This is a struggle for the soul and identity of our party

[BlueCheeseAgain]

10. In the 2002 Senate race in New Jersey...

Incumbent Dem Senator Robert Torricelli was unopposed in the Dem primary in June. Later on, he became embroiled in scandal, and was trailing the Republican nominee in polls. In September, he withdrew from the race. The Democrats scrambled to find a replacement, and eventually found former senator Frank Lautenberg to run instead. The Republicans filed a lawsuit to prevent the change, but the New Jersey Supreme Court allowed it, and Lautenberg ended up winning.

(One of the people briefly considered to replace Torricelli was then-House member Robert Menendez-- the same guy just convicted of bribery in the case of gold bars and cash. New Jersey sure knows how to pick them.)

Now, let me be clear that I'm not comparing a debate to corruption (though Torricelli wasn't ever convicted of anything), but was this an abrogation of the people's will?