Who Should Replace Rahm?

[KoKo]

By now, you probably know that President Obama chose Representative Rahm Emanuel for his chief of staff. The race to replace Rahm in Congress has over 10 candidates and the March 3 Special Election is coming up fast.

Last week, we asked DFA members in Illinois to choose, so that our nationwide membership can get behind one candidate and help deliver victory. What we found is that DFA members in the 5th district are split. After the first vote count, two candidates tied for the top spot: Mike Quigley and Tom Geoghegan.

Both candidates are solid progressives who could deliver real results in Congress. But voters can't vote for both of them on Election Day, they will have to choose just one. So we went to the tie-breaker and we have a clear winner.

Tom Geoghegan is the DFA-List endorsed progressive for Congress. With only 12 more days until the election, Tom needs our support to help propel him over the top. Please contribute $25 now to deliver the resources to win.

CLICK HERE TO CONTRIBUTE NOW

Why Tom?

As a labor lawyer, Tom has fought for nurses, teachers, machinists, and other union members, as well as workers who lack the protection of a union. His efforts have helped secure healthcare, pensions, and lost wages for thousands of working Americans.

He has successfully represented countless individuals who were discriminated against in the workplace due to their race, sex, disability, age, or sexual orientation, and he has successfully sued employers who violated sexual harassment laws and the Family and Medical Leave Act. He's led lawsuits to enforce child labor laws, expand voting rights, crack down on the payday loan industry, and require public health measures to stop the spread of tuberculosis among the homeless.

Tom Geoghegan has a strong record of service. It's time to put him to work in Congress.

SEND A STRONG PROGRESSIVE TO CONGRESS: CONTRIBUTE $25 TODAY

Need to hear more?

Here's what Illinois DFA member John L. had to say about his reasons for supporting Tom:

"Tom is the true progressive in the race and has the longest history and the best track record of fighting for the unrepresented. His voice is needed when most Democrats on the hill failed to stand up to George Bush even when polls showed that voters wanted them to."

Here's what Katha Pollitt from The Nation magazine had to say:

"A true progressive, honest, pro-choice and pro-gay marriage, and if elected he would push, knowledgeably and aggressively, for all the right, important things... Sick of timorous, dithering Democrats? Tom could be the next Paul Wellstone."

And here's what David Sirota from OpenLeft said:

"One of the greatest living progressives in America... The reason his writing is so good is because he's so simultaneously brilliant, progressive and politically savvy -- all skills that would make him a congressional powerhouse."

Early voting has already started. Tom needs your support to Get Out The Vote right now.


There are several qualified candidates running. This wasn't an easy choice for many DFA members and it's important to recognize that Mike Quigley is a strong progressive too. If you would like to find out more about Mike, please click here to visit his website.

This election is right around the corner. Please take action today.

Thank you for everything you do,

-Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Political Director
Democracy for America


Paid for by Democracy for America, www.DemocracyforAmerica.com and not authorized by any candidate. Contributions to Democracy for America are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.

[MADem]

1. I think it's up to the people in the district, myself.

DFA needs to get in on the ground and convince those people who will be voting to get behind this guy first.

I don't know this guy, or Mike Quigley, so I'd be more inclined, if I were to support anyone, to support the guy whose name ends up on the ballot. All politics is local, and there's nothing more local than the Rep job.

You might want to crosspost to the IL forum, though, to drum up some of that local enthusiasm...

[Truth2Tell]

3. I think it's up to the people in the district to vote,

and rightfully up to the rest of us to campaign for and contribute to whomever we support.

This is a great opportunity for progressive Dems to take back a seat from the corporatist hacks. Strong coordinated Net Rootz involvement in primaries is just about the best opportunity we have to take our Party back from the war pimps and the greed heads.

Just waiting to support "the guy who's name ends up on the ballot," is a sure way to get more of the same. I wonder if maybe that's exactly what you want.

[MADem]

5. I hope the people pick a good Democratic candidate and vote for him.

I don't know either one of these top runners, and I'm not going to send twenty five bucks to a stranger on someone else's say-so.

That's just me. I have faith in the voters, I'm sure the guy/gal whose name ends up on the ballot, if the voters stay engaged (and they should after this ripsnorting election we just had) will be the person that they feel is best qualified to represent them and speak to their needs, AND win. It's no use touting an idealist who's gonna get hammered by the competition. Pragmatism gave us Jim Webb, after all, and he was the only guy who could have beaten Macaca Allen.

Your final sentence was a bit...bitter. Gee, I'm not going to jump onboard the Happy Train and back someone I don't even know, ergo I am, in your simplistic view, aligned with the Forces of Evil. Not only is that an immature perspective, it's plain that you don't know a damn thing about me, that much is clear from your effort to insult me with that tosser of a comment.

[Truth2Tell]

6. Never said you aligned with the forces of evil.

And my comment wasn't an attempt to insult you. It was an honest observation. All I know of you is two years of message board posts, nothing more. You jumped into this thread to make dismissive "tosser" remarks of your own about the OP, and to encourage people to NOT participate in DFA's efforts to push our Party back to the people. Very typical post by you, in my observation.

Many of us trust the judgment of groups like DFA, because we share their values. If you don't, and instead prefer more conservative (or "pragmatic" as you put it) candidates, then you should make your argument on that basis, rather than some trojan horse about letting locals choose for themselves. Just my humble opinion.

[MADem]

7. I said, very sincerely (not "tosser") that I think the "rep" gig is a very personal one

It's much more personal than a Senate contest. All politics is local.

It's no accident that Obama couldn't win a rep seat when he ran for one--and nor could John Kerry when he carpetbagged in Lowell. See, they didn't have critical mass within the districts--and you need that to win. It doesn't matter if you have the endorsement of Jesus H. Christ and all the Saints.

People voting for the person to represent them in the House are not so easily swayed--they know what they want, and they don't need national organizations telling them how to vote or what to think. DFA trying to pick someone and exhorting people on a national level to back their choice is something I cannot get behind, because I don't know the mood of the people in that district.

That's not "tosser"--that's my honest assessment of the dynamics of a House race. I've been involved in enough of them; the people doing the voting are not easily convinced, or fooled. They know what they want, and they know why they want it. They'll even reject good politicians if they aren't serving what they perceive as their needs.

You show me the people in the district backing the DFA's candidate, and then I'll buy off. Until then, I can't. You can infer that my pragmatism is somehow not a good thing, and make sly "conservative" remarks all you want, but pragmatism is what got us a majority on the Hill--going with, not against, the grain--and those voters that I actually do think deserve a say in who represents them.

[Truth2Tell]

9. The outcome of most House races,

even primary races, are, in my long observation, heavily influenced by money. Corporate and conservative Party elements from outside CDs have no qualms about pouring money into primary races and often tilt outcomes in their own favor. Your idealization of voters and their thinking process ignores the data on the very real influence of money and outside interests. Groups like DFA enable Party activists and progressives to counteract that and level the playing field, if still only in a small way.

[MADem]

10. All the money in the world would not have given Kerry the seat that

Nikki Tsongas occupies now. And Kerry spent some major money, too. He even made his poor sister stand out on Essex Street in Lawrence in the freezing cold rain, trying to hand out flyers to people who rolled their eyes, shook their heads, and waved her off.

Ironically, it was probably a good thing, that he lost. He might never have gone on to the Senate if he'd won.

I don't "idealize" voters, you see. I understand them.

Looking at the Congressional delegation from the state of Illinois, http://www.illinoischannel.org/CongressionalDelegation.htm I'd say the Democratic Party isn't doing too badly, overall. I agree that the seat should stay "D," but I think the flavor of "D" should be compatible with the district that particular "D" will serve. Again, if there's critical mass within the district for the DFA pick, more power to him. But it's dangerous to try to fit square pegs in round holes--they always crack, or pop out before too long.

[Truth2Tell]

11. Many square peg DLC Dems

seem to be presently stuck in the round holes of typical Democratic districts, where the voters, like a majority of Americans, support single-payer health care, oppose militarism, oppose Wall Street bailouts, oppose globalization, and demand government accountability. Lets hope you're right and they begin to "pop out" soon. And thank God for groups like DFA helping to make that happen.

[KoKo]

2. I'd like to see John Podesta of Center for American Progress, replace Rahm

I think he'd do good...I really do.

[Cleita]

4. Well, let's hope it's someone who isn't DLC this time. n/t

[rpannier]

8. Is his brother running?

I wouldn't vote for his brother, but if he lives in the district and runs I think he'd win

[Truth2Tell]

12. His brother lives in the Hollywood Hills. nt

[rpannier]

13. Thanks

Appreciated