2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: GOP "Extemist" Movement prompts NC candidate to switch to Dem [View all]Tom Rinaldo
(22,911 posts)I worry about somewhat moderate Republicans switching parties and pulling the Democratic Party more to the right also, but this guy seems like he is more than simply less crazy than the Republican he is running against. He sounds like he actually has real character and a sane moral compass, which makes him seem possibly a notch up from being a pragmatic partisan carpetbagger just looking for a more plausible path toward self advancement.
For the near term future we will need to elect some centrist Democrats from districts that have voted in conservatives lately if we want to take the House form Republicans - and that is essential or there is NO chance of anything remotely progressive emerging from Congress. I would be looking for candidates like this guy who at least have some personal integrity rather than simply being smarmy opportunists. Then, to offset their moderating influence on the Democratic Party, we have to work hard to recruit and elect strong and solid liberals and progressives from blue leaning districts. That will mean fighting it out in primaries against centrist Democratic incumbents in some cases