Alan Grayson leads in Republican primary

[FLAprogressive]

Republicans like a politician who stands up for what he believes -- even if he believes the Republican Party is populated by a bunch of "knuckle-dragging Neanderthals."

The candidate leading the Florida GOP primary to determine who will take on Rep. Alan Grayson, the Democrat who represents the Orlando-based district, is none other than Grayson himself, according to a poll paid for by his campaign. Grayson is a freshman congressman who has drawn scorn from the GOP and has quickly built a nationwide following of progressives.

The poll has Grayson leading the 13 Republicans -- among Republicans -- with 27.8 percent of the vote. The congressman who mocked the GOP health care plan by saying that it amounts to telling people not to get sick and if they do, to die quickly, received more support than all of the Republican candidates combined.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/04/grayson-leading-in-republ_n_486090.html?ref=twitter

[SharonRB]

1. ROFLMAO

Love it!

:rofl:

[Go2Peace]

26. It proves that if you speak with conviction, PROGRESSIVE values win the people over

Are the centrists listening yet?

[smoogatz]

44. BINGO. Double bingo. Bongo. Bango.

The problem is that they aren't centrists--the Blue Dogs and DLCers are conservatives who for a variety of reasons have gotten themselves elected as Democrats. Progressive values are the furthest thing from their way of thinking. The only answer is more fire-breathers like Grayson to primary their asses. Speak the plain truth, and people respond.

[Edweird]

2. LOL. Remind me again why we can't get more like him?

[mmonk]

8. Bipartisanship or something like that I'm told.

[Old and In the Way]

3. This should be broadcast far and wide.

There's a lesson here for all timid Reps and Senators who care to learn it.

[upi402]

4. NAFTA saw Pat Buchanan and Jerry Brown on common ground

When the status quo is just that batshit crazy, only the indoctrinated complacent fat doughey middle can swallow it.

[gratuitous]

5. Anybody in the DNC taking notice?

Act like a real, live Democrat, and real, live Democratic voters will turn out for you. And a number of Republicans and Independents, too. Act like Republican Lite and look like Joe Lieberman.

[Go2Peace]

27. It can be right in front of their faces and they still don't seem to get it

or maybe they don't *want* to....?

[gratuitous]

56. I have heard it said

That when a man's paycheck depends on him not seeing something, you can bet he won't see it.

[LiberalFighter]

6. Does Florida have a write-in for their elections?

[laughingliberal]

7. Kind of knocks all those third way justifications right out, doesn't it?

I have said for ages that the problem progressives have is messaging. If they get their message out there in a way that communicates to people at an emotional level, they win. And some of our party leaders ran right out to denounce him when he made the brilliant statement on the House floor about the Republicans' health care plan being, "Don't get sick," or "Die quickly."

[Bette Noir]

55. I'm a nurse, so I've seen it. Grayson was exactly correct about

the Republicans' health care plan. I've had an insurance company rep telling me, (name of patient)"better be dead by Monday."

[progressoid]

9. GOP: "This is the most bogus thing I've ever seen in my life,"

Naturally, the national GOP establishment dismissed the results -- "This is the most bogus thing I've ever seen in my life," said Andy Seré, Regional Press Secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

:spray:

[nyc 4 Biden]

10. OMG that is great!

:spray::spray::spray::spray::spray::spray:
:spray::spray::spray::spray::spray::spray:

[mzmolly]

11. Wow! What does this do to the "message Massachusetts votes were sending"

meme?

[eridani]

13. Reinforces it strongly

Coakley would have won by huge margins if she had come off as fighting the establishment instead of being a part of it.

[mzmolly]

15. So a vote for Grayson is a vote against Health Care Reform?

Interesting. :sarcasm: Coakley was a bad candidate, which is why she lost. Also WE ARE the establishment at this time. Grayson speaks out against Republicans, not the President.

[eridani]

17. It is a vote for a politician who is not afraid to stand on principle

Being a wussy technocrat doesn't cut it.

[laughingliberal]

21. Exactly! Anyone else remember our 'moderates' expressing 'concern' that Grayson

would be marginalized as a nut job when he came out with his statements about Republican style health care? Or our wimpy leaders distancing themselves from him and his remarks?

Just puts all those 'pragmatist' and 'third way' arguments down the toilet where they belong.

How about this crap we keep getting fed

"But (insert your favorite Blue Dog's name here) is in a conservative district and will lose to a Republican if he votes for progressive policies!!!!"

Grayson's district is conservative. Those who stand up for the values that benefit the American people and not the powerful campaign donors from corporate America will win.

[mzmolly]

23. Lieberman is still in office

so I'm not sure it's that simple.

[laughingliberal]

25. Doesn't change the fact that the Democrats were acting all nervous about Grayson being honest and

outspoken and now he is leading in a big way in a fairly conservative district. Honest and outspoken. May need to remind them where those muscles are.

[mzmolly]

31. Agreed. I'm happy about the results.

:hi:

[AlbertCat]

64. Doesn't change the fact that the Democrats were acting all nervous about Grayson being honest and

Indeed.

and we need more Graysons.


But everyone cannot be an Alpha-politician. There needs to be a mix. If everyone is the same you end up with the GOP! But more out spoken Dems would be nice. And there will be... beause of results like this.

[mzmolly]

22. Which is why I said Coakley

was a bad candidate. Though she was principled in her stance regarding a public option. I do agree that being principled and clearly communicating one's principles is appreciated by voters.

[JI7]

34. yup, there was nothing "wussy" or lacking in principles with Coakley

lack of campaigning was the problem. but for those who consider themselves liberal and concerned enough to learn about the candidates they would see Coakley would have been with Grayson on the issues.

see :
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/02/20/coakley_challenges_federal_marriage_act/

[laughingliberal]

20. Yep. Coakley tanked in the polls as soon as she said she'd vote for that Senate bill without

a public option. She had a huge lead when she said she would not vote for a bill without a PO. One call from the WH enforcers and she was toast.

[mzmolly]

24. Some argue that she tanked when she demonstrated she was out of

touch with local sports. I'm not so sure we can chalk it up to one simple reason.

[FailureToCommunicate]

41. Well...Coakley's poll tanking happened about the same time RNC $$$ was running 3 ads

an hour showing what a regular guy Brown was - you know, the pick-up truck. Never mind that he had lots of other cars and five different homes, he's just an average man of the people!

If merely 6% more Democrat voters had bothered to get out of bed to vote, this would've been different.

[CBR]

12. This is great!!! HA. nt

[drm604]

14. Please DNC, take notice of this!

Please?

[tosh]

16. Beautiful!

[laughingliberal]

18. K & R nt

[Odin2005]

19. Americans like bold leadership.

[upi402]

30. That's right

Leaders who lead, instead of act like they need to be drug along by their followers into doing the right thing. If I didn't know better - I'd wonder why.

[Mithreal]

35. +1

[cascadiance]

28. If he won the Republican primaries it would offer INSANE possibilities for creative campaign ads!

That if we put enough money into his campaign could be aired nationally.

He could show himself as a Democrat taking on himself as a Republican. And perhaps that would be a way to help wake up the tea partiers with how the problems they face and many of the frustrations they face are the SAME as what we progressives feel. If it were done with perhaps with the assistance of Colbert, I bet you could really nail some of those bastard corporatists that try to devide us populists hard and show where the REAL battle should be fought in who we should vote into congress, and how at some point the electorate will stop being lead into heavy divisive battles on issues that corporatists don't care about, and that at some point we will unite to shut down the fascism they are putting in place.

Just do it Alan! You'd make me proud, and the more creative you could get, the more money I think we'd all put in your campaign! Remember, there's NO LIMIT on what you spend with the latest Supreme Court ruling. What is good for the goose is good for the gander!

[opihimoimoi]

29. The Hapless(Not Happy) GOPers flounder in their beer as they mull

over a retort or two...

I imagine them to be SPEECHLESS at this news....

[Tx4obama]

32. K&R. BEST news tidbit of the day! n/t

[glinda]

33. Too funny

[uponit7771]

36. wow

[pleah]

37. Oh, this is great!

:rofl: K&R

[DisgustedInMN]

38. Are any of the FOOLS...

.. pretending to know about politics over at the DLC paying attention? I doubt it. They're busy "triangulating" the next Democratic bloodbath in the coming elections.

[Action]

54. To DisgustedInMN

Don't be so sure. A lot can change in 8 months in politics.

[DisgustedInMN]

67. Oh really?

You hang on to that, my friend, because judging by what's "changed" in the last 13 months, the direction it's headed isn't looking positive for the CorporaDems. It never ceases to amaze me that some "politicians" think that insulting We the People's intelligence is a winning strategy. Hey, but think of the upside, they'll be able to go back blaming all of the bad shit they did nothing about when they had control of everything, on the Repubs. It's what they do best.

[fascisthunter]

59. they are phony con men and women and most people see through them

and they won't listen up because their whole objective runs counter to what people really want.

[Cal33]

39. Grayson looks like a winner!

[Jefferson23]

40. K&R for Grayson....keep kicking their ass.

[Walk away]

42. This restores a little of my faith in Americans in general.

I usually think of half of the voters in this country as complete a$$holes. This indicates to me that all anyone has to do is tell the truth and act on it and even a republican will respond.

This is a good sign!

[Deep13]

43. LOL

:rofl:

[RoccoR5955]

45. This ought to make Boner cough up a hairball!

I hope the hell he wins! This will make Rush's head explode, and Beck will probably move to Antarctica. Even Dems like a person who sticks up for their beliefs, not just the Cons. Though I would not make the only reason for voting for someone, that, it is assuredly one of the ones that would stand out in a primary.

[safeinOhio]

46. As much as I dislike the rich,

I think only the rich can save us. Grayson earned his fortune and now can not be bought off by the powerful. That does scare the powerful in both parties. We must watch his back, they got the Kingfish.

[redqueen]

47. And FDR was called a traitor to his class.

I'm not sure that *only* the rich can save us, but I think maybe you might have a point there.

[change_notfinetuning]

48. Too bad nothing will wake President Obama up. He just loves Rahm's Lullaby,

as it lulls him into disfavor and one-termism.

[Enthusiast]

49. Rahm says "Grayson better move right." nt

[Fire1]

60. I don't think Rahm has ANY influence over this man! n/t

[Enthusiast]

65. I was kidding.

[Fire1]

50. I'm not a progressive but I DO like this guy!!! WAY TO GO!!!!! n/t

[Lorien]

51. Which just goes to prove that from the GOP perspective, "Strong and wrong" wins over

"right but weak" every time. They are natural born followers; they just need a tough guy to follow. I hope that other Dems take notice!

[sellitman]

52. Hopefully this guy replaces Obama after his 8 years are over.

Imagine the future

[colsohlibgal]

53. Not Being Afraid Of Your Own Shadow

Maybe more democrats will see this, magically grow a spine, and start speaking unvarnished truth to wing nut whore tools as Grayson and Weiner do. People talk about brass ones, those guys have titanium ones.

[fascisthunter]

57. Why are you all surprised

Republicans WILL vote for a populist democrat on the realization that the politician is fighting for people. If they get that sense, they will ignore party lines, but the wishy-washy bullshit middle(corporatism) turns off EVERYONE, and the result is a higher degree of whack jobs voting in extremist corporatists.

Truth does win out if one has the balls to stand for it.

[proteus_lives]

58. Yep.

History has proven that.

[change_notfinetuning]

61. Oh shit, truth is going to rule? Has anyone told Goldman Sachs? Okay, now

you've done it. You're pissing off Goldman Sachs. Just adding this little bit of fear to the mix and Goldman Sachs will stomp on you worthless wage earners and this hero of yours, Alan Grayson.

You know how I know? Rahm said so!

[SemperEadem]

62. It's a thing of beauty and a joy forever.

Grayson rocks and rules!

[anonymous171]

63. Holy shit, a politician that gets stuff done for his constituents (and the nation) is popular.

The DLC has been proven wrong, yet again.

[demmiblue]

66. K&R