General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWho Is Your House Rep? Who Are Your Senators?
There's a lot of criticism of people who already have a seat in Congress these days. If they don't climb on board with something that is being introduced that can't possibly be enacted, they are being demonized.
Much of the time, it seems like much of that criticism is coming from people who do not even live in the state or district where that member of Congress was elected. Which begs the questions in the title of this post.
So, how about your own representatives and Senators? Where do they stand and what are you planning to do if they aren't Democrats or aren't voting for progressive measures and against Republican measures? Are you working on flipping districts in your own state that are held by Republicans, or just criticizing someone from some other place where you don't vote?
Congressional elections are local elections, either in a congressional district or state. Look at your own elected officials. Take care of business where you live. Focus on what you can affect, not on someone else's state or district. That will help.
underpants
(182,747 posts)MineralMan
(146,284 posts)How do you feel about them? I'm not from Virginia, so I don't follow them or their positions. You do, so you can tell us and you can work on campaigns where you live.
I live in Minnesota. I'm represented by Al Franken, Amy Klobuchar and Betty McCollum. They're doing well. I'll be working on flipping two districts here that are currently held by Republicans. We can win in those districts, so that's where I'll be working.
I used to live in California, but do not any longer. So, I'm leaving California elections to Californians. They know best what will work where they live.
underpants
(182,747 posts)I love Kaine. Busted my ass getting him elected.
Warner a moderate but he's mostly good.
On edit - Brat's FB page is riot. No matter what he posts he gets crap from all sides.
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)Schweikert, McCain, Flake
unblock
(52,188 posts)i'm pretty happy with that group
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)to a Democrat? If so, and your own reps are safe, please consider helping in those flippable districts.
unblock
(52,188 posts)the first selectman is republican. we're working on getting that office back, for what it's worth
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)CTyankee
(63,901 posts)Happy to say they are all Dems!
Iggo
(47,548 posts)I was a Californian for 55 years. Now, I live in Minnesota. Can you help with a district that is a potential flip?
Iggo
(47,548 posts)Also, whoever's running against Issa.
We flipped one in the 31st recently.
Most of my money goes to the homeless.
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,580 posts)MineralMan
(146,284 posts)Maybe there's a flippable district near you that needs your help.
maryellen99
(3,788 posts)catbyte
(34,367 posts)Qanisqineq
(4,826 posts)My husband works at the federal building in Bismarck. Apparently Hoeven and Cramer's secretaries are pretty deplorable, chanting "Ding Dong the bitch is dead" after the Nov 2016 election.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,663 posts)I can't complain! Well, a little; Klobuchar tends to be wishy-washy and tries too hard to please everybody. But at least she's reliably in the D column.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)It's near enough to put effort into. We have a couple of districts that could use help from all of us. Ellison is safe.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,663 posts)before he got elected. Paulsen in CD 3 is horrible too.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)with Trump. Paulsen, not so much, I think.
I'm going to be trying to help flip CD-2, mostly. I think it's very doable, really.
Wounded Bear
(58,636 posts)Adam Smith, D, US Rep
Maria Cantwell, D, Senate
Patty Murray, D, Senate
They may not be perfect, but I'm pretty happy with them for the most part. But then, I'm not a purist. For one thing, though we're a blue state, we depend heavily on trade, Boeing Industry, and agriculture. The issues wrapped around these, and other, issues don't always fit nicely into a left/right dynamic.
I try my best not to be too critical of others in other districts, and certainly won't apply my "purity" test to someone from a state 2,000 miles away.
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)When people vote they are thinking of the national politics. Coroners have nearly lost elections to unqualified people simply because they were a Republican.
Dem_4_Life
(1,765 posts)Lamar Smith - working actively with Derrick Crowe's campaign to unseat him. Derrick is an amazing candidate. MANY people in this district cannot stand Lamar Smith however it is an uphill fight with the redistricting mess in Texas.
Ted Cruz - donating monthly to Beto O'Rourke and will become more active with this campaign when I can. Trying to talk to his office is like hitting a brick wall as you all are aware.
John Cornyn - same as Ted Cruz except if I had to choose which one was better I would say Cornyn although they are both repulsive.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)frazzled
(18,402 posts)And also diverse: African American male, white male, Asian American woman
greatauntoftriplets
(175,731 posts)I checked who was congressman in this location before I bought the place.
frazzled
(18,402 posts)although he's getting up there in years. I kind of had to block out that Reverend Moon incident when we got our place, because otherwise, he's pretty oh kay. Happy to have him as my representative.
greatauntoftriplets
(175,731 posts)I was still living in Jan Schakowsky's district when the Moon thing happened. Davis supports what I support, so all is good.
TexasProgresive
(12,157 posts)I will support any dem who runs against Cruz and Flores no matter what color dog they are. Better a right leaning dem then a fascist puke.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)Initech
(100,060 posts)But my representative is Ed Royce. And right next to me I have Dana Rohrabacher.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)Initech
(100,060 posts)It can be done, but they both need to go, especially Rohrabacher, he's the worst.
Glorfindel
(9,726 posts)Congressman: Doug Collins
Senators: Johnny Isakson and David Perdue (a cockroach who scurried over from NC to inflict himself on GA)
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)I don't have a ton of advice for Democrats in that state, unfortunately.
brokephibroke
(1,883 posts)And he is thinking of quitting his seat to run for CO Atty General. We went blue once in the last 20 yrs or so when we elected Betsy Markey. Since then it was Cory Gardner (now Senator) then the piece of shit Buck.
We haven't picked a candidate here, but rest assured I will canvas for him/her.
No senate seats up this time..
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)Madam Mossfern
(2,340 posts)Booker and Menendez, you know
Frelinghuysen is my House Rep.
There's an active contingency trying to flip the district - going strong (NJ11 for Change).
There are four towns from my County (Essex) that have been gerrymandered into his district.
There's a lot of push back from them as well as those in other counties. So far I've been approached by three people who want to run in the Primaries next year in order to run against him. As town chair, I advised that it is way too early for me to endorse any one of them. While they all have platforms that I like, we know by now that we need to chose the one who is most likely to win.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)Thanks for working where you are!
Bayard
(22,048 posts)McConnell, Paul, Guthrie
GreenEyedLefty
(2,073 posts)drray23
(7,627 posts)All dems who are opposing Trump and his ilk.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)drray23
(7,627 posts)to retake the state house seat (hd64). We are hitting the streets and so far the response has been great. Its the first time in many off year elections that we were able to recruit that many volunteers. Northam, Fairfax, for gov and lr gov, mark herring for att. general.
In my area we are really pushing the local VA house elections and of course motivating ppls to vote upticket.
So, there is a coordinated campaign field organizer (they attack it from the top) and we have a house seat campaign where we go from the ground up.
Many of us have been organizing for years so we are able to swap/share volunteers and coordinate the two efforts.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)csziggy
(34,135 posts)He was a state representative before he ran for the federal office. He can be weak on some issues, but he is a solid Democrat and has done very good since getting into Congress.
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) is not as liberal as I'd like but he is a solid Democrat and regularly votes for the issues that are important to me and against those I do NOT want.
And Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). I don't need to say any more.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)you can help!
csziggy
(34,135 posts)Since the Republicans are targeting him. And I will also try to help whichever Democrat gets the nod to run for Governor. After twenty years of Republicans, Florida NEEDS a strong Democratic governor.
The biggest problem for both races is the Florida Democratic Party - they do not support anything but the most centrist candidates. Hell, last time they supported Charlie Crist for governor against a strong Democratic woman. Crist, who had been Jeb Bush's buddy and who only changed the letter behind his name when the Republicans wouldn't support him anymore.
nycbos
(6,034 posts)TeapotInATempest
(804 posts)All Ds, but Lipinski's a Blue Dog who voted against the ACA in 2010. I'll most likely support his primary challenger but I'm still researching her.
Also, I expect to see dirty tricks from Lipinski's buddy, Illinois Speaker of the House Mike Madigan. When Lipinski's had a primary challenger in the past, he and Madigan have run an additional challenger in order to split the vote so that Lipinski wins.
Blue_Adept
(6,397 posts)Pretty much everyone that I have any vote toward is already Democractic and doing a solid job. Hell, I can't even really complain hard about Baker as a Republican governor because he's handling things well and acting like an old school New England conservative.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)Thanks.
Tracer
(2,769 posts)No complaints!
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)Blue_Adept
(6,397 posts)louis c
(8,652 posts)My Senators are Liz Warren, Ed Markey and my congresswoman in Katherine Clark.
I figure you can't do much better than that.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)I like Minnesota, too.
get the red out
(13,461 posts)Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, and Andy Barr
Voting and donating to anyone but.
Thirties Child
(543 posts)MineralMan
(146,284 posts)50 Shades Of Blue
(9,969 posts)prairierose
(2,145 posts)Va Lefty
(6,252 posts)3catwoman3
(23,970 posts)Waste of oxygen Peter Roskam as congressman - he hides from his constituents. Red county in the mostly blue "collar counties" of the greater Chicago area.
There is a very active county Democratic party organization to which I belong. I'm not a good knock-on-the-door type or phone canvasser, but I know how to enter the walk sheet data in Vote Builder, so I do that and leave the face-to-face part of things to those with more extroverted personalities.
Tiggeroshii
(11,088 posts)Feinstein and Harris
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)Can I still give my opinion at DU or should I run it by you first?
I voted for Krysten Sinema over the Obama or (Bill)Clinton endorsed candidate because she was more progressive at the time but since becoming elected she's done nothing but move to the right now she is one of more Conservative Democrats in Congress. Big mistake now she is being endorsed for a Senate run -- I will vote for someone else in the primary and still vote for her in a race against a Republican.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)That's OK, though.
ProudMNDemocrat
(16,783 posts)My dear friend, Tim Walz in the 1st CD. Now running for Governor.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken , both are friends of mine.
SeattleVet
(5,477 posts)Lucky to live in a very blue district in a blue state. Jayapal is new this term, but she's already been making some good waves and stirring things up.
Wounded Bear
(58,636 posts)posted above. I'm in Smith's district, next door to you.
niyad
(113,239 posts)MineralMan
(146,284 posts)Looks like there's work to be done.
niyad
(113,239 posts)this oh-so-very red district) gardner makes me ill. some days even bennet is a pill.
beaglelover
(3,465 posts)Love Kamala and Tony does a fine job, but Feinstein needs to retire and let someone younger get her seat. She needs to bow out gracefully like Boxer did. Time to go Diane!
Vinca
(50,258 posts)Democratic women . . . thank heavens.
MuseRider
(34,104 posts)Not much to do with Jenkins and Roberts. They don't even bother to answer questions anymore. Moran has been OK with the health care voting, not sure how he holds out or even why he does. I don't trust him but at least he is brave enough to step out with a vote for his district.
Paladin
(28,249 posts)Warpy
(111,237 posts)and I didn't even have to look it up. My state rep is Sheryl Stapleton, didn't have to look her up, either, she's fantastic and I've kept sending her back to the lege since I've lived in this house.
Loryn
(943 posts)It could definitely be worse.
wryter2000
(46,032 posts)I am truly blessed.
CozyMystery
(652 posts)2/3 of the people where I live vote R. Rural western PA.
I write emails, make phone calls, post on FB and Twitter.
I talk to people, but frankly it is a waste of time. The vast majority parrot Fox News sound bites, and if I try to continue the conversation, they have no idea what they are talking about.
Retrograde
(10,132 posts)Eshoo's OK: reliably votes the way Pelosi does, and answers emails promptly I just wish she were a bit more forward and proactive like Speier (whose district ends a few blocks away, darnit) but there are many, many worse representatives.
Old Terp
(464 posts)Rep is Steny Hoyer. I have no complaints
Luciferous
(6,078 posts)is about 70% Republican so don't see anything changing soon here.
Bettie
(16,086 posts)Grassley is, well, Grassley, Earnst is terrible, and Rod Blum is only a tiny step up from Steve King.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)Bettie
(16,086 posts)This was a blue district in the past, however, when the state went from 5 to 4 reps, our district got a lot more rural voters and the Kochs LOVE to pour money into this particular race.
The other two? Moving to Iowa was weird for me, Senators are considered near-gods or something, there is a weird worship/cult thing. At Dem events, people sing the praises of Grassley. I do not understand.
Rhiannon12866
(205,161 posts)Two winners and one deplorable.
mulsh
(2,959 posts)County supervisor Keith Carson, City Counsel Noel Gallo
Since all politics actually are local I try to at least know who my federal and state elected officials are.