Uncalled House Races-- Just A Dozen To Go

 

The latest election tallies show that Joe Biden is leading President Trump by 5,060,175 votes. That is a larger number than the margin between President Obama and Mitt Romney in 2012. In the 2012 election, Obama had 4,982,296 more votes than Romney.

This morning's election counties have Trump losing by 5,060,175 votes and that number will keep growing as more votes are counted in New York and California. At the moment, it stands like this:

• President-elect Joe Biden- 76,997,481 (50.8%)-- 290 electoral votes
• Señor Donald J. Trumpanzee- 71,926,263 (47.5%)- 214 electoral votes

There were a dozen actual swing states and 99% of the votes are counted in each one. Biden won 7 and Trump won 5:

This morning the race in Los Angeles for CA-34 was called for Jimmy Gomez, a garden variety progressive politician, who was in a D vs D fight with a super-progressive activist, David Kim. That leaves just an even dozen uncalled House races nationally, 3 more in California, 1 in Illinois, 1 in Iowa and 7 on New York.

The other California races are all for seats that were flipped from red to blue in 2018 and each pits a Republican against an uninspiring, pointless New Dem.

CA-21 includes all of Kings County and parts of Fresno, Kern and Tulare. It is 75% Hispanic and the PVI is D+5. In 2016, Hillary beat Trump there 55.2% to 39.7% and in 2018 TJ Cox ousted David Valadao by 862 votes-- 57,239 (50.4%) to 56,377 (49.6%). Cox has been a shitty Congress, not as shitty as Valadao, but utterly worthless. Valadao challenged him to a rematch and, with 91% of the vote counted, is now leading 72,350 (51.4%) to 68,324 (48.6%). Cox raised $4,798,088 to Valadao's $3,721,619. The DCCC spent $3,704,254 and Pelosi's House Majority PAC spent $3,218,656, about the same thing the Republican committees spent trying to help Valadao.

CA-25 is the Santa Clarita Valley/Antelope Valley/Simi Valley district that Katie Hill flipped in 2018 and then resigned from in a sex scandal. Mike Garcia beat pointless conservative Democrat Christy Smith in the special election on March 3-- 95,667 (54.9%) to 78,721 (45.1%). That was despite massive DCCC spending on Smith's behalf in a district with a Democratic registration advantage where the PVI is even but where Hillary beat Trump by 7 points. In 2018, Hill beat the Republican incumbent, Steve Knight, 133,209 (54.4%) to 111,813 (45.6%). With 99% of the vote counted, Garcia and Smith have been seesawing back and forth, with him currently leading her by 159 votes-- 165,178 (50.0%) to 165,019 (50.1%). Neither is fit to be in Congress.

Worst of the 3 terrible Democratic candidates in the uncalled California races is Gil Cisneros, the lottery winner who bought an Orange County/L.A./San Bernardino open seat in 2018 with $9,252,762 of his lottery winnings. He campaigned as a fake progressive and, predictably, joined the New Dems when he got to Congress and ran up a voting record rated "F" by ProgressivePunch. He's a waste of a seat and his 126,002 (51.6%) to 118,391 (48.4%) 2018 win over Republican Young Kim is-- with 99% of the vote counted-- not looking good. She leads him 167,564 (50.6%) to 163,396 (49.4%). Refusing to spend much of his own money again (just $370,887), he was out-raised by her $5,319,367 to $3,779,013. The DCCC and Pelosi's PAC put in another $2.6 million but it doesn't seem to have helped combat Democratic lethargy for another useless Republican-lite candidate with no accomplishments.

The uncalled race in Illinois is for the R+5 district northwest of Chicago, where Lauren Underwood ousted Randy Hultgren in 2018-- 156,035 (52.5%) to 141,164 (47.5%), winning in all 7 counties. Having made some progressive noises in 2018, she quickly ran up an "F" voting record (ProgressivePunch). Although Obama won the district in 2008, Hillary lost to Trump by 4 points. Right now with 99% of the votes counted, Underwood is narrowly leading right-wing fanatic and perennial self-funder Jim Oberweis, 198,017 (50.4%) to 194,588 (49.6%). Oberweis kicked in $1,208,179 from his personal fortune, but she out-raised him $7,099,198 to $2,515,192. The DCCC considered her safe and didn't spend in the district.

The Iowa race, in the southeast quadrant of the state (IA-02) is open because Democrat Dave Loebsack decided to retire. The Democrats ran Rita Hart and the Republican candidate is Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the D+1 district that re-elected Loebsack by 12 points in 2018, two years after giving Trump a 4 points win. (Obama took in by 13 points in 2012.) This is another race that is see-sawing back and forth. Right now, with 89% of the votes counted, Miller-Meeks leads 196,860 (50.0%) to 196,812 (50.0%)-- just 48 votes! Right now, this is the closest congressional race in the country. Hart out-raised Miller-Meeks $3,631,135 to $1,518,295 and the DCCC and Pelosi's PAC kicked in about $6.5 million, about the same as the GOP committees.

And that brings us to New York, where there are 7 uncalled races. Trump won both Long Island counties again. The Democrats nominated a conservative Blue Dog, Jackie Gordon. to run for Peter King's open seat on the South Shore. Only 78% of the vote has been counted but she is losing to Republican Andrew Garbarino, 157,482 (57.8%) to 112,584 (41.3%), not a gap she looks likely to close enough to win. On the North Shore New Dem Tom Suozzi looks like he's in trouble behind George Santos-- 137,938 (50.5%) to 133,765 (49.0%)-- but will likely win substantially with 28% of ballots (mostly blue mail in votes) uncounted.

The red-leaning Trump strongholds in Staten Island and south Brooklyn are delivering for the GOP and Democrats have been wiped out there. With 85% of the votes counted Blue Dog Max Rose-- who campaigned against his own party and is not that dissimilar to a stinking pile of shit-- is losing to Republican Nicole Malliotakis, 136,383 (57.9%) to 99,224 (42.1%). The PVI is R+3 and Rose has been one of the worst Democrats in the House and clearly doesn't deserve to be reelected, despite having outraised Malliotakis $8,350,467 to $3,052,007. The DCCC and Pelosi's SuperPAC wasted over $9 million on this race.

Although neither are is called yet, Sean Patrick Maloney and Antonio Delgado (NY-18 and 19) both lead their Republican opponents, Maloney 135,819 (51.0%) to 127,918 (48.1%)and Delgado 141,993 (50.3%) to 134,602 (47.6%), with a Libertarian shaving 1.2% of the vote off the Republican's total. About 80% is in on each candidate and, like Suozzi both these New Dems are likely going back to the House. Maloney has already announced he wants to run for the DCCC chair. I doubt he could be as bad as Cheri Bustos, but he'd be very close if he manages to win (unlikely).

The most exciting races are further north, NY-22 and NY-24. In NY-22 Anthony Brindisi-- the worst Blue Dog in the House, and one who many of his colleagues are actually hoping loses-- is in a rematch with ex-Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, She's a psychotic Trumpster so this is a race without a lesser evil. With 80% counted she's leading 139,926 (54.4%) to 111,539 (43.4%) in an R+6 district. It's hard to imagine Brindisi winning. Good riddance!

NY-24 (Syracuse and environs) is a D+3 district where progressive Dana Balter is working to oust mainstream Republican John Katko. 78% is counted and he leads her 155,830 (58.5%) to 110,728 (37.8%) in a rematch from 2018. Obama won the district by 16 points in 2012 and Hillary won it by about 3 and a half points in 2016. In 2018 Katko was reelected 136,920 (52.6%) to 123,226 (47.4%). This year he outraised Balter $3,541,163 to $2,711,811, but the DCCC and Pelosi's SuperPAC kicked in a little over $5 million, about the same as the Republican committees.

Here's How You Can Help Build Our Green Coalition

Blue America is working with our allies in Congress' Sustainable Energy And Environment Coalition Caucus [SEEC PAC], including old friends we've helped get elected and reelected like Matt Cartwright, Ted Lieu, Pramila Jayapal, Bonnie Watson-Coleman, Alan Lowenthal, Judy Chu, Ilhan Omar, Jim Himes, Barbara Lee, Earl Blumenauer, Steve Cohen, Raul Grijalva, Jerry McNerney, Nanette Barragan and Katie Porter.

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), chair of Congress' Natural Resources Committee, told us yesterday that "Within the halls of Congress, no group is working harder than the SEEC Caucus to advance clean energy, climate change solutions, and environmental justice while protecting our air, water, wildlife, and public lands from the Trump administration." He further pointed out that "This work is powered by a grassroots network of people pitching in what they can to support this critical work." Blue America and SEEC PAC have teamed up to raise some last minute campaign contributions for candidates both our groups have endorsed:

• Nate McMurray (NY)
• Beth Doglio (WA)
• Marie Newman (IL)
• Julie Oliver (TX)
• Mike Siegel (TX)
• Kathy Ellis (MO)
• Audrey Denney (CA)
• Cathy Kunkel (WV)
• Jon Hoadley (MI)
• Kara Eastman (NE)
• Georgette Gomez (CA)
• Dana Balter (NY)

Let's face it, our planet is at stake in November. If we are going to build a better future for this generation and the next, there is no time to waste.

That's why SEEC PAC and Blue America have endorsed an incredible slate of leaders who will act on this issue. We can't give even an inch. It's essential that we expand our green coalition in the House and continue to push Congress to take up clean energy, climate resiliency, and environmental protections.

These green leaders can become Members of Congress-- with your help. Will you maximize your donation by contributing to these dually-endorsed candidates today?

The Trump administration spent four years taking a wrecking ball to environmental regulations. They hired oil and gas lobbyists and climate deniers to lead the federal agencies tasked with protecting our air, water, and public lands. They ignored the science while wildfires destroyed communities and hurricanes slammed our coasts.

It is going to take work to repair the damage of Donald Trump. We have to rebuild protections for our environment and ensure climate mitigation is a part of those conversations. We have to reinforce the government processes that allow us to protect the American people from reckless pollution and disregard of science and fact.

Climate change and environmental protection have been among the most important items Beth Doglio has attended to as a member of the Washington state legislature. As a congressional candidate, she told us that she's "So proud to have the endorsement of SEEC. My Govenor-- Jay Inslee- founded SEEC when he served in Congress. As a State Representative, I worked with  Governor Inslee to pass landmark policies addressing environmental issues in Washington. We passed a suite of climate policies moving our state to 100% clean electricity, making our existing commercial buildings more efficient and building our mass transit and vehicle/ferry electrification systems. We are on track to meet our greenhouse emission reduction goals in statute. I can't wait to work with SEEC membership to pass bold transformational policies that make the visionary Green New Deal our future."

Progressive Democrat Kathy Ellis told us this morning that she's "running for Congress in a largely rural, 30-county district in Missouri that's been decimated by climate change and deregulation. Our local economy is almost entirely based on the environment, whether it’s through farming, hospitality, or our incredible state parks and riverways. And yet, over the last ten years, we’ve seen the damage that a climate-denier congressman can have: our farmers have struggled greatly because of intense flooding on their farms, our local economy has suffered as a result, and deregulation has caused great pollution of our beautiful waterways-- all while Jason Smith votes against every bill that would tackle these problems. Having the support of SEEC means a great deal to me, as a pro-environment and pro-science candidate. Missouri’s 8th District deserves-- and desperately needs-- a representative who is ready to fight each and every day for legislation that will protect our environment, create jobs, and tackle some of the root causes of climate change. I’m ready to be that person, and I’m honored to have SEEC in this fight with me."

Syracuse area progressive Dana Balter was endorsed early on by both Blue America and the SEEC Caucus. She's a big fan of the fact that the Caucus "s leading the fight in Congress on bold, smart, and strategic clean energy policies. They've also played a critical role in opposing and highlighting the dangers of anti-environmental actions taken by the Trump administration. Rebuilding our economy from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic gives us the opportunity to make a significant investment in clean energy jobs-- and the SEEC Caucus is working to make that a reality. Their leadership is invaluable, and I am deeply honored to have their support in this race."

It's going to take a strong green coalition in the House fighting every day to pass comprehensive climate legislation and hold Congress to account as climate change knocks at our door.

That's why SEEC PAC and Blue America endorsed green leaders running in close House races around the country. They're ready to act on climate on Day 1-- but first, they need your help to win their races!

Split a donation between SEEC PAC/Blue America endorsed candidates today to give these candidates a boost with less than 3 weeks before Election Day.

Mike Siegel just added something I want to share: ""I'm honored to have the support of SEEC and Blue America as we build a broad national coalition to combat climate change and build the renewable economy we need. As a Democrat running for Congress in the heart of Texas, I know how important it is that we take bold, courageous steps to address climate change and environmental degradation, even when those steps require difficult conversations with workers and businesses that depend on fossil fuel revenue. The Texas 10th Congressional District is already suffering from the impact of our fossil fuel economy. We have a coal plant in Fayette County that has been polluting the air and water for 40 years; we have widespread fracking operations that release chemicals into our groundwater and methane into our air; we have a Houston region that has suffered five 500-year flood events in five years; and we have Bastrop county, which was devastated by a massive wildfire nine years ago. These natural and unnatural disasters can all be traced to fossil fuel emissions. Even though Texas is built on a fossil fuel economy, we can't put our heads in the sand and pretend that change is not needed. I'm running for Congress to build an unparalleled coalition of unions, environmentalists, ranchers and farmers, progressives and activists of all types, to fight climate change, to create jobs in a renewable economy, and to address the legacy of pollution and environmental injustice. Thank you, SEEC and Blue America for your belief and support, and I look forward to joining with you in the days, months and years ahead, for the good of our planet, and for the good of our nation."

Trump Will Spend The Rest Of The Cycle Blaming Everything But Himself For The Anti-Red Tsunami About To Sweep Him And His Party Away

Tipping Point by Nancy Ohanian

A new Ipsos poll for ABC News shows why Trump is going to lose the election in November to the worst candidate the Democrats have nominated in my (very long) lifetime. Biden has nothing to do with it... it's all about Trump, who "is facing broad disapproval for his management of the two major crises gripping the nation, with two-thirds of Americans giving him low marks for both his response to the coronavirus pandemic and his handling of race relations... Evaluation of Trump's oversight of the COVID-19 crisis reached a new low since ABC News/Ipsos began surveying on the coronavirus in March, with 67% disapproving of his efforts. One-third of the country approves of the president's oversight of the pandemic."

The faltering numbers for Trump are also accompanied by concerns over the country's path to reopening.

A majority of Americans (59%) believe the push to reopen the economy is moving too quickly, similar to a June 26 ABC News/Ipsos poll when it was 56%.

Currently, 15% think the country is moving too slowly, and 26% think the country is moving at the right pace.

The more reticent attitudes about reopening the economy appear to challenge Trump's aggressive push to return the country to normal.

On Wednesday, the president threatened to "cut off funding" to schools that don't reopen in the fall and criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidance as "very tough," "expensive" and "impractical."

By Thursday morning, Dr. Robert Redfield, who heads the CDC, told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America that the agency's guidance for protecting against the novel coronavirus remains the same but that they will be providing "additional reference documents" to aid communities wanting to reopen their K-12 schools this fall.

Writing for the Washington Post yesterday, Ashley Parker, Philip Rucker and John Dawsey reported on how looks at the pandemic and sees himself-- not Americans-- as the only victim who matters. No matter what anyone wants to discuss with him, gone are the usual pleasantries and greetings. He immediately launches into his "woe is me" stand up routine. Poor Señor Trumpanzee "rants about the deadly coronavirus destroying 'the greatest economy,' one he claims to have personally built. He laments the unfair 'fake news' media, which he vents never gives him any credit. And he bemoans the 'sick, twisted' police officers in Minneapolis, whose killing of an unarmed black man in their custody provoked the nationwide racial justice protests that have confounded the president... [He] often launches into a monologue placing himself at the center of the nation’s turmoil. The president has cast himself in the starring role of the blameless victim-- of a deadly pandemic, of a stalled economy, of deep-seated racial unrest, all of which happened to him rather than the country."

Maybe Trump has such a narrow, self-centered view of the pandemic because he's refused to allow Dr. Fauci to brief him-- last time was June 2. He's in a world of denial, claiming the pandemic will just disappear on its own any day now. Fauci told the Financial Times yesterday that he doesn't "think it’s an exaggeration to say we have a serious ongoing problem, right now, as we speak. What worries me is the slope of the curve. It still looks like it’s exponential." That's exactly what Señor T doesn't want to hear. It also has a lot to do with what motivated NY Times politics polling reporter Nate Cohn to take to Twitter for a long explanation of why Trump really has already lost the 2020 presidential election.

"Sometimes, American politics is complicated," he began. "Right now, it’s extremely simple: the public has reached a harshly negative judgment of the president’s handling of the most important issue facing the country, and the issue is so paramount that there’s little room to wiggle out of it. When I’m thinking about how the race could change-- say, return to Biden +6-- I’m thinking about whether those conditions change. Does coronavirus subside or become less salient? Does the public's view of the president's handling improve; or, first, does POTUS change his handling? Today, these possible sources for change seem very distant. Cases are increasing and it is at least possible that deaths will surge again. Yet Trump remains focused on other issues and his demand for a return to normal seems grounded in the assumption that COVID isn't serious."

The question remains-- and we'll be discussing it here for the next three-and-a-half months: how much of the Republican Party will Trump drag down the electoral toilet with him in November? Take relatively mainstream Republican incumbent John Katko of New York, for example. Dana Balter is a progressive Democrat in Syracuse, running for a congressional seat that the freaked-out Katko now holds. He no doubt wishes he hadn't sided with Trump and against his own constituents quite as much as he did over the last three-plus years. In her brand new TV ad, Balter is relentlessly holding Katko's feet to the fire. Blue America has a page-- Congress Needs More Progressive Women-- where you can contribute to Balter's campaign and make sure she can keep running this very effective ad until voters in her district know it by heart:

Two Blue America Candidates Speak Out On Healthcare: Dana Balter And Tom Guild

The pandemic has forced progressive candidates to change their means of reaching voters. David Wasserman, writing yesterday for the Cook Report, noted "As the COVID-19 outbreak forces more states to delay spring primary and runoff dates, it's had another, more subtle effect: it's all but frozen the House recruitment process in place and curtailed fundraising, benefiting incumbents and candidates who had already built large war chests and disadvantaging recent entrants." It's especially helpful to conservatives-- on both sides of the aisle. Dana Balter is battling Trump boot-licker John Katko, who had already raised $1,545,336 by the December 31 FEC reporting deadline. Balter's haul-- before the pandemic struck-- was $519,225. Similarly, Oklahoma City Blue Dog Kendra Horn-- a conservative who votes with Trump more than nearly any Democrat in Congress-- had raised $2,277,970 both the end of the quarter and before her progressive primary challenger, Tom Guild jumped into the race.

This week, both Balter and Guild worked to get their core messages on healthcare out. Guild sent an e-mail to Oklahoma City voters. "In this time of national crisis," be began, "we must achieve a degree of isolation, interrupted by an occasional trip to the grocery store, to the pharmacy, and to fill up our vehicles with gas. We do our best to care for others at a distance by contributing to charities and via social media. During this stark and sober time let us reflect on how to improve America as we eventually resume some semblance of normalcy. This emergency is partially a result of a health care system, that really isn’t an integrated system, but a patchwork of institutions and industries focused on maximizing profits. As we transition to universal healthcare in America via Medicare for All, we will put in place an integrated system that is not profit-driven but focused on the health and wellbeing of every American. Deductibles and co-pays will be phased out and the per capita spending for healthcare will very likely be reduced." He continued:

“A government-run, single-payer system may be run with just enough resources for normal times... but unlike the patchwork, for-profit ‘system’ we have, a publicly run system can be ramped up much more quickly to meet crises such as this one.” (Paul Crist)

We face the current crisis woefully unprepared to meet the tremendous challenge before us. We can learn from this experience and redouble our efforts to not be placed in this situation again. As the only candidate for Congress in Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District embracing universal health care coverage by adopting MFA, it makes a difference which candidate we nominate and that we elect to represent our district.

Stay safe. Keep your distance. Keep the faith. Take care of yourself and others.

If you would like to financially support our effort to achieve systemic and meaningful change for the future you can do that [by clicking on the Medicare-For-All thermometer on the right].


Vote like your life and health and that of your fellow Americans is at stake.

Yours in the cause,

Tom Guild

Balter was more fortunate, as the Syracuse Post Standard decided to publish her commentary with its message to NY-24 voters and it was able to reach far more voters and potential contributors.

We’re experiencing a crisis unlike anything in our living memory; the toll on our health, lives, and economy will be immense. We all need to do our part to keep our communities safe and we need our leaders to step up and take action to limit the pandemic’s impact.

I have talked with countless people across central and western New York whose lives are being turned upside down. There was the friend who found an elderly couple in their car in the grocery store parking lot, crying because they needed food but terrified to go inside and be exposed to COVID-19. Then there was the owner of a 45-year-old family business who’s afraid it might not open again. Then there was the man recently diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer for whom the world is now unimaginably dangerous. These heartbreaking stories make clear that we must do everything we can to curb the effects of this crisis.

As individuals, we need to take social distancing seriously and closely follow expert guidelines from the CDC. Thankfully, as New Yorkers we have Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s steady leadership. His navigation of this near-impossible situation is extraordinary and will save lives and livelihoods. He exemplifies what we need from our leaders in this moment: calm, confidence and competence.

The governor’s example is made all the more remarkable by a complete absence of leadership from President Donald Trump. His failure to lead us through this crisis is staggering. At every stage, his response has made the situation far worse than it needs to be.

Trump ignored early warnings from his own intelligence agencies that the COVID-19 pandemic was coming. Despite knowing how bad this situation would get, for months he minimized the threat to the public and refused to take necessary action to prepare for the impending danger. The president has continued to downplay the seriousness of this crisis, last Tuesday suggesting that things will be back to normal in a matter of a couple of weeks while health experts have agreed that this will take months to address. Most disturbing is that he actively spreads misinformation about COVID-19, which is incredibly dangerous.

The idea that this is the leadership this country needs is not only absurd, it’s dangerous. And yet, this is the man Rep. John Katko endorses. This is the man John Katko insists has made us better off. This is the man John Katko tells us is the leader we need for another four years.

Trump’s calling himself a wartime president. Would a wartime president leave generals without stocked bases? While Trump dithers, hospital administrators and doctors, left without ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE), are facing unimaginable ethical decisions about whom they should save and whom they should let die. Absurd. Would a wartime president send soldiers into battle without helmets and body armor? While Trump dithers, we are leaving our front-line healthcare workers unprotected without PPE. So we are sewing face masks at home to donate to hospitals and clinics and nurses are wearing garbage bags because “it’s better than nothing.” Dangerous.

Government must prioritize the health and safety of our people. The president should immediately use the Defense Production Act to direct companies to manufacture ventilators and PPE and distribute that equipment. This is necessary to address two dire circumstances: 1. there isn’t an adequate supply of this vital equipment, and 2. currently states are competing with each other for access to the scarce supplies available.

Thankfully, Congress has turned its attention to addressing the economic fallout of this public health crisis. The response must include substantial cash assistance to individuals and families. We have to ensure speedy arrival of funds and recognize that a one-time payment is unlikely to be enough. We should institute a freeze on all mortgage payments, rent, debt collection, and student loan payments without interest or penalty. We must give massive support to small businesses to help them survive the weeks and months ahead. We do not need to bail out giant corporations; they have huge profits and bankruptcy protections that will see them through. Any assistance that is given to corporations must be contingent on: no bonuses or dividends for the duration of the loan; no stock buybacks; no lay-offs; honoring of collective bargaining agreements, a $15 minimum wage.

We’re dealing with the biggest public health crisis we’ve seen in a century and the resulting economic crisis. Both have been made worse by a stunning failure of leadership by the president, whom John Katko endorses. We have to rise above that failure in leadership. And we can. We have a long way to go but if we come together, we will get through this crisis. We all know that we are better than Donald Trump and now is the time to prove it.

Wendell Potter, was formerly vice-president for corporate communications at Cigna, a crooked insurance outfit. Today he's president of Business for Medicare for All. Yesterday The Guardian published a chilling piece he wrote, Millions of Americans are about to lose their health insurance in a pandemic. "The tragic effects of our battle with the novel coronavirus are seemingly endless. But arguably the most mind-blowing is this: the very pandemic that threatens to infect and kill millions is simultaneously causing many to also lose their health coverage at their gravest time of need." And he explained how and why:

Here’s how: the virus has caused a public health crisis so severe that people have been forced to stay home, causing businesses to shutter and lay off workers. And with roughly half of Americans getting their health insurance from their employer, these layoffs mean not only losing their income but also their medical coverage. In other words, just as our need for medical care skyrockets in the face of a global pandemic, fewer will have health insurance or be able to afford it. According to one recent report, the cost of treatment for Covid-19 can run around $35,000. As the patient in the report exclaimed: “I was pretty sticker-shocked. I personally don’t know anybody who has that kind of money.”

So, how did we get to such a dire place? Many will sadly lose their jobs over the coming weeks-- with one estimate projecting as many as 30%. And as they do, Americans are about to learn something horrifying: how irrational and irresponsible it is for so many to be dependent on employers for health insurance. Take it from me. I’m a former health insurance executive who once profited from this system. It’s time for it to stop.

America needs to finally get out of the business of linking health coverage to job status. Even in better times, this arrangement was a bad idea from a health perspective. Most Americans whose families depend on their employers for coverage are just a layoff away from being uninsured. And now, when many businesses are shutting down and considering layoffs, it’s a public health disaster. Across the country we’re seeing reports of layoffs in almost all industries. As we approach a global recession, some analysts suggest that a million or more US workers will lose their jobs in April alone. Consider what this means for health care in this country.

We’ve seen this before. During the last big recession, researchers at Cornell University found that 9.3 million Americans lost their health insurance between 2007 and 2009. Why? As people lost work, their employer-provided insurance went away. During this time, roughly six in 10 Americans who lost their jobs became uninsured. And this problem compounds itself. If the reason you lost your health insurance is that you no longer have steady employment, how are you now going to be able to afford monthly premiums for some other private health care plan? This problem becomes particularly acute when you consider that premiums for health plans sold on exchanges are projected to soar, as well, due to “unexpected Covid-19 costs.”

It’s worth noting that even in good times, the employer-based model fails to cover enough of us, with the number of Americans covered through an employer steadily dropping in general. Since 1999, the percentage of those with job-based coverage has declined by nine points. And it most certainly will drop like a rock in the coming weeks and months.

It’s now clear that this system cannot handle our current reality. With so many Americans sadly on the verge of unemployment, the number that will lose health coverage will be crushing. As we rebuild our country’s economic base and reimagine the roles various industries play in our new future, we must also begin a difficult conversation about health care. If we’re dependent on jobs in order to have it, a lot of us will be left out in the cold. And at a time in our nation’s history where more will need quality care than ever before, the human cost will simply be too much to bear.

Reminder: the men and women you'll find by clicking on the ActBlue thermometer above will take you to a list of candidates-- including but not limited to Tom Guild and Dana Balter-- campaigning on Medicare-for-All.

Dana Balter and Tom Guild

A Gift To Democrats Running Against GOP Incumbents

Trump has demanded his congressional puppets start endorsing him during the impeachment trial. The optics may seem good for him, but they look dreadful for the Republican incumbents who are falling in line. Take John Katko, a Syracuse-area conservative still making a half-assed attempt to try to pretend to be a "moderate." He represents the only blue district (D+3) in the country that the DCCC managed to lose last year.

Yesterday, Katko's progressive challenger, Dana Balter, shredded him for formally endorsing Trump's reelection bid. "Congressman John Katko," she wrote to New Yorkers in Onondaga, Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego counties, "is endorsing Donald Trump because he believes that Trump’s made our country better than it was four years ago. He’s endorsing a man who is trying to rip healthcare away from 130 million people with pre-existing conditions. He’s endorsing a man who blew a $2 trillion hole in our national debt for tax giveaways to the ultra-wealthy and corporations on the backs of working families. He’s endorsing a man who is trying to slash hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. He’s endorsing a man who stokes fear, hatred, and division to maintain power. He’s endorsing a man who started and continues to escalate a reckless trade war that has done massive harm to our small businesses and our family farms. He’s endorsing a man who violated the Constitution, disgraced his oath of office, abused his power, and broke the law by extorting a foreign government to interfere in our elections. And John Katko believes this man has made us better off than we were four years ago? That tells us an awful lot about John Katko’s vision for our future."

Across the country, in eastern Washington, progressive Democrat Chris Armitage, the most recent candidate to be endorsed by Blue America, is voicing similar sentiments about the lockstep Trumpist positions his opponent, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, keeps taking. He told me yesterday that she "continues to be in the shameful position of defending the Trump brand. Beyond betraying our ideals of truth, liberty, and justice, Trump is also just a garbage brand. Trump is his own greatest and worst product and my opponent is all in."

Last cycle, Trump dragged himself down to Missouri's 8th congressional district to campaign for two total puppets, Rep. Jason Smith and the-AG, now U.S. Senator Josh Hawley. There's no doubt whatsoever Smith will be endorsing Trump imminently. The progressive Democrat opposing Smith is Kathy Ellis. "News just came out that Missouri added 47,000 new union members in the last year," she told me, "remarkable considering the state's attack on unions. To us, that indicates that people aren't happy-- typically, folks won't join unions if they're pleased with their working conditions. In my district, we've seen tariffs devastate small farmers, and wealthy farmers are receiving special treatment from Rep. Smith through government payouts and financial assistance. Yet, people in the district are suffering-- farms are underwater, farmers are committing suicide at high rates, and folks are suffering from lack of healthcare access. Smith acts ignorant of this-- in fact, just a few weeks ago, he said that the district and the country's economy is doing so well that we should cut back on so-called entitlement programs, such as food stamps. The 8th district is suffering as one of the poorest districts in the country, and Smith remains a rubber stamp to Trump's policies."

In southwest Michigan (MI-06) Republican incumbent Fred Upton can't decide if he's running or another term or not. He says he'll make an announcement next week. The most current polling in the district shows he would have a very tough time being reelected-- a job favorability rating of just 20% with 59% of respondents giving him an unfavorable rating. Trump's recent remarks about being willing to make cuts to Medicare and Social Security aren't going to help a lockstep Trump supporter like Upton--  not in a district where early 16% of the population is over the age of 65 and with almost another 14% in the 55-64 bracket. On top of that, Trump's most recent efforts to roll back environmental protections are particularly relevant in a district where the shoreline is being further eroded by the day, and where residents have to worry about pollutants like PFAS in their drinking water. I asked state Rep. Jon Hoadley, the progressive Democrat running for the seat-- and a big supporter of Social Security, Medicare and environmental protections if Upton is feeling the pain yet. "Trump's policies are speaking much louder than his words," he told me. "Whether his policies are hurting farmers or seniors, student loan borrowers or people who want clean water, people in southwest Michigan are looking for a President and Congress that will fight for us and our values."

In Iowa's 4th district, the situation is somewhat different. The Republican incumbent, neo-fascist and racist Steve King, is even less popular than Trump and it's hard to tell which one is hurting the other more. J.D. Scholten, the progressive Democrat in the race, told us that "Steve King continues to back Trump 100% despite the fact that his reckless trade has cost Iowa’s 4th district $558 million-- more money than any other district in America-- and his Administration has abused the Renewable Fuel Standard to benefit big oil companies at the expense of rural jobs and our planet. They both revel in targeting immigrants and the press and further widen the divides of our country. King will continue to put his own selfish ideology over our district and his party over our country."

Central Texas Republican, Roger Williams, is a typical Trump enabler. "Roger Williams has happily cheered Trump on for every step of his egregious administration," said Heidi Sloan, one of the progressive Democrats taking him on this year, "and his cheerleading has earned Williams Trump's endorsement. Williams is not a leader-- he's not a big player in the GOP, he's not the guy the Republicans call to do their big dirty work, he's just keeping a comfortable seat warm in a district that was gerrymandered for him personally. He and Trump are bosom buddies because they have so much in common-- neither has ever experienced a day of hard work, both are millionaires who inherited their wealth from their fathers, and both of their careers are made possible solely because they deliberately mislead working class people into thinking our class interests align with theirs. While Williams is counting on a Trump endorsement to save his seat in November, we're hustling every day to build a ground game strong enough to take this district back for the working class."

Trump's Toxicity Has Wrecked The Chances For Republicans Like Rodney Davis, John Katko And Fred Upton To Be Reelected

Remember when I told you that Change Research is this cycle's polling outfit to pay attention to? I was in heaven seeing their latest-- surveys in 3 battleground congressional districts, Michigan's 6th (Fred Upton), New York's 24th (John Katko) and Illinois' 13th (Rodney Davis). All the incumbents are Republicans and all the districts are swingy and flippable. Two, MI-06 and NY-24, have solid progressive challengers, respectively Jon Hoadley and Dana Balter) and the other has a fairly worthless Cheri Bustos/DCCC careerist who stands for nothing at all and is so ashamed of the Democratic Party that she has no issues on her campaign site, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan.

Although IL-13 is now rated R+3, Obama won it convincingly in 2008 and was virtually tied in 2012. Hillary, exactly the wrong kind of candidate for a district like this, lost by 5 points to Trump in 2016. In the primaries, Bernie won resoundingly, showing what Democrats want there-- change not status quo, so of course the Democratic establishment gave them putrid example of the status quo-- Londrigan-- as their candidate. She lost. And she's back again. There are 14 counties in the district, though most of the votes come out of just 5-- Champaign, Madison, Macon, Sangamon and McLean. This table shows how Bernie, Hillary and Trump did on primary day:

• Champaign- Bernie- 20,581 (65.9%), Hillary- 10,542 (33.8%), Trump- 7,645
• Madison- Bernie- 18,723 (54.5%%), Hillary- 15,332 (44.6%), Trump- 15,588
• Macon- Bernie- 4,990 (45.2%), Hillary- 5,945 (53.8%), Trump- 6,655
• Sangamon- Bernie- 10,365 (52.6%), Hillary- 9,255 (46.9%), Trump- 11,930
• McLean- Bernie- 12,936 (62.4%%), Hillary- 7,695 (37.1%), Trump- 8,653
• Macoupin- Bernie- 3,552 (55.0%), Hillary- 2,770 (42.9%), Trump- 3,527
• Christian- Bernie- 1,526 (51.2%), Hillary- 1,395 (46.8%), Trump- 2,392
• Montgomery- Bernie- 1,266 (49.3%), Hillary- 1,241 (48.3%), Trump- 2,269
• Jersey- Bernie- 1,069 (54.5%), Hillary- 853 (43.5%), Trump- 1,902
• Piatt- Bernie- 1,016 (55.5%), Hillary- 787 (43.0%), Trump- 1,496
• De Witt- Bernie- 659 (53.3%), Hillary- 561 (45.4%), Trump- 1,577
• Greene- Bernie- 530 (49.4%), Hillary- 503 (46.9%), Trump- 1,014
• Calhoun- Bernie- 503 (50.7%), Hillary- 446 (45.0%), Trump- 329
• Bond- Bernie- 858 (53.4%), Hillary- 718 (44.7%), Trump- 1,102

Change Research explained that the goals of the 3 surveys "were to understand how closely voters were tracking Trump’s Ukraine scandal, the House Intelligence Committee hearings, what evidence and arguments for or against impeachment are most resonant, whether voters recognize the seriousness Trump’s actions, and how voters expect their member of Congress to hold Trump accountable." It's the final goal that most interests us here but I encourage you to read the whole analysis. These are the PVIs of the three districts:

• IL-13: R+3
• NY-24: D+3
• MI-06: R+4

In their intro, Change Research explains that Katko, Upton and Davis "enter 2020 with exceptionally low favorability ratings and with majorities disapproving of their handling of the impeachment inquiry and their record when it comes to holding President Trump accountable. A majority of voters in these key Republican districts think what Trump did was wrong and, once they hear the facts, are less likely to support Members of Congress who oppose the impeachment inquiry. Specifically, majorities express concern about facts established during the impeachment inquiry and believe that the primary grounds for impeachment have been established-- including believing Trump abused the power of his office, withheld military funds to pressure a foreign country to investigate a political rival, and put his personal political interests before the good of the country. The survey also found that voters will not reward Republicans for their opposition to impeachment: just 38% say they are more likely to support a member of Congress who opposes impeachment at the end of the survey, while a 54% majority says they are less likely to support an impeachment opponent after hearing arguments on both sides. The message is clear: voters in these districts believe their representatives should put politics aside during impeachment and do their job."

I. Republican incumbents are unpopular and voters believe they are not doing enough to hold Trump accountable

The vulnerability of these Republican members of Congress is reflected in their favorability ratings, which start from a net negative position in each district. John Katko is 8 points net unfavorable and Rodney Davis is 10 points net unfavorable. Fred Upton, is a remarkable 40 points net unfavorable. In particular, majorities in these swing districts-- districts where it still pays to appear independent-- disapprove of the job their congressman is doing standing up to President Trump and holding President Trump accountable. Majorities also disapprove of their congressman’s handling of the impeachment inquiry.

But if these Republicans are hoping to take on enough of Trump’s water today to make it through their GOP primary, and rely on their approval ratings on the economy to survive another general election, they should take a look at their dismal approval ratings on voters’ top priority, health care costs. Just 37% approve of Rodney Davis’ handling on health care costs, just 32% approve of John Katko’s handing, and a dismal 26% approve of Fred Upton’s handling of health care costs.

II. Voters are closely tracking the impeachment inquiry

After the House Intelligence Committee’s hearings, seven-in-ten voters have heard or seen a lot about the impeachment inquiry, and they are very concerned by what they have learned.

...It is clear that voters, even in these more conservative-leaning districts, believe that the President’s conduct is wildly inappropriate and worthy of the investigation underway. Regardless of their feelings about impeachment, majorities in these districts believe that Trump has engaged in conduct that will ultimately provide the basis for impeachment articles - including abusing the power of his office (52%, 47% strongly), withholding military funds to pressure another country to investigate a political rival (52%), putting his personal political interests before the good of the country (51%, 47% strongly), and engaging in corruption (51%). Majorities also believe he has intimidated a witness (53%), undermined the rule of law (51%), and even committed crimes (51%).

III. GOP arguments are less effective than those of impeachment supporters at moving ‘impeachment persuadables’

About half of voters in these GOP-held districts already support impeachment without reservation, while just three-in-ten voters oppose impeachment and think Trump did nothing wrong. This leaves over one-in-five who are still impressionable on the impeachment question.

... As the impeachment proceedings progress, these Republican members of Congress have few convincing arguments in their arsenal. The argument that “Donald Trump’s actions are very troubling, but with an election coming next year, Congress should not overturn 63 million votes by impeaching the President now” was ‘not convincing at all’ to a stunning 55% majority of voters, including 36% of Republicans. A similar argument that says “Donald Trump may have engaged in wrongdoing, but it is not worthy of impeachment, which will divide our country and stop progress on critical issues like health care and trade deals” was ‘not convincing at all’ to 52% of voters, including 30% of Republicans.


Also unconvincing is an argument that “President Trump was right to ask his lawyer to investigate corruption in Ukraine. Ukraine has had it out for Trump since the 2016 election,” which was ‘not convincing at all’ to nearly half of voters. This conspiracy theory seems to have some traction, however, with the Republican base. While 83% of Democrats and 46% of independents give this a 0 on a 1-10 scale (where 0 means it is not convincing at all and 10 means it is very convincing), 47% of Republicans say it is a ‘very convincing’ argument against impeachment.


 ...The good news for impeachment supporters is that their arguments for impeachment are stronger by comparison. The strongest arguments say that the evidence demonstrates that Trump’s conduct has reached an established bar for impeachment-- which is what the Judiciary Committee was attempting to demonstrate to the public in last week’s hearings.

An argument that the evidence shows “Trump abused the power of this office for personal gain, an impeachable offense in the Constitution, and in so doing undermined our national security, to the benefit of the Russians, by withholding taxpayer funded military aid to Ukraine” was a ‘very convincing’ justification for impeachment for nearly 4-in-10 voters. As convincing was an argument that the evidence establishes Trump “solicited a bribe, an offense listed in the Constitution as one worthy of impeachment, by withholding taxpayer-funded military aid and a White House visit to pressure Ukraine to give something of value to his re-election.”

A majority of these voters acknowledge that Trump has abused the power of his office, withheld military aid to pressure an ally to investigate a political rival, put his personal political interests above the good of the country, and more. Majorities find the evidence established in the investigation concerning, and majorities disapprove of the way these Republican congressmen are handling the inquiry and their approach to Trump.

...After hearing from both sides on impeachment, a majority of voters in these GOP-leaning districts are now willing to punish these GOP members for their unwillingness to participate in the impeachment inquiry, with 54% saying they are less likely to support a member of Congress that opposes the impeachment inquiry. That includes 54% of voters in IL-13, 53% of voters in MI-6, and 56% of voters in NY-24.

IV. Conclusion

A majority of voters in these key districts think what Trump did was wrong and, once they hear the facts, are less likely to support Members of Congress who are opposed to the impeachment inquiry. The message is clear: these representatives should put politics aside during impeachment and do their job.

A Few Careerist Democrats-- Fools-- Are Afraid To Back Impeachment

3 conservative Democrats; Slotkin on the right

Michigan New Dem Elissa Slotkin is one of the most worthless wastes of a House seat Democrats elected in 2018. A cowardly careerist she has spent the last year shaking in her seat that she might say or do something wrong and lose her reelection bid. ProgressivePunch rates her a big fat "F." That's why she should lose her seat in the Detroit suburbs. The anti-red wave that swept Michigan in 2018 gave her a 4 point win over Republican incumbent Mike Bishop. She outspent Bishop 2 to 1-- $7,401,141 to $3,374,608 and the DCCC and its allies nearly $10 million more, much more than the NRCC and it's allies spent defending Bishop. So far this cycle, she has no primary opponent-- although she should-- and a gaggle of pathetic Republicans who haven't raised any money at all, though she's already brought in over $2,000,000. Her lifetime crucial vote score-- more Republican than Democrat at 43.14%-- is nestled comfortably between two of Congress' worse most GOP-oriented Democrats, a little better than Henry Cuellar (Blue Dog-TX) and fractionally better than Jim Costa (Blue Dog-CA). The only Democratic freshmen members with worse voting records than Slotkin are Cindy Axne (New Dem-IA), Jared Golden (D-ME), Ben McAdams (Blue Dog-UT), Abigail Spanberger (Blue Dog-VA), Kendra Horn (Blue Dog-OK), Joe Cunningham (Blue Dog-SC), Anthony Brindisi (Blue Dog-NY) and Jefferson Van Drew (Blue Dog-NJ), 8 shitheads, like her who have either decided to vote against impeachment or who are still trying to figure out if a vote for impeachment would help or hurt their miserable careers. Most of them are in much, much redder districts than Slotkin.

MI-08 includes parts of 3 counties, deep blue Ingham and redder parts of Oakland and Livingston. In 2016, Democrats in Ingham County turned out big for Bernie. He beat Hillary 22,909 (54.7%) to 18,287 (43.7%). Bernie also crushed Trump that day, who only drew 8,056 votes to Kasich's 7,725 and Ted Cruz's 7,042. Slotkin should be more worried about being primaried by a progressive than by being beaten by a Republican. Bernie also crushed Hillary in Livingston County-- 59.4% to 38.1%. Oakland County gave Hillary a narrow win over Bernie, but Bernie still beat Trump in the county. MI-08 voters wanted real change; instead they were cursed with a nervous nellie congresswoman who's like a plate of jello. NBC News reported over the weekend that "Slotkin is being lobbied by Republican colleagues who argue that Trump's actions-- even if imperfect-- don't amount to impeachable offenses and that she should accept, given her background, that the president needs room to use leverage in foreign policy... One Slotkin donor who contributed to her 2018 campaign after they got to know each other in Washington's national security circles told NBC News that it makes sense for her not to commit her vote early publicly. 'She’s been careful and conscientious about the process,' said the donor. 'It’s no surprise that she’s continuing to do that now by keeping her powder dry and waiting to see the articles of impeachment before she decides how she’s going to vote on them.'"

Many of the 2020 congressional candidates are far more courageous and far more driven by justice than Slotkin and the other conservative freshmen careerists are, including many in far redder districts.

The whole idea of this post came from something Omaha progressive Kara Eastman had written last week after Pelosi's speech about proceeding with impeachment: "This is a solemn day. There should be no celebration for the need to impeach the President. I have always said that I respect the office of the President. The problem America faces now is that Donald Trump does not respect the office. His actions involving Ukraine were bribery and extortion, pure and simple. As the evidence demonstrates, and as several legal scholars stated in public hearings yesterday, if this is not impeachable conduct, what is? As a candidate who intends to serve in Congress, my oath will be to uphold the Constitution. It is not to allow my oath to be clouded by partisan politics. That’s why I call upon my opponent, Representative Don Bacon, to rise above his partisan games and support Impeachment as well. He should recognize that now is the time to put country above party and defend the U.S. Constitution, as he is sworn to do."

I thought her framing was brilliant. I also liked the way Dana Balter in the Syracuse area district in upstate New York handled it. She sent her followers excerpts from an editorial from the Auburn Citizen demanding that the slippery Republican incumbent, John Katko "stop ignoring the facts" of impeachment. She noted that "As the process has unfolded in recent weeks, Rep. Katko has tied himself into knots feigning ignorance to the president’s abuses of power" and that Katko "has been a loyal footsoldier in the effort by Washington Republicans to divert attention from President Trump’s actions. Despite mountains of evidence, the Congressman has resisted the pleas of his constituents to do the right thing, instead deciding to make protecting Donald Trump his top priority. Rep. Katko is complicit in Trump’s corruption and it’s time that we replace both of them." Key excepts from the December 5 editorial:

• As the House Judiciary Committee considers articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, Rep. John Katko owes it to his constituents to come to an informed and vocal position on the issue.
• Two weeks ago, Katko said that he hadn't watched a lot of the impeachment testimony but was being briefed by his staff. He said that he hadn't yet seen evidence of an impeachable offense, he also said that he hadn't reached a conclusion. The time has come for him to start paying careful attention.
• Katko has said that the entire inquiry into Trump concerns a single phone call between Trump and the president of Ukraine. But it can't be dismissed that easily, and if Katko had been paying closer attention he would know that witnesses have testified about things beyond a single phone call that raise serious questions about whether Trump violated his oath of office.
• Impeachment is not a minor thing. It can't be written off as a distraction to the issues facing Congress, and it's a cop-out to say that multiple things can't be done at the same time.

A few days later, Balter was on the attack again after another devastating report in another local paper, the Post Standard: "Every day, Congressman Katko twists himself into another knot so that he can protect Donald Trump. The evidence is clear and irrefutable: the president has abused his power. Congressman Katko must understand this and when he says otherwise, he is lying to his constituents. No one is above the law and the Congressman’s refusal to hold the president accountable is a betrayal of the law, his oath of office, and our democracy."

West of Balter's district, Nate McMurray is running for an open seat in a really red district in western New York, NY-27 (PVI is R+11, New York's reddest district). He also made good use of a piece from a local newspaper, the Buffalo News that was published in July. Their story began with a huge photo:

The news piece by reporter Stephen Watson was relatively light-hearted and more human interest than hard-core political. McMurray has built on the concept to make a case in a difficult district where Trump beat Hillary 59.7% to 35.2%. He comes across as a very forthright, courageous person, very much the opposite of people like Slotkin.

Sunday's dueling pro- and anti-Trump rallies in the Elmwood Village left us with several striking images.

Two men, one who lost his shirt, coming to blows over their opposing views of the president. A man dressed as Captain America being pulled over by Buffalo police for driving without a seat belt.

But perhaps the most vivid was the view former Congressional candidate Nate McMurray offered of his arms.

McMurray, the Grand Island supervisor and an organizer of the anti-Trump event, wore a sleeveless shirt to the protest. This didn't go unnoticed by people who saw photos and videos from the event.

"Yesterday I wore a-- God forbid-- SLEEVELESS T-shirt!" McMurray tweeted Monday. "I have received more comments on that shirt ..."

He said he wore it for practical purposes-- because he had to carry water bottles, tables and other items to and from the rally in Sunday's heat-- and not for vanity's sake.

"But maybe I’ll go sleeveless more often," McMurray wrote, using the hashtag "sunsoutgunsout."

His sartorial choice proved as divisive as the current political climate.

One Twitter user wrote, simply, "Dork."

But most people replying to McMurray offered compliments.

"I thought you looked great-- young and vibrant," one woman observed.

And a couple of wags made similar quips: "I believe in your right to bare arms."

Progressive Democrat Ian Todd is running in an even redder district (R+12), Michelle Bachman's old redoubt in Minnesota, currently occupied by the chair of the NRCC, Tom Emmer, who the DCCC has a non-aggression pact with. Ian told us that he thinks "the debate among Democrats whether or not to 'throw the book' at Trump and put every crime we know of in the articles of impeachment is a microcosm of our two tiered justice system. Penniless folks with no power often have ridiculously overblown charges against them as leverage for a plea deal, but many Democrats aren't sure if we should add the clear cases of obstruction of justice or not. The privilege of the powerful is not easy to watch when you know how the rest of us get treated."

I was interested in how Dary Rezvani was using impeachment, since he's the progressive taking on one of the impeachment investigations' arch-villains, Devin Nunes. But impeachment isn't foremost on his mind-- nor, he said, on the minds of CA-22 residents. "We have not really addressed impeachment. We have been trying to focus on local issues that the federal government can impact. Aside from the people entrenched in our local Democratic Party, it is not really an issue. We have so many things happening here that impeachment is really a luxury. I believe Trump should be held accountable and obviously Nunes is directly involved with the entire situation but most of the people I have spoken to believe we should work on making sure we vote him out in 2020."

Jennifer Christie is running for an open seat in a pretty red district in the suburbs and exurbs other of Indianapolis. She's taking the kind of strong, principled stand for impeachment that frightens the DCCC and conservative Democrats, "Congress has had a Constitutional obligation to impeach Trump since 2017," she told us. "He committed obstruction of justice by firing James Comey as well as the other 10 counts of obstruction detailed in the Mueller report. Trump has also been in violation of the Constitution each day that he receives and accepts money from foreign governments who stay at his resorts and hotels. He has promoted his personal businesses through his office and certainly has profited from it. Trump's campaign accepted a meeting with a foreign agent to receive 'dirt' on  his opponent and then lied to the American People about it. He said, if given the chance, he would do it again. And he did. This time, it was Trump who bribed the Ukrainian President to announce an investigation into his political opponent. Trump did not do this for our country; he did it for himself just like he has used the Presidential office for his personal gain since he took office. The current hearings document and attest to the blatant abuse of power exhibited by President Trump. The founders of our Constitution gave the mechanism of impeachment exactly for the purpose of removing a president who is willing to put his own interests above the country's and to abuse the office for his own profit and gain. This is a nonpartisan issue; this is a moral and Constitutional issue. It doesn't matter which party you belong to. Congress takes an oath to the Constitution alone. Every member of the House and Senate-- Democrat, Republican, and Independent-- should vote yes to impeachment because, if they don't, they are saying it is ok to bribe and accept a foreign government's help in an election. And if that is ok, then our Democracy is lost."

We need more members of Congress like Jennifer Christie and fewer like Elissa Slotkin. Same goes for Nabilah Islam, the progressive running for the open red seat in the suburbs northeast of Atlanta. She tells the constituents there that "Trump’s only priority is himself. I was the first person to call for impeachment proceedings in Georgia. It’s unfortunate it’s taken so long for Congress to act. He’s committed multiple impeachable offenses including but not limited to obstruction of justice. I’m glad proceedings have begun but sad it’s taken so long to finally begin. It’s clear Donald Trump asked a foreign government to investigate one of his opponents in the Presidential election and threatened to withhold funding in order for them do so. This is a clear case of quid pro quo. The only way we can return dignity to the Office of the President is through his removal. He needs to be impeached now."

Heidi Sloan is a Democratic Socialist running in a gerrymandered Texas district that goes from Austin right up to the southern tip of Tarrant County and the Fort With exurbs. Her opponent, a rich used car salesman named Roger Williams, is a Trump fanatic. This is from an e-mail Sloan sent to her supporters last month:

The betrayal of Donald Trump and his corrupt administration was laid bare yesterday during testimony before the House Intelligence Committee. Donald Trump is hateful, criminal, and incompetent. He, and everyone in his administration, deserve to be removed from office immediately.

But career politicians see this as an opportunity to get off the hook. Even Democrats would rather talk about impeachment than have to take a position on the issues that matter most to working class Americans. We need national rent control. We need Medicare For All - the real deal, right now, not in three years and not a public option. We need a Green New Deal and to prosecute fossil fuel executives. We need an immediate moratorium on deportations and to abolish ICE. And we need candidates who are committed to fighting for that vision.

That's how we're going to beat Trump and his allies in Washington. Impeachment grandstanding will not deliver these gains to us, only a fighting organized working class will. When our people are struggling living paycheck to paycheck and unable to even pay attention to impeachment proceedings, there is a problem with our democracy, and I’m the only candidate in this race that understands that problem. The problem is power, and until regular folks have power, our electeds simply won’t be able to win the fight against corruption and injustice.

Stand with us to win the demands of the working class. That’s what I’ve been doing since before I was asking for votes, and that’s what we’ll do-- together-- when I'm in office.

Former Columbus mayor, Teresa Tomlinson, is running for the Georgia Senate seat occupied by lockstep Trump ally David Perdue. This is what she's saying out on the stump about Trump's impending impeachment: "The Senate vote on President Trump's articles of impeachment will determine the outcome of the Senate majority and leadership in 2020. Our Founding Fathers tell us so. Indeed, Alexander Hamilton explained precisely on point with the debate of today that senators must be called to account as to the standard for our presidency. If the Senate refuses to vote to impeach upon evidence of abuse of power, then they will allow the president to become the 'author of their mismanagement and disgrace,' and the people will hold the senators to account at the ballot box." (That's from Federalist Paper, No. 66.)