that will vote against us 100% of the time.

[shanny]

5. I'll be donating to candidates of my choice, not theirs.

[emulatorloo]

30. As we all do. It is not rocket science.

And is not really unique around here.

I give to DCCC and DSCC a little and the candidates of my choice too. Sometimes I give to one or the other, either candidate or DCCC. More likely to give to candidates.

Never thought to make a big deal about it, as AFAIK all Dem supporters who can give money allocate the money the way they think best

Right now I have no money so i can’t give at all.

[msongs]

9. better to give your $$ to candidates not the bloated bureaucracy IMO nt

[RandySF]

10. That "bloated buraeucracy"

sent field staff to work in Orange County 24/7 for five months after the primaries, with what I would call positive results.

[shanny]

16. a bureaucracy, bloated or otherwise,

is not entitled to pick our candidates. Unless we allow it, of course.

https://www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_we_the_people_and_the_republic_we_must_reclaim/transcript

[GulfCoast66]

22. You mean the bloated bureaucracy that won us the house?

[emulatorloo]

31. +1

[ismnotwasm]

17. Yeah me too.

I give to my states Democratic Pac on a regular basis, but I thought this would be an excellent time to donate to the DCCC

[Blue_true]

19. I seldom donate to the DCCC, I prefer candidates.

But like you, I will be donating to it. I really feel that poorly thought out primary challenges are bad.

[justhanginon]

33. Same here. Donating to the DCCC tomorrow.