Why I Decided to Challenge Bart Stupak in the Democratic Primary

[Kber]

believe passionately that Americans deserve the opportunity to have affordable, accessible healthcare, and until recently, I believed that Congressman Bart Stupak represented my beliefs in Washington. But when Mr. Stupak threatened to block reform unless the amendment bearing 'his name' was included in the bill, I was furious. He crossed the line. He broke his word to his constituents that he would not block healthcare reform over this issue. He lost his district's trust, and he lost my trust.

Direct from Connie:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/connie-saltonstall/why-i-decided-to-challeng_b_520971.html

His argument that the Stupak Amendment was necessary to prohibit federal funding for abortion is misleading. The Senate bill already included that provision. Mr. Stupak risked derailing the core vision of the Democratic Party, he let down his constituents in the 1st Congressional District, and he no longer deserves to be our Representative. Like so many others, I waited for someone to challenge him. But when no one did, I decided it was time to stand up, and I announced my candidacy.

I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the enthusiasm, support and outreach for my campaign, both nationally and locally. People from all over this district are calling daily, offering to contribute their valuable time and to do anything that they can to help. Political pundits like to say that someone from the lower peninsula cannot win in Michigan's first district. I don't believe that. I have heard from citizens all the way from Keweenaw County in the northwest of our district to Bay County in the southeast. We are all Michiganders and our commonalties are far more important than our differences.

My campaign is about getting past the kind of political obstruction and grandstanding that marred the healthcare debate. I look forward to working in Congress to represent the traditional Democratic values of the First District - affordable, accessible healthcare for all Americans, healthcare that allows women the opportunity to make responsible life decisions for themselves and their families, protecting our Great Lakes and other precious natural resources, and fighting to put people in our district, so hard hit by this recession, back to work.

I am here to give the people of the Michigan's First District a choice in the August 3rd primary. I ask for your support as we show Mr. Stupak that he cannot take Democratic voters for granted. Thank you.

[Cha]

1. Good Luck, Connie Saltonstall..

Bart was yanking chains for a long while there.

[Oregone]

2. But Bart was part of shaping this historic, FDRish, Civil Rights-like win!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. Word!

[snake in the grass]

3. I really hope...

...the theocratic idiot Stupak loses the primary in a grand way. There's enough scum on the other side of the aisle without us having to tolerate it on our side.

[JNelson6563]

4. If you all really want to see this change happen

donate if you can! 31 counties is huge territory to work and a massive market to buy media in.

Julie

[Sebastian Doyle]

5. Challenging incumbent Democrats is just dumb.

We should stick with the people we have in office. Our party chose them for a reason.

[Common Sense Party]

6. My, my, provocative, aren't you?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

11. Hehe!

:thumbsup:

[harun]

8. Always good to have more people running for office.

[TheKentuckian]

9. Good deal run his ass back to the beat or to C Street or to Hell for all I care

[Kaleva]

10. A summary of Stupak's record in Congress

The link below lists Stupak's vote on a number of issues.

http://www.eclectablog.com/2010/03/before-you-pillory-bart-stupak.html

[Kaleva]

12. Republican challenger outraising everyone in 1st district

The Republican base is fired up and highly motivated. The leading Republican candidate for the nomination,Dr. Benishek, has also said in a another article that he is already receiving advice and assistance from the RNC.

"As of Tuesday evening, Benishek had raised more than $125,000 in online donations through his revamped campaign website. Before the March 21 vote, Benishek had only a shoestring campaign anchored by his wife and a dozen or so volunteers with only $10,000 in the bank. The Sunday night of the vote, nearly $20,000 in online donations flooded in, and he says the money hasn’t stopped yet.

“He handed me a gift,” Benishek said of Stupak’s switch to yes. “The phone really hasn’t stopped ringing.” He still hopes to make reach his goal of $219,000 before the first quarter filing ends at midnight — $1,000 for each yes vote on the bill."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/35259.html

Stupak's main threat is not Connie Saltonstall but Dr. Benishek altough my hunch is that Stupak will still prevail in the fall but not by the usual double digit margins he has accomplished in the past as Stupak has the support of the unions and his record on gun issues is at least as equal as any Republican in this district.

Connie Saltonstall's problems are that her main support is coming from organizations that have little influence in the district. She just recently hired a campaign manager even though she announced her candidacy over three weeks ago and her website, besides a brief bio, says little more then "I'm really, really pissed off at Bart Stupak!" Other then health care and abortion, Connie doesn't explain her positions on jobs, guns, hunters rights, the environment or any other issue.

Over at Daily Kos, I've read some posts rather critical of Connie in regards to the time she's taking to get her campaign together and for her bare bones website which doesn't even give info as to where and when potential supports could meet her at upcoming events. Not long ago, I read a post at FireDogLake which said that one reason Connie got beat so badly in her 2008 race for the 105th state house seat was that she didn't work hard at it. She sent out fliers but didn't do the door to door stuff. This may be true or it may be bullshit as I haven't found any other sources which either corroborates that or debunks it. Hoever, as Dr. Benishek has already surpassed Connie in campaign organization, fund-raising and website development in far less time, there may be some truth to it.