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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAlison Lundergan Grimes stays out of sight as speculation swirls
The voters of Kentucky seem to have a different opinion of ALG than the folks here at DU. No doubt, she made mistakes, but she is young enough to recover. And she has a helluva base of supporters in Kentucky if she decides to run for another office, regardless of what DUers may think.
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http://www.kentucky.com/2014/11/07/3526724_grimes-stays-out-of-sight-as-speculation.html?rh=1
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"It's a bump in the road," Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said of Grimes' defeat. "This lady, if she chooses to stay in public office, is going to be a bright shining star in Kentucky's political scene for a long time."
The polls had showed a closer race, but Grimes' share of the vote was above Obama's job-approval ratings in the state, University of Kentucky political scientist Stephen Voss said.
"Fundamentally, this race was stacked against her," he said.
A closer outcome would have left her stronger to turn around and run for another office, Voss said. With her double-digit loss, Grimes "looks like all the other Democrats in an awful year for Democrats."
Grimes needs to be judicious in choosing her next political race, he said.
"It's rare to come back from losing two," Voss said.
world wide wally
(21,755 posts)voted for at least.
TheKentuckian
(25,029 posts)but I think she is pretty worthless.
Electric Monk
(13,869 posts)Making a good show of it and whatnot, but either way in the end they win.
valerief
(53,235 posts)MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)Since she fought like a banshee to prove she isn't a *real* Democrat.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)And we wonder why we keep shrinking as a Party?
She was not the only one to not come out in support of the President. But what other issues do not make her a "real" Democrat? That she did not defend the President's carbon limits on coal?
Yeah, it's become a pup tent.
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)are even further to the right of Obama on guns and the EPA, and who may not actually vote for Democrats.
SomethingFishy
(4,876 posts)I understand what you are saying, but since we got hammered shouldn't we at least try doing something different?
I'm of the mind that I stood by the party for the last 30 years with votes, donations and labor, no matter how far they strayed from my values. Maybe it's time the party stands for me.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)But when President Obama signed this executive order: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/us/politics/obama-to-offer-rules-to-sharply-curb-power-plants-carbon-emissions.html
It sort of put ALG in a tight spot. She is not an anti-environmentalist but she had to choose between the coal miners in her state or the President who they thought put them out of work. It was not an easy road for her.
Other than that, what did she support that was so far right?? Was it when she went skeet shooting? She had said that she was for sensible controls on gun ownership.
Other than trying to put distance between herself and President Obama, because Hillary and Bill were old friends of the family. She had known them since she was 14 years old. She thought Hillary could make up whatever she may have lost with the President's supporters. Obviously, she was apparently wrong.
But what other issues was she "too far right" on? She took progressive positions with women and labor. She was supported by the United Mineworkers Union as well as the Steelworkers Union as well as the CWA (Communication Workers of America.) She was a role model for young girls and college students in the state of Kentucky. They loved her. She worked harder than anyone I had every seen.
I think we need to be careful about who we throw under the bus and why? If her stands were too far right for our Party, then we indeed can expect much tougher times in the future. We need to weigh more of the circumstances before we discard good Democrats, in my opinion. Also, we need to understand that this was an ass-whuppin' for our entire Party and we will need to pick ourselves up and stop all the self-analysis sooner or later.
AtomicKitten
(46,585 posts)Tacking to the turtle's right with an anti -immigration ad.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5985590
kentuck
(111,110 posts)That was not good.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)When I communicated with her, she never used the words "illegal aliens". She said "undocumented citizens". I think sometimes things go on in a busy campaign that the candidate is not always on top of. Not to excuse her for that ad.
TheKentuckian
(25,029 posts)that is even more ashamed of Democratic positions than is typical even for that gang and attempted to win by going right of the top elected TeaPubliKlan on coal, immigration, and guns (though I don't give a shit about this one).
Her rationale for candidacy was "30 years is too long" and otherwise sought to either conflate her positions with her opponent or like I just mentioned, actually trying to out flank him only actively confronting him from the Democratic side on minimum wage.
I think 80% of the attraction is she is a well spoken, telegenic, relatively young woman. The other 20% is mostly her father and the favor of the Clintons.
LawDeeDah
(1,596 posts)What in hell was she thinking. I guess she wasn't.
Loser doofus.
GeorgeGist
(25,323 posts)aikoaiko
(34,184 posts)kentuck
(111,110 posts)But not as bad as some.
Bill Clinton, Hillary, Elizabeth Warren, and the last 3 Democratic Governors of Kentucky thought she was enough of a "Democrat".
aikoaiko
(34,184 posts)MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)aikoaiko
(34,184 posts)Lol.
The only real Democrat is Elizabeth Warren. She can kick ass. She is tough. She would MAKE those Republicans and Third Wayers vote for single payer.
If Elizabeth Warren were President, the Republicans would know they are going to get their asses kicked but good and they would behave.
aikoaiko
(34,184 posts)It's a little early for that kind I dogma.
We will have to see if Warren can lead
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)aikoaiko
(34,184 posts)aquart
(69,014 posts)Personally, I think "the only real Democrat is Elizabeth Warren" would make Elizabeth puke in a bucket.
Maybe you should get her to fill out your purity test to see if she's really "the only real Democrat."
Purgists are dangerous hysterics, not unlike the people who freaked about ebola. IMHO.
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)election.
Did you work for any Democrats, Manny?
still_one
(92,422 posts)still_one
(92,422 posts)again?
Charlie Baker? Somewhere I recall there was also a governor named romney
Hmmmmm
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)And by party loyalty, I mean she should have demonstrated some.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Or the other candidates that did the same. But no one is going to change their minds. Overall, she had a pretty progressive agenda. Including raising the minimum wage. Stopping our jobs from going overseas. Protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare. Equal pay for women. But she was not pure enough for support here, I guess? Some didn't like the way she shot that gun.
GGJohn
(9,951 posts)I'm flabbergasted by those that are throwing her under the bus just because she doesn't pass the "purity test" here.
I go back to the old saying "When in Rome, do as the Romans do".
I wouldn't worry too much about the young lady, despite what certain people here say, she'll rebound and there are good tidings in her future.
demwing
(16,916 posts)and promoted solid party policies
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)and proved that her political instincts were faulty and immature.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Much like the "Dean Scream" hurt Howard Dean. But, at closer inspection, it was probably something pushed by the media and created by the Republicans.
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)to to tread carefully around the topic of Obama. It's fine to delineate where you disagree with his policies, but treating the President who is of your own party as persona non grata was clearly a mistake, and hopefully went against her gut and better judgment. If she really didn't vote for Obama, and was trying not to be too honest in that moment, then we've got a much bigger problem and she doesn't belong in Dem politics.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)She did not need to embrace Obama, and, quite frankly, a lot of Dems were smart not to...but you need to grow a spine and push back and define the dialogue, not react to it like a deer in the headlights.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)Obama can work better with Mitch McConnell. He seemed to say so in his After the Election Presser. Could be she got bad advice not to associate herself with Obama from a campaign manager who had some direction from Party upstream that McConnell would be easier for Obama to work with than who would replace him. "Dirty Tricks?"
If she was polling well until she refused to answer if she voted for Obama and then she tanked. I'd wonder if she was told to do that. It seemed to be such a big mistep...it didn't make sense from what I'd read of her.
The news about McConnell's father-in-Law that broke before the election would hopefully have given her a boost. But, it must have broken too late or they didn't report it in Kentucky. I'm hoping that story has legs and McConnell gets an Ethics Complaint he has to deal with. But, then that's probably just wishful thinking.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)I don't know that it would have made any difference? Perhaps?
But, honestly, I don't know if Bill and Hillary hurt her more than helped her. Just a few days before the election, we had Monica Lewinsky come out and remind people of some unpleasant moments from the past.
We can second-guess all those candidates but I hope we learn some lessons from it.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)Hagan got a boost from a fundraiser Hillary did for her in September. But, Bill came Friday before Election Day, Tuesday and got 8,000 to fill a stadium for a Rally for her...
and her poll numbers for Early Vote had her leading...but Election Day was when her numbers turned.
So did Bill hurt her? I didn't know about the Monica stuff before election but, I wonder if the Undecideds on E-Day were turned off by Bill's Visit and that last minute rally. People remembering Monica and yet there he is appearing with a Dem Female Candidate in what is now a Conservative state taken over by GOP in 2012.
NC was only Southern state to go for Obama in 2008 when the Dean/Kucinich Activists had organized before 2004 and were still active. We got our Repubs sweeping House/Senate and Governorship after our Dems had 2012 Convention in Charlotte...at the Bank of America Stadium Site. Shocking turn around.....
I expect more numbers and theorizing will be coming out in the days and months ahead as to what went wrong. I hope they stop blaming Dem Voters for everything, though.
treestar
(82,383 posts)more progressive!!!
Not only should she have said she voted for Obama, she should have complained that he disappointed her and that she wants single payer and that's what she's going to make Obama do if she goes to Washington!
Old Nick
(468 posts)BluegrassDem
(1,693 posts)Unlike a lot of other states, Kentucky has more than its fair share of rising star Democrats. We are not reliant on Grimes to run for anything.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)You are right. We have some rising stars and they all supported ALG. She is not the only game in town but she does not deserve to be thrown under the bus, in my opinion. We don't know what the DSCC may have requested as far as embracing Obama. They ran a pretty incompetent operation also.
LawDeeDah
(1,596 posts)kentuck
(111,110 posts)Her IQ is a 100 points higher than Sarah. She may have made mistakes but I think that is a little harsh.
LawDeeDah
(1,596 posts)That vote thing was an absolute stunner, you got to have a lot of stupid in you to think that was going to help anyone in any way. Sounds like Mark Penn was advising her.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)And I think she could have been a little stronger with that message? It may have helped her some?
BeyondGeography
(39,382 posts)She has a great chance to learn from her mistakes if she doesn't take very legitimate criticism personally. I hope she does evolve because we need all the good, young candidates we can find and she is talented.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)We may have to change our litmus test just a dab?
steve2470
(37,457 posts)She was very brave to take on McConnell and did OK for her first attempt.
The standard media narrative was "Obama bad, Dems run from him", which was, imho, the wrong way to go. She didn't have to ram it down the throats of KY voters, but yea, acknowledging she voted for him and generally supported him would have been better. KY is a conservative state in general, so, she has to do the blue dog two-step to get elected.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)people in government in a state whose fundamentals completely favor them and made them sweat at least. That is a huge accomplishment.
I expect big things from her in the future. People who are piling on at this point, well, what I would say about them would risk getting me a hidden post. Let's just leave it at that.
bluestateguy
(44,173 posts)Should have gone with Ashley Judd
tularetom
(23,664 posts)I guess it's not a huge percentage of the population, but African American voters could provide her with edge she might need to put her over the top in this hypothetical future race. And my guess is they might tend to resent the slap in the face she gave the first black president.
Fairly or unfairly, she's damaged goods.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)only 43% of white women vote. Mitch beat her with the women's vote. That was the biggest surprise to me in the entire race.
The only age group she won was the 24-29 age group.
She did very well in the black community. They did not fall for the propaganda.
TshaiRedhair
(56 posts)hlthe2b
(102,379 posts)There are no federally recognized Indian tribes in Kentucky today.
So, what is the context of your comment/point?
TshaiRedhair
(56 posts)I just mentioned it in that thread. Very frustrated right now.
arcane1
(38,613 posts)TshaiRedhair
(56 posts)Vinca
(50,310 posts)I'd rather go down defending Democratic values (and Presidents) than sucking up to the right.