Michigan's Stupak challenged for Democratic nomination

[Kber]

WASHINGTON – Michigan’s Bart Stupak, a Democratic congressman who could help bring down health care reform over an abortion provision, is getting a primary challenge this year.

Connie Saltonstall of Charlevoix said today she plans to run against Stupak for the Democratic nomination of Michigan’s First Congressional District, citing Stupak’s efforts to stop health care reform if it doesn’t ban use of government money for abortions. Stupak, a former state trooper from Menominee, has held the seat since 1993.


This year and last, Stupak has made a name for himself as a thorn in the side of some congressional Democrats pushing legislation for health care reform. While largely supportive of those efforts, he successfully attached an amendment last fall to ban use of federal funds to help pay for abortions.


“I believe that he has a right to his personal, religious views, but to deprive his constituents of needed health care reform because of those views is reprehensible,” said Saltonstall in a statement.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100309/NEWS15/100309040/1285/Stupak-challenged-for-Democratic-nomination

[joeybee12]

1. Whoo-hoo! Best news all day!

I love this woman I have never met! :loveya:

[Kber]

2. I've met her and she's very impressive.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

39. Even more good news. +1

[Cha]

3. Interesting! She's right..

bart may have overplayed his hand.

[Kber]

6. This fully explains Bart's recent "optimism".

he knew about this yesterday, which explains his sudden flexibility and "optimism".

[Cha]

9. Yes!

<snip>

"STUPAK 'MORE OPTIMISTIC' ABOUT HEALTH REFORM'S CHANCES.... Passing health care reform will be difficult under the most favorable of circumstances, but if Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) pulls away 12 supporters from final passage success becomes practically impossible.

Stupak, of course, is threatening to kill the legislation over indirect, circuitous funding of abortion, and claims to lead a bloc of a dozen House Dems who oppose abortion rights. Last week, taking his threats seriously, Democratic leaders began engaging Stupak in earnest, trying to find a way to resolve the impasse.

"As of late yesterday, things were looking up."

said he expects to resume talks with House leaders this week in a quest for wording that would impose no new limits on abortion rights but also would not allow use of federal money for the procedure.

"I'm more optimistic than I was a week ago," Stupak told The Associated Press between meetings with constituents in his northern Michigan district, including a crowded town hall gathering where opinions on health care and the abortion issue were plentiful and varied.


There's a certain oddity to the dispute. Generally, when there's a disagreement like this, we see two sides that want to go in different directions, trying to find some areas of common ground. In this case, both sides claim to want the same thing: maintain the status quo as it relates to abortion funding."

<more>

Steve Benen 8:00 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (20)
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

[bif]

4. Excellent news!

[Supersedeas]

29. will his 15minutes be worth it?

[SharonRB]

5. Yes!

w00t! Best news all day.

[HERVEPA]

7. I wonder whether she's any relation

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Leverett_Saltonstall

[mmonk]

8. Very good. Another one for me to take note of.

[Cali_Democrat]

10. This is not good

It's great! :)

[catbyte]

14. I think I went to high school with her...

I'll have to contact her to see what I can do to help. Go Charlevoix High! ;-)

I'd love to see that bum, Stupak, get ousted. I've been following Rachel Maddow closely, and it looks like he'll have some 'slpainin to do about The Family and C Street. Oh boy! :popcorn:

Diane

Anishnabe in MI

[Jennicut]

11. Stupak will cooperate fully NOW.

[tallahasseedem]

12. I'm loving...

this!

[ProSense]

13. Excellent n/t

[safeinOhio]

15. Can we start a

MONEY BOMB
:nuke:

[Kber]

19. As soon as I get fundraising info from the campaign, I will post.

I'm sure a money bomb will be greatly appreciated!!

[Cha]

21. Awesome..we really need to thank

Connie Saltonstall of Charlevoix, Michigan for initiating this challenge! Great timing.

[Blue Owl]

16. Kick his sold-out ass, Connie

And kick it good.

[Lord Helmet]

17. great news!!

[PVnRT]

18. Outstanding

[LisaM]

20. That's great and I think that it does explain his sudden about face

or optimism, if you will, that he can be more flexible.

[Bitwit1234]

22. And that is the problem in a nutshell

A congress person has the right to his/her views. But he/she should not have the right to hold the whole country hostage to get them passed. Stupidak was not elected to flaunt his beliefs but to do for the people of Michigan WHO OVERWHELMINGLY WANT HEALTH CARE.

I hope she kicks his ass so bad he has to have all the C street house massage it.

[vaberella]

23. Is she more progressive. Is she is...I'm sending in money.

I'm not supporting Dems who aren't progressive to unseat other Dems just because I may have a problem with them. I need some assurances here.

[Kber]

24. She's pro-choice, pro-union.

She makes Stupak look like the right wing he is.

But she'll have her position papers up soon and you can judge for yourself.

[vaberella]

30. Thanks. n/t

[Kaleva]

25. Connie got 37 percent of the vote in a 2008 race for a state house seat.

http://www.charlevoixcourier.com/articles/2008/11/09/news/doc49119e8b7934a316425642.txt

Her positions on a number of issues will please many here but I doubt she'll make Stupak sweat even a little in this Republican leaning district.

[Kber]

26. True, but Bart's congressional district is bigger that the State District Connie ran in

and as you go south, you get more blue collar union support and white collar liberals.

I think he's already feeling the heat. I'll bet Connie gave him a courtesy call before she announced and that explains his sudden flexibility on his pet issue.

She also didn't raise much money last time around and that can change too.

[Kaleva]

34. I believe it's the other way around

Republicans are strongest in the southern part of the 1st Congressional District which is in lower Michigan and the eastern section of Upper Michigan.

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/2008/

In 2008, Stupak received endorsements from the following unions:

International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 324
Michigan State AFL-CIO
Michigan Teamsters Joint Council No. 43
National Association of Social Workers
National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU)
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
United Auto Workers (UAW)

I didn't find any unions which had endorsed Connie in her 2008 race.

[4lbs]

27. Even if he votes for the legislation, he should still be replaced. It's only a matter of time

before he again tries to hold womens' reproductive rights hostage to "The Family".

[Kber]

28. Connie agrees with you

She was asked if she'll drop out if he votes for healthcare and she said no because he's caused so much 'mistrust'.

[Kber]

31. More details from Talking Points Memo

A former teacher and county commissioner will challenge Rep. Bart Stupak in the Aug. 3 Democratic primary in Michigan, the Detroit Free Press reported this afternoon.

Connie Saltonstall, a former commissioner in Charlevoix County, told me this evening she's challenging Stupak over his refusal to allow health care reform to move forward without abortion language attached.

Saltonstall told me her "two passions" are health care reform and choice. And after spending the last 20 years voting for Stupak, Saltonstall said he managed to run afoul of both of them.

"I've had to vote for him because he's a Democrat and not a Republican -- he was not as bad as the other side," she said. But Saltonstall said Stupak's stance on abortion in the health care debate "crossed the line" for her.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/report-stupa...

[European Socialist]

32. Yooper vs Troll--I'd vote troll but Bart is an authentic Yooper...

and may be hard be hard to beat by someone who lives below the Mackinaw Bridge

[Kaleva]

35. Stupak probably has a lock on the Yooper vote.

[CTLawGuy]

33. awesome!

good news.

[Kaleva]

36. Connie admits a victory over Stupak could lead to the district electing a Repub this fall.

"Saltonstall, a former teacher and Charlevoix County commissioner who ran for the state House in 2008, said she realizes that if she wins, it could hurt the Democrats' chances of retaining the seat in what many consider a conservative district."

http://www.freep.com/article/20100310/NEWS05/3100337/1001/rss01

Stupak is the second Dem since the 1930's to represent this area (the other guy lasted one term) and the first Dem in over a 100 years to win two consecutive elections to Congress.

Republicans have tried in the past to defeat Stupak and failed but I see them crossing over to vote for Saltonstall in the August primary as a way to do it.

[HughMoran]

37. "but to deprive his constituents of needed health care reform because of those views is reprehensibl

:woohoo:

[ProgressOnTheMove]

38. Sounds good to me.