Don't Forget To Support The Freshmen Who Are Delivering On Their Promises-- Like Andy Levin

There's only one freshman-- for that matter, only one member of Congress-- who is still rated 100% for their voting record by ProgressivePunch, Andy Levin (D-MI). What makes that even more stunning, is that Andy isn't representing some super-blue district like the others in the Top 10 most progressive list do. This was the list as of this morning. Everyone on it has a great voting record. Only Andy's is what ProgressivePunch would call perfect:

And here's the PVI of each district, in the same order as the chart above, which shows you how much more vulnerable Andy is compared to the other super-progressives:

• MI-09- D+4
• MD-08- D+14
• WI-02- D+18
• NY-13- D+43
• CA-11- D+21
• CO-02- D+9
• MA-07- D+34
• CA-27- D+16
• MA-02- D+9
• WA-07- D+33
• CA-17- D+25

Andy's suburban district, north of Detroit, includes southern Macomb County and eastern Oakland County. It's a middle class district where 77.6% of the population is white. He has two Republicans battling it out in a primary to see which will take him on. Republicans aren't running candidates against Pocan, McGovern or Jayapal and there are only vanity candidates without resources running against the others. In 2016, 43.7% of the voters in Andy's district marked their ballots for Trump. In none of the other super-progressives' districts did Trump even come close to 40%.

It takes some guts to take principled stands the way he has in a swing district like his, a district where Trump will be advertising heavily and screaming about "socialists." And a great voting record isn't all that Andy is offering. Yesterday, he told his constituents that he's "not running simply to try to vote the right way on foreign and domestic policy, and to bring home the bacon (or tofu, if you prefer) to the working people of the 9th District, although that’s all important. I am running to help lead a movement for a new politics that creates a fundamentally more beautiful America. This is about the 'more perfect union' we have always sought, but has remained frustratingly beyond our grasp. We’re looking to create an America that is:

• Transforming our systems to create equitable policies for the people
• Galloping towards a fossil-free future
• Ensuring that all have access to quality, affordable healthcare
• Revering and fairly compensating teachers-- from preschool to university
• Guaranteeing workers can form unions, be well paid, and retire with dignity

He wrote that his freshman term "came in one of the most bizarre, consequential two-year sessions of Congress in our history. It also came alongside a massive Democratic wave, with the most diverse class in history. Over the past two years we’ve seen Donald Trump’s failed government shutdown come and go (without accomplishing a thing), his impeachment in the House and 'you-call-that-a-trial?' in the Senate."

And now, beyond our wildest imaginings, a global pandemic is packing a one-two punch on our nation. Not only are we in the middle of the gravest public health crisis in a century, but we’re also witnessing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression and an administration that claims their comeback is grounded in “law and order” when people are in the streets demanding long-overdue police reform and racial justice.

It’s impossible not to wonder what would’ve happened had we had competent leadership to meet this challenge. Now, we have an opportunity to turn our nation in a fundamentally new direction, rising from the ashes of this mess of an administration.

...We are all saying we’ll get through this, together. And we can. But not to go back to some previous normal. Let’s move into the light of justice.

So far, Blue America has only endorsed a dozen incumbents this cycle. A good voting record was essential, of course, but not enough. We were looking for progressive leaders for a post-Pelosi/Hoyer House Democratic caucus. Andy Levin is one of those leaders we're counting on. It would be catastrophic to lose him or any of the most progressive fighters in the House, all of whom you'll find by clicking on the Blue America 2020 Worthy Incumbents thermometer on the right.