Down-ballot Republicans watch with glee as Sanders gains steam

[Gothmog]

Link to tweet

Bernie Sanders hasn’t won the Democratic primary — but down-ballot Republicans are having a field day acting like he has.
Republicans up and down the ballot are already casting their Democratic rivals as socialist puppets who would remake the economy in

Sanders’ collectivist vision. The play is straightforward: President Donald Trump has repelled college-educated suburban voters since he took office; Republicans want to win them back by arguing the alternative is worse.

Arizona Sen. Martha McSally launched a TV ad titled “Bernie Bro” likening her Democratic opponent, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, to the Vermont senator. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis held a press conference last week linking his Democratic rivals to the Sanders-backed Green New Deal. In Michigan, a conservative group has aired a series of commercials that go after Democratic Sen. Gary Peters by invoking Sanders and his support for Medicare for All.

And in the wake of Sanders’ New Hampshire primary win, the Republican State Leadership Committee, which focuses on state legislative races, has been running digital ads asking whether down-ballot Democrats in more than a half-dozen states are “feeling burned yet” — a take on the Sanders mantra, “Feel the Bern.”

The early activity bolsters claims by Sanders' Democratic rivals that he would be a nightmare for Democrats on the ballot next year. The senator's supporters say Republicans will find a way to demonize whomever the nominee is, and Sanders, at least, brings a big upside with the enthusiasm among young voters he inspires.

But Republicans do seem especially eager to face off against Sanders.

[brooklynite]

1. Not to worry; I have it on good authority that millions of non-voters are just WAITING...

...for a "real progressive" to be nominated.....

[CalFione]

2. Bernie, as nominee, is a disaster for the Democratic Party

[evertonfc]

3. Sanders will get stomped in GE

but if you want to nominate a Democratic socialist as the head of the Democratic party you will lose the WH and lose House seats. Middle America and the Southeast will not elect a Democratic Socialist. Period. End of conversation. It's why moderates won here in 18 and 19 and Sanders backed candidates didn't. You think America is represebtive of the coasts. I'll bet my 25 years working local and state campaigns from FL to GA to TN that Trump will beat Sanders in historic fashion.

[Gothmog]

4. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy will be the next speaker come 2021

Link to tweet

THE TUMULTUOUS POLITICAL CLIMATE has given fresh hope to REPUBLICANS, who were privately skeptical of TRUMP’S prediction that House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY will be the next speaker come 2021. Internal polling commissioned by the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE showed that voters in districts targeted by both parties are skeptical of SANDERS -- his approval rating is 42%, and disapproval stands at 53% -- which they believe will help boost their candidates for the House. In these districts, voters prefer TRUMP, 48% to 43%. If SANDERS is atop the ticket, Republicans believe, they can credibly label every Democrat a socialist without fear of overreach.

[Meadowoak]

5. Baloney

[RandySF]

6. No, it's real.

[joost5]

7. Also check out this thread

"My conversation with my DNC operative in Florida"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287551688

We need a moderate as our nominee in November or we'll lose the House and not flip the Senate. And we'll get NOTHING progressive passed, health care, abortion, green legislation, criminal justice, ... and the treasonous GOP will continue their onslaught of our sacred democratic institutions.

[JustAnotherGen]

8. Which scares the hell out of me

These people are pure evil.

[Vogon_Glory]

9. And they have reason to be, blast it!!!

Despite the starry-eyed puppies-and-unicorns thinking of Democratic Bernie fans, Bernie not only lacks the traction to win the swing states and purpling red states a Democratic candidate needs to win the White House, he’ll also provide short coat tails for down-ballot Democrats we need in office to do something other than stall Republican reactionaries and start moving forward again.

The stakes are very, very high this election. There is no second chance. This election, the one this year, is the one-and-only second chance election to make up for the one where Bernie Bro’s and Purists chose to sat on their keisters or voted for Jill Stein.

A BERNIE SANDERS NOMINATION MEANS FOUR MORE YEARS OF DONALD TRUMP.

A BERNIE SANDERS NOMINATION COULD WELL MEAN THE END OF FREE SPEECH AND EVEN HALFWAY-FAIR ELECTIONS IN THE US.

A BERNIE SANDERS NOMINATION NOT ONLY MEANS THE END OF THE ACA, BUT ALSO THE GUTTING OF MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY.

A BERNIE SANDERS NOMINATION MEANS SIX MORE YEARS OF MITCH MCCONNELL.

A BERNIE SANDERS NOMINATION MEANS A RIGHT WING SUPREME COURT THAT WILL TRASH REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, VOTING RIGHTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS.

What the starry-eyed puppies-and-unicorns crowd fails to realize is that Democracies CAN die, and it CAN happen here. I want a Democratic winner this year not only because I want Trump out of office, but because I want to see our republic reassume it’s greatness and because I want free and fair elections in 2022 and 2024.

[dalton99a]

10. Putin is pleased

"... except for Sanders and Trump — we support them.”

[Voltaire2]

11. Party elites flabbergasted that voters

prefer a cranky old socialist determined to fix the healthcare mess, mitigate the student debt crisis, take serious steps to address the climate catastrophe, and tax the wealthy to pay for it.

Wtf is wrong with us?

[Vogon_Glory]

13. If you would take a break from your polemics

You might note that much of former President Obama’s political agenda stalled when the Reublicans reassumed control of Congress in the 2010 elections.

This election isn’t just about putting one guy in the White House, any more than it’s a public version of a popularity contest.

This election is NOT just about stopping Trump, but about having a Democratic administration that can actually GOVERN, instead of being monkey-wrenched by Mitch McConnell or a Republicann Speaker of the House if we lose enough seats.

We need control of Congress and more statehouses. I watched in dismay as Tom DeLay, together with the Republican State Legislature, gerrymandered the state House and the Texas congressional delegation. These processes repeatedly across red America.

Bernie doesn’t have enough appeal to help Democrats down-ballot. The best thing he could do for this country is step aside and bow out of the race.

[Voltaire2]

14. You polemic I polemic we all polemic.

“The beatings will continue until morale improves. “

[RandySF]

12. We will lose at least half of our House freshmen

and a few other incumbents.

[quickesst]

15. Trump refers to Bernie Sanders as....

.... "Crazy Bernie" a couple of times during the entire primary.

Trump and Associates risked impeachment, and the possibility of prison time in order to derail Joe Biden's campaign.

Sanders people- Tell me again, who is Trump more afraid of? Please try to include common sense, logic, and facts in your answer.

[Gothmog]

16. sanders would kill down ballot candidates

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

17. The grandson of GHW Bush is running this ad attacking sanders and socialism

TX CD 22 is an open seat with Pete Olson retiring. The DCCC has targeted this seat for flipping. There are 15 candidates in GOP primary including the grandson of GHW Bush. Another candidate, Kathleen Wall, is running in the GOP primary and she spent $6 million in 2018 running in GOP primary for TX CD 2 and did not make GOP primary runoff. I have had Wall block walkers come to my house twice (I live in a very GOP neighborhood) and I have found Wall doorhanger on my door twice now.

Pierce Bush is running against socialism

Link to tweet

Sri Preston Kulkarni is the leading Democrat for this seat (Sri has a GOP type and another person running against him in the Texas Democratic Primary) I texted this ad to Sri and he knew about it already. Sri Preston Kulkarni is a great guy and we need to flip this seat

If sanders is the nominee, we can forget about this seat and we will have Kevin McCarthy as speaker