Candidate who actually runs on "defund the police" actually wins

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/des-moines/2021/11/02/who-won-des-moines-city-council-results-election-2021-sheumaker-mandelbaum-boesen/8573151002/

Social justice advocate Indira Sheumaker defeats incumbent Bill Gray in Des Moines City Council race

Des Moines voters sent a new, young candidate to the City Council chamber, ousting a longtime incumbent, and supported keeping two other council members in office.

With 100% of precincts reporting, first-time candidate Indira Sheumaker defeated incumbent Bill Gray in the Des Moines City Council’s Ward 1 race. Gray was first elected in 2014.

Sheumaker received 46.36% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Polk County Auditor's Office. Gray tallied 36.32% and challenger Marcus Coenen finished with 16.82%.

(snip)

Sheumaker, who ran on a platform of defunding the police, is the first Black woman on the council in decades. The late Willie Glanton became the first Black Des Moines City Council member in 1985.

If you're familiar with my posts, you'll know that I don't think "defund the police" is effective to run on, just as I don't think that "abolish the police," an approach I prefer, is useful in electoral politics.

What I do think is interesting is that Republicans use "defund the police" as a scare slogan about Democrats who don't use it, but when one actually does use it, it's not a disadvantage.

[Devil Child]

1. Hell yeah, we got a Des Moines City Council race!

Defund the Police is clearly a winning message.

Congrats to Indira Sheumaker on her victory.

[Ocelot II]

4. Minneapolis doesn't think so.

[Devil Child]

5. Voters obviously don't understand Defund The Police

If voters simply understood what defund the police meant they would've voted correctly to defund the police.

[Ocelot II]

6. If the people who write ballot measures could clearly explain what they intend,

maybe those measures would pass. Or at least people would know what they're voting on.

[Devil Child]

8. Agreed, until that happens it will be a loser IMO

[Scrivener7]

2. .

[Tomconroy]

3. Today the Des Moines City Council: Tomorrow.....

Probably nowhere.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. If you're familiar with my posts, you'll know that I don't think "defund the police" is effective to

run on, just as I don't think that "abolish the police," an approach I prefer, is useful in electoral politics.

What I do think is interesting is that Republicans use "defund the police" as a scare slogan about Democrats who don't use it, but when one actually does use it, it's not a disadvantage.

[cinematicdiversions]

9. Did you notice that in Buffalo the write in canidate

(Admittedly the current four term mayor) defeated the democratic nominee?

I'm not sure defund the police is working for most people.

[Devil Child]

10. Explain Minneapolis?

Doesn't sound like an advantage when voters reject a defund the police measure.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. I was talking specifically about candidates.

[brooklynite]

12. Meanwhile...

DIane Morales, who ran on DTP in the NYC Mayoral Primary came in 6th.

Minneapolis voted down a DTP referendum.

Seattle voted for a Republican over a DTP Dermocrat.

[Devil Child]

14. But we got Des Moines City Council!!!!!

Undeniable proof of something significant and totally outweighs your examples of voters clearly not understanding what they are supposed to vote for.



When faced with the reality of DTP being a loser, will adherents recognize this or double down on their rhetoric? Perhaps more guilt and shame is needed for voters to understand DTP? Time to turn towards twitter for the answers!

[uponit7771]

13. THANK YOU !!! When we don't allow the GQP to beat us on the head with an issue we win !!!

[SharonClark]

15. She's smart and articulate and does her homework.

Sheumaker didn't WIN on 'defund the police". She ran an impressive and progressive campaign based on the needs of the people in Ward 1 - affordable housing, food deserts, internet access, public transportation, the concerns of the ward being ignored, etc. The incumbent was a councilperson of no consequence who did nothing for the ward and usually voted for whatever the police department wanted.

Sheumaker went from Council "disrupter" to candidate easily.

...[Mayor] Cownie calls Sheumaker “probably one of the more articulate people that chooses to speak” and said she’s forceful. Asked about her run for the council, he recalled his first run for mayor, when “I hoped for a change in attitude in the way the council looked to meeting the needs of the public.”

“She’s young,” he said. “She has a reason to run. She has a voice. I respect her for making the run.”

source: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/rekha-basu/2021/03/07/indira-sheumaker-des-moines-blm-movement-inspires-political-vision/6839302002/