HI-02: Hawaii Teachers Union Backs Gabbard Opponent For Congress

[Jim Lane]

70. You are totally misstating my view.

Read what I wrote in #23. (If you can't bear to read the whole thing, here's a tip: third paragraph.)

I am expressly not joining the horrified shrieking about any primary of an incumbent. I'm merely pointing out the hypocrisy of those who have shrieked about it in the past, on the basis that we're in a crisis and unity is paramount and no one should challenge any incumbent Democrat, but who then make an exception when the incumbent Democrat is one they don't like.

For my part, when I look at primary races, I support some incumbents and some challengers, depending on the merits of the race as I see them. The difference is that I don't try to cloak my personal preferences as being based on some general pro-incumbent principle, only to abandon that supposed general principle when it's expedient to do so.

To elaborate further, here are some examples of the point of view to which I refer. These are quotations from a thread right here on DU about progressives challenging incumbents in Democratic primaries:

“I'm all for running against GOPers. Not for bashing/wounding good Democrats in a critical election.”

“questioning the [strategy] of people to challenge incumbents in a primary.”

“in a year when we have nothing these folks waste money and time going after sitting Democrats instead of trying to unseat Republicans.” And “Democrats have no power in Washington...timing is everything. We need to spend our resources fighting Trump by flipping Republicans seats...not challenging Democratic incumbents.”

“why aren't they going after red seats instead? Why do these new progressives insist on building their
skyscraper from the penthouse downward?”

“I'm suspect of the motives of anyone that appears to be undermining good solid Dems.”

“Shouldn't the emphasis be on running against republican incumbents first? Remember, Democrats in office won their elections, and where republicans are in office the Democrat lost. THOSE are the seats we should be targetting.”

“Bad strategy We've already got the NYT flogging the 'Dems in disarray!!11' meme on the front page today. Why don't these progressives run against Republicans. They are the enemy.”

“this kind of internal squabbling needs to be saved for going against the GOP. We need unity here.”

I'm not going to give links or name names. I'm simply pointing out that this consideration, which is superficially neutral among all incumbents, gets dropped in the specific case of Tulsi Gabbard.

And, just in case I haven't made it clear yet, I disagree with the philosophy exemplified by the quotations in that excerpt box.