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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNational Journal: A Virginia Democrat Defies the Progressive Base
Last edited Wed Oct 25, 2017, 09:13 AM - Edit history (1)
Ralph Northam is leading in the governors race because hes run to the middle, and hasnt pandered to liberal activists.
Amid all the talk about Ed Gillespies exploiting cultural divisions to run competitively in Virginia, many political commentators are missing the big picture in the governors race there. Lieutenant governor Ralph Northam, a Democrat, is leading in nearly every poll despite running a general-election campaign that has ignored the loudest, most-polarizing voices in his partys base. He said he wants to work with President Trump when possible despite their many disagreements, hes ignored environmentalists pleas to oppose the construction of a controversial natural-gas pipeline, and hes called for localities to decide what to do with Confederate statues, instead of mandating their removal.
A former George W. Bush voter, Northam is running as a moderate Democratic pragmatist in the spirit of Bill Clintonor recently-elected Gov. Roy Cooper, one of the most-prominent Democrats to win during last years Trump wave in neighboring North Carolina. And despite all the Democratic angst about the race tightening, his own campaigns polls have shown him consistently ahead. The average of public polling shows that hes leading by a healthy 6-point margin.
The real reason youre hearing so much wailing from Democrats is because they fear that Northam could pave the way for a moderate revival within the partythat a victory would prove that the partys candidates can win without being held hostage by the increasingly progressive base. In the primary, he handily dispatched former Rep. Tom Perriello, who ran well to his left and won the support of leading liberal activists across the spectrum, from senior Obama officials to socialist-minded senators such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. And since winning the nomination, Northam has resisted calls for his campaign to pander to the grassroots, to the point where theyre leaking unfavorable assessments of his candidacy.
more: https://www.nationaljournal.com/s/659783/virginia-democrat-defies-progressive-base?mref=dashboard-free
ProfessorGAC
(65,058 posts)I don't think NJ is a good place to find opinions by and advice for democrats
pangaia
(24,324 posts)And those grassroots folks..
My, oh my.
Whatever are we going to do about them?
.
zipplewrath
(16,646 posts)That's what's been done in the past.
KPN
(15,646 posts)Keep on keepin' on!
The trend and momentum are with us.
LexVegas
(6,067 posts)As governor, I am going to be a vocal advocate for that approach and work with localities on this issue, Northam said in a statement. We should also do more to elevate the parts of our history that have all too often been underrepresented.
FSogol
(45,488 posts)Every line is wrong and misleading. Northam hasn't been running to the center, he's been running to the left.
And Perriello was MORE conservative than Northam on several issues such as gun control.
How about posting an example of the "unfavorable assessments" that don't come straight out of Koch mouths?
Pretty sad that this tripe has to get spread around DU.
Jose Garcia
(2,598 posts)mouths?
Sure: https://www.thedailybeast.com/democrats-grow-panicked-that-they-could-blow-the-years-biggest-race
https://www.thenation.com/article/the-obsession-with-white-voters-could-cost-democrats-the-virginia-governors-race
Are the Daily Beast and The Nation Koch Brothers mouthpieces?
FSogol
(45,488 posts)than the article you posted. It makes the case that Northam is going after white voters and ignoring the base. Anyone who has seen a Northam or Herring ad would notice they are targeting women with an emphasis on young women and women of color. Don't believe me? Go to Northam, or Fairfax, or
Herring's website and watch the ads.
https://ralphnortham.com/
http://www.fairfaxforlg.com/
https://herringforag.com/
You find that their ads are either biographical or are aimed at women. The are reaching for votes from the Democratic base. This is just another article aimed at dividing us.
We are only 14 days from the election, why post a daily article basing the candidate? Why try and divide the party on the eve of the election?
pangaia
(24,324 posts)Demsrule86
(68,582 posts)author has written numerous articles about this...it is his schtick...not convinced he is correct. Also there is no doubt his is going to be used by the right to divide the Democratic electorate...we are fools if we let it happen. I have no doubt that moderate candidates do better in moderate states and Virginia is not a really liberal state...I would say that moderate Terry McAuliffe who won last time has done a great job...considering the legislature is still righty.
LexVegas
(6,067 posts)FSogol
(45,488 posts)until then. Another lie.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,710 posts)He has an impressive resume.
FSogol
(45,488 posts)isn't helping.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,710 posts)FSogol
(45,488 posts)and help distribute divisive anti-Democratic articles on the web.
rogue emissary
(3,148 posts)So they need to start setting the narrative that he's a moderate/centrist Democrat. They can't have the story be that a progressive or liberal democrat beat their trump lite bigot Gillespie.
If Northam wins he'll be one of the most progressive Democrats we've elected in years. His stances and actions on abortion, guns, and "identity politics" has been solid. I guess those don't count as progressive issues for this reporter.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Their flop sweat is showing.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)is that we can't use cookie cutter type candidates for ALL races. In some states a more liberal Democrat wont have a problem being elected and in others, we'll have to put up someone more moderate to win. I have absolutely no reason to be part of a party that requires nothing but the purest of souls run just so we can lose a race in the name of fucking purity. This is a big country with many different issues that effect people. 65 million people are never going to agree about everything.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)A liberal WILL NOT win in my district, but a bluedog certainly can. I prefer a liberal, but I also want a Democrat instead of a republican winning the seat.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)killing BOTH parties. Those kinds of things only work with small numbers of populations.
x1000
Orrex
(63,213 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)The top dude there is a total RW twit - saw an interview on CNN.
Orrex
(63,213 posts)Some of the long-form pieces are great, as are several of their regular staff contributors, but the overall vibe is so pro-business and Republican-friendly that I can't endure it.
And this is pledge week, when they ask me to help fund the puff pieces they air while Rome burns.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)why you're not contributing. They have no reason to change otherwise.
Orrex
(63,213 posts)I'm not a person of wealth, so my biggest contribution probably costs less than the stationery that the Koch brothers use to instruct NPR how to report about them.
When I stopped contributing, I am 100% certain that NPR didn't even notice.
50 Shades Of Blue
(10,004 posts)Gawd knows I see them a dozen times a day. He's calling out Trump not progressives.
dsc
(52,162 posts)but I can about the stuff about Cooper. Cooper ran a very liberal races, as did Josh Stein, both of whom won their races while most other statewide races went the other way (including losing a Senate races in which our candidate was liberal to be fair)
delisen
(6,044 posts)The loud base and the loyal base - both are important but they have different characteristics.