Star Tribune "Winning progressive votes could be a challenge for Klobuchar"

[dflprincess]

http://www.startribune.com/winning-progressive-votes-could-be-a-challenge-for-klobuchar/505687862/

A few hours after Sen. Amy Klobuchar joined the Democratic presidential race, Our Revolution Minnesota endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders. A day earlier, the national Progressive Change Campaign Committee said it's backing Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

The moves underscored a key question for the Minnesota senator's White House campaign: Is she progressive enough to win the nomination at a time when the party's most liberal wing is ascendant?

"Her voting record is safe. It's very centrist and that's just not what we're about," said Anita Seeling of Minnetonka, vice chair of Our Revolution Minnesota's board. "We need somebody that's a champion."

Erik Hatlestad, an organizer for Democratic Socialists of America and a member of the City Council in New London, Minn., praised Klobuchar's support for the Green New Deal initiative. It calls for cutting greenhouse gas emissions to net zero in a decade.

"However, we're rather concerned that her commitment to other bold and popular ideas isn't across the board," Hatlestad said. She hasn't said she supports a plan known as Medicare for All that would provide universal health insurance, he noted....

...Klobuchar hasn't embraced other progressive priorities, including a $15 minimum wage and tuition-free college. She hasn't endorsed calls to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Kevin Chavis of Minneapolis, who chairs Our Revolution Twin Cities, liked Klobuchar's speech on Sunday and its emphasis on inequality, drug prices, data privacy, gun laws and ending divisiveness.

"She tries to find popular policies that are not too controversial," he said. "I just don't know if that's going to work this time."

Our Revolution Twin Cities hasn't endorsed a presidential candidate, Chavis said.

[elleng]

1. but she's done very well in Minnesota, right, from the beginning,

and 'progressive' may or may not be definitive, in the U.S. general electorate.

[dflprincess]

2. No one credible has run against her

in either the primary or general election. Had she faced a real challenge in the caucuses or primary she might have been surprised at the number of DFLers who were willing to support someone else. She got the endorsement in 2006 because party leadership, in violation of its own rules, shut out the credible progressive challenger by throwing all its support to Klobuchar before there was an endorsement. I've always wondered what exactly was behind that, supposedly the DNC made it clear they wanted a "safe" candidate, not another Wellstone type that might actually try to rock the boat.

Progressives vote for her because, as disappointing as she has been, she's still better than a Republican. I'm hoping for a better reason to vote for someone in 2020 than just being "better than Trump".

[emulatorloo]

3. 'vice chair of Our Revolution Minnesota's board' tells me all I need to know

Not exactly a surprise that Our Revolution is tearing down anyone who isn’t Senator Sanders.

[dflprincess]

4. I was disappointed that the paper didn't speak to any DFL party activists

the progressive wing of the DFL, many of us who have been active in the party for years, have never been thrilled with Klobuchar and are not ready or willing to jump on this bandwagon. Not that we wouldn't support her in November 2020 if she were to be the nominee, I'm just hoping for someone more inspiring.

If you like the status quo, Amy is your candidate.

[emulatorloo]

5. Yes, DFL would have been better than DSA and the Our Revolution crowd. The status quo is Trump

and his Republican protectors like Lindsey Graham.

I supported Bernie in 2016, I am a left-liberal. Amy probably won’t be my candidate in the primary, but I am not interested in smears from biased parties like Our Revolution.

It is really is a shame they didn’t to anybody from the DFL. Maybe next time.

[Renew Deal]

6. Our Revolution is a Republican front group

If they don’t support you, then you’re probably doing the correct thing.