HuffPo: 'ConservaDem' Sen. Blanche Lincoln Gets Prominent Democratic Primary Challenger

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Bill Halter Running For Arkansas Senate: Progressive Democrat To Challenge Blanche Lincoln



Conservative Democrat Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), whose obstinacy during the health care reform process was so frustrating to the progressive community, is officially getting a primary challenge.



On Monday morning, Arkansas lieutenant governor, Bill Halter, announced that he would launch a campaign to dislodge Lincoln from her Senate seat. He cited a need to focus on middle class issues, take on Wall Street, and fight back against special interests. Halter, who will call Lincoln personally today and send papers to the state capitol on Tuesday, broke the news of his candidacy through an online video at his site www.BillHalter.com.

The race is likely to become a proxy battle for the larger debate within the Democratic Party between progressives who believe sticking to core values is the best way to win office and the self-styled pragmatists who argue that they must adopt more conservative positions when running in traditionally more conservative states.

The firm Research 2000 did a poll on this prospective primary battle back in December. And the numbers showed a fairly tough landscape for a primary challenger. Forty-two percent of respondents said they would back Lincoln in a Democratic primary. Twenty-six percent said they'd back Halter. Thirty-two percent were undecided.

WATCH: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/01/bill-halter-arkansas-senate_n_480375.html

[joeybee12]

1. Go BIll!

Blanche Lincoln is a waste of space.

[Lasher]

2. OK but where does Halter stand?

Except for making a statement it wouldn't make any sense to replace Lincoln with him if he's going to turn out to be another DINO.

[Betty Karlson]

3. He won't be deep blue

He's from Arkansas, after al. But he's more blue than Lincoln; and even if he doesn't win the primaries, he'll force Lincoln to become less obstinate against the progressive agenda in months to come.

And it sends a message to other Conservadems. Blue dogs, meet the leash.

This is good news whatever the outcome.

[Lasher]

5. I guess that's true.

But Democratic incumbents, and the DSCC in particular, will lavish support on Lincoln during the primary. No matter what she does.

[mmonk]

4. Excellent. Someone to back.