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applegrove

(118,020 posts)
Tue Jul 20, 2021, 02:38 PM Jul 2021

Sinema Vulnerable to Primary Challenge on Filibuster

Sinema Vulnerable to Primary Challenge on Filibuster

July 20, 2021 at 1:10 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 69 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2021/07/20/sinema-vulnerable-to-primary-challenge-on-filibuster/

"SNIP......

A new Data for Progress poll finds 66% of Arizona Democrats say that they would choose a different candidate if Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) continues to protect the Senate filibuster, while another 13% said they’re not sure how they will vote.

Just 22% of Arizona Democrats support Sinema’s current position on the filibuster.

......SNIP"

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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lagomorph777

(30,613 posts)
1. Sinema and Manchin are protecting the Filibuster instead of protecting America.
Tue Jul 20, 2021, 02:44 PM
Jul 2021

They are also endangering their own careers.

Do they think they will politically survive in states controlled by corrupt, legally-empowered Reptilians? When voting rights are stolen, they will be among the first to be swept away.

NurseJackie

(42,862 posts)
2. We're lucky to have her. That's about as good as we can hope for in Arizona, I fear.
Tue Jul 20, 2021, 02:48 PM
Jul 2021

Wouldn't it be better to spend our efforts and resources trying to GAIN a NEW SEAT by challenging a vulnerable Republican.

Even if a primary challenge to Sinema were successful, the challenger wouldn't be the incumbent, and would be more likely to LOSE the election than the incumbent would.

Also, even if the challenger won (all other things being the same) we're just playing musical chairs and swapping-in a new face.

But if we were to replace just ONE vulnerable republican, then that gets us a TWO-VOTE-ADVANTAGE!!! (51 to 49) And if we spend our efforts to successfully flip TWO vulnerable GOP seats, then we have a FOUR VOTE ADVANTAGE!!!

I'm sure it would be very "satisfying" for the purists among us to replace someone like her, or to replace the senator from WV... but the reality is that New-England-style liberal politicians will NEVER be elected in those states.

We should count our blessings instead and focus on states where we have a better chance of flipping a red-seat into a blue-seat.

marybourg

(12,540 posts)
3. As an Arizonan, and someone who knew Sinema from
Tue Jul 20, 2021, 03:11 PM
Jul 2021

her Green Party days, I think you are right on every count.

DAMANgoldberg

(1,278 posts)
5. As Marty Brennaman (former Cincinnati Reds announcer) used to say at times...
Tue Jul 20, 2021, 06:36 PM
Jul 2021

You can put a ⭐on that play. I will put a ⭐ on this post. Mark Kelly is awesome. There must be more in Arizona like him.

Celerity

(42,662 posts)
9. you keep positing this false dichotomy that it is a binary choice between Sinema or some
Tue Jul 20, 2021, 08:13 PM
Jul 2021
New-England-style liberal politician


The other US Senator from Arizona, Kelly (hardly a radical lefty), instantly shows that you are putting up a false choice dilemma.

It is hardly taking a 'purist' stance to say that another candidate, more along the lines of a Kelly, would be a far better choice versus an obstructionist like Sinema, who wants a 60 vote threshold on all Senate business.


Sinema:

“I want to restore the 60-vote threshold for all elements of the Senate’s work”

https://www.vox.com/22319564/filibuster-reform-manchin-democrats-nuclear-option



Sinema's numbers are in the mud compared to Kelly and Biden. Trying to ramrod her down Arizona voters' throats is courting disaster.

It is not some 'purist' stance, it is reality.




FBaggins

(26,696 posts)
19. That's true in WV, but she's hardly the only Democrat who can win in AZ
Wed Jul 21, 2021, 09:36 AM
Jul 2021

There isn't any need to "count our blessing"... but you're close to right in two key regards:

If she decides to run for reelection and gets primaried, the primary itself likely damages the eventual nominee enough that the seat will go red.

The state is trending blue, but it's more than red enough to defeat a Democrat who is explicitly in favor of killing the filibuster, packing the courts, federalizing elections, etc.

IOW - if it's clear that the primary opponent exists because of the things she's doing currently that tick DUers off... then she is the best that we can get.

But that primary is almost three years away. Things likely will change.

Response to applegrove (Original post)

Response to applegrove (Original post)

Celerity

(42,662 posts)
12. Sinema is not even up for re-election until 2024. Same for Manchin.
Tue Jul 20, 2021, 09:07 PM
Jul 2021

We need a net +2 to overcome them in 2022.

We will be fighting a bad historical trend wherein we get crushed in the first midterms of an elected Dem POTUS. 1996 and 2010 were disasters, but this time could be different, and I truly hope it is.

We have 3 solid shots at flipping seats Red to Blue

Pennsylvania Open Seat (Fetterman has a really good shot at flipping this)

North Carolina Open Seat (Jeff Jackson can win this for us I think, he would have won in 2020 I am fairly sure. Cheri Beasley has a shot as well.)

Wisconsin Ron Johnson (asshat deluxe, I fucking hate this clown, my favourite choice to beat him, Mandela Barnes, just declared, and the POS Johnson may not run, which may make it easier)

Then the last two possible flips - Rubio in Florida will be harder, as will Tim Ryan trying to win the open seat in Ohio. After that it is all basically wish and hope races.



We have to defend 4 tough seats:


Georgia - Warnock (this is going to be a tough hold, especially if the voter suppressing laws are in effect)

New Hampshire - Maggie Hassan (her strongest opponent would probably be the popular Governor Sununu, and the Rethugs flipped BOTH the State Senate and the State House from Blue to Red in 2020 and now hold a Trifecta)

Arizona - Mark Kelly (the best outcome for us would be a QANON nutcase wins the Rethug primary)

Nevada Catherine Cortez Masto (Brian Sandoval would be by far the toughest Rethug to beat, BUT he said he is not running, so a big bullet dodged there)

Response to Celerity (Reply #12)

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