Today's Two Most Important Primaries? Districts Trump Won In North Carolina And Indiana

It's primary day in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina, all states Trump won in 2016, but all staes with pockets of resistance and all states with lots and lots of buyers' remorse. There should be plenty of interesting results up and down the ballots in November when Democrats go up against Republicans. But today is the day when each party picks which candidates. There are especially bloody Senate GOP primaries in West Virginia and Indiana. But the most important primaries for Blue America today are congressional races in North Carolina's 5th district to pick a nominee to oppose Virginia Foxx and in Indiana's 9th district to pick a nominee to oppose Trey Hollingsworth. Neither is a "normal" place for an important race.

NC-05 has a PVI of R+ 10 and Trump won the district 57.4% to 39.8%. And IN-09's PVI is worse-- R+13, with a Trump victory of 61.1% to 34.2%. Yet two of the most promising candidates Blue America has endorsed this cycle are running for those two seats. The DCCC has backed neither, nor have the Blue Dogs, New Dems nor any of the crooked Inside the Beltway groups that endorse and validate candidates in America. Jenny Marshall and Dan Canon have been on their own and today they have no one to count on but their own grassroots efforts.

Dan tackled the question of why primaries matter.

If you’ve noticed how our elected officials are mostly members of the 1%, then you’ve noticed that they are-- de facto-- not representative of the other 99% of people they are meant to serve. It’s hardly surprising when they vote for measures that favor themselves and their friends and hurt people in need. They don’t understand what most people are facing, so their “solutions”-- if they offer any at all-- are tragically out of touch, and wholly inadequate to address the myriad, complex ways everyday people are struggling.

Low voter turnout in primaries has a lot to do with this. When we don’t get to know candidates and don’t support candidates who are, in a word, us, we allow the person with the most money-- and the wealthiest friends-- to be the loudest and most persuasive voice. In order to take back our government and elect people who will in fact serve us-- all of us-- we must seek out and support candidates who are truly representative of the people they would serve.

I was raised by a single, working mom, dropped out of high school, earned my GED, and became the first person in my family to graduate college. I’m not the model of a politician that we’ve come to expect (and largely dislike) in the United States. I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck. I've gone without health insurance. I have student loan debt. I've been divorced and remarried.

From representing people here for years - and experiencing the problems of the working poor in my own life-- I've gained an intimate knowledge of the real problems we face every day. I’ve learned to listen, and I've learned that real solutions come not from Washington D.C., but from working directly with people who are experiencing real problems. I have a lifetime of personal and professional experience doing just that-- and getting real results.

My first order of business will be to establish a substantial constituent services program right here in IN-09. People here do not want platitudes and promises; they want to see you getting elbow-deep in the community and taking real action. I plan to run services out of those offices-- enough that no one has to drive a half-day to reach one - that are responsive to everyday constituent needs, and also a hub for directing people to other valuable resources in their communities. People need to know that the federal government is doing something for them, and what better way to show that than to... do things for them? Not just by voting for legislation, but on a day-to-day, personal basis. This is has been sorely lacking in IN-09 for a long time, and is something I believe will lead to this no longer being a "swing district" in the future.

Jenny Marshall came to our attention because she was a successful Bernie organizer in a state where Bernie's message hadn't penetrated yet. But Bernie did significantly better in the counties she was organizing in than in the rest of the state. We noticed right from the start that Jenny is a kind of Every Woman, a school teacher trying to make her community a better place for everyone-- and in a district where Virginia Foxx has all but ignored the 99% in favor of her own wealthy campaign contributors.

"I became a teacher," Jenny told us yesterday in her last minute message, "to stand up for those kids who needed a little more help because they didn't fit the typical model of student. I advocated for their learning and their rights to be successful against a system that wasn't built for them. I got used to being the voice in the room that demanded we do better for our students. As my level of advocacy spilled outside of my classroom, I saw bigger obstacles that needed to be addressed. The push for charter schools and voucher was draining money from our already strapped public school system.  My already struggling students were being left out in the cold. I began making trips to the state house to talk to the powers that be about the legislation they were trying to pass.  I talked to everyone who would listen and dogged everyone who avoided me. It didn't matter what party, if the representative was attacking public education I fought back. I didn't take this on alone. I created a group that grew to over 9,000 strong of both parents and educators who also took on the General Assembly. We used our collective voice to demand our representatives protect education and return education back into the hand of the professionals rather than the bureaucrats. We were able to mitigate some of the more draconian measures they were trying to push. At every turn I stood up and demanded that we do right by our communities. That is why I decided to run for Congress. We need strong leaders who are not afraid to say the truth even if it is unpopular. We need people who remember what it is like to struggle to make ends meet just like the majority of Americans. We need people who don't just look past people's troubles, but who actively seek to help those in need. We need people like me who are committed to strengthening communities, empowering people and building a better future for all of us."

It's not to late to make a difference for these two candidates who will-- unlike most candidates for Congress-- actually make a difference. If you live in their districts, you can vote today. If you have friends or family in their districts, you can call and try to persuade them to get out and vote-- for Dan Canon in Indiana and for Jenny Marshall in North Carolina. America is depending on candidates like Jenny and Dan to remake Congress and to protect the country until 2021 when Trump finally leaves the White House.

Will The Country Be Cleaner If We Elect Progressive Democrats This Year? (Not A Trick Question)

A week from tomorrow 2 crucial congressional primaries will be playing out-- one on Indiana's 9th district and one in North Carolina's 5th district. The DCCC isn't exactly crazy about either of these stalwart progressives and each one will have to face a multimillionaire far right odious crackpot-- Dan Canon taking on Trey Hollingsworth and Jenny Marshall taking on Virginia Foxx.

As of the April 18th FEC reporting deadline Dan had raised $433,401, compared to Hollingsworth's $887,779, and Jenny had raised $125,476 compared to Foxx's $1,482,801. Each also has a garden variety Democrat to face on May 8 (primary day). Both Dan and Jenny (whose newest video is up top) can use some help with their field operations. Field will determine the outcome of each primary. If you'd like to chop in to either campaign-- or both-- you can do it by clicking on the Blue America ActBlue congressional thermometer on the right. Both candidates have a lot in common policy-wise and certainly protection of the environment is one of them. Dan has been very clear that protecting the environment is one of his top priorities. He promised to "demand comprehensive environmental protections, including but not limited to: legislative strengthening of the EPA-- increased enforcement powers to deal with Flint-type crises, to ensure breathable air, drinkable water, and clean soil for all; support for the Keep it in the Ground Act of 2017 (H.R. 2242); measures to address, halt, and reverse global climate change by researching the viability of responsible geoengineering and other technological innovations; facilitation of both agency and private enforcement of the root causes of climate change (e.g., deforestation and irresponsible energy consumption); protect and strengthen the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Antiquities Act, and the Endangered Species Act; support and/or introduce legislation designed to reduce carbon pollution by at least 28% by 2025 and 80% by 2050; support permanently extending the wind production tax credit (PTC) and the solar investment tax credit (ITC); support and/or introduce legislation designed to facilitate a transition to 100% clean energy by 2050; ending subsidies to the fossil fuel industry."

Similarly Jenny makes it clear that "We only have one earth and we must take care of it. This means investing in clean renewable energy sources, increasing sustainable building and clean air, soil and water protections" and makes that point that she will push for 

• ban on fracking and eliminating the EPA fracking loophole for oil and gas companies.
• reinstate the superfund tax structure so that the cleanup of such sites does not burden the citizens, but the industry who created it.
• the passing of a renewable electricity standard (RES) setting binding targets for renewable energy in the near-- and long-term to diversify the U.S. electricity generation mix, save consumers money, and reduce pollution.

And both Dan and Jenny are very concerned by how Scott Pruitt is handling the EPA. Pruitt's corruption issues are bad enough. His policy problems are even worse. And now he's further alienated and demoralized his own staff.

Several current and former EPA officials and other people close to the agency said Pruitt did himself no favors with his congressional testimony Thursday, in which he blamed his aides for installing a $43,000 privacy booth in his office and approving more than $100,000 in first-class flights that he took last year. Pruitt also denied knowing key details about raises that his top staff received last year. And he declined to defend his former policy chief against Democrats' accusations that she had failed to show up for work for three months, even though she and Pruitt had been photographed attending the same meeting during the period in question.

...A current EPA official said Friday that employees are veering between "despair" and "embarrassment," and Pruitt's televised performance did not help.

"I will tell you, it did not go unnoticed from people who watched the hearing that he did not take responsibility on the policy pieces” of the testimony, the official said. "It was not lost on us on the stuff we know about that he used very careful language, he was parsing his words, that some might say he did not speak the whole truth."

One former EPA official said even political aides are “sick of Pruitt constantly putting himself first,” and “putting himself before the president’s agenda.”

“He’s rarely been interested in selling regulatory reform as improving Americans’ lives, and is far more interested in saving his political career,” the former official said.

But Trump has shown no signs of abandoning his EPA chief, who has won the strong backing of conservative groups with his efforts to erase Obama-era environmental regulations. So far, that has outweighed the anger of White House staff members and exasperation of key Republican lawmakers at Pruitt's series of controversies over luxe travel, extensive security, a below-market D.C. condo rental from a lobbyist and history of questionable real estate deals in his native Oklahoma.

...Departed EPA aides who have said Pruitt didn't tolerate internal criticism of his spending and secrecy say current staffers still fear they’ll be similarly swept up in the scandals-- but won't be able to find jobs if they quit now and gain a reputation for disloyalty.

“They’re trying to do the best they can in a toxic environment,” one former staffer said. “You cannot express any idea that might be misconstrued as a political attack on Pruitt or any policy issues, so people just do what they’re told. They’re professional. ... They don’t want to get caught in an undertow.”

Another former EPA official has been getting phone calls from staffers who are frustrated by the controversies but keeping their heads down.

“Everyone in the building wants to come out and say something … but as soon as they say something, they’re out of a job,” that person said.

...“Administrator Pruitt speaks for a certain aspect of the Trump administration conservative movement,” the appointee said.

Next Big Primaries: North Carolina And Indiana

Building a team for real change starting in 2019- Jenny Marshall with Randy Bryce

On Tuesday, Marie Newman gave Blue Dog Dan Lipinski a run for his money. With over 92,000 votes cast, just 2,000 separated them. In the end, Lipinski won the primary, 51.2% to 48.8%, although losing the suburban parts of the district where the Cook County Machine was unable to tamper with results. The next primaries up are on May 8 in Indiana and North Carolina, where we have two outstanding candidates, Dan Canon (IN-09) and Jenny Marshall (NC-05). Both are running strong, issues-oriented grassroots campaigns and both need help with the final 5-week lap. I asked Jenny and Dan what good campaign contributions do this late in the game. Here's what they told me-- Jenny first:

Our campaign has been running a strong field program, but with 263 precincts spread out over 3200 square miles we need to ensure that we reach as many voters as possible. We have been out knocking doors for a month and calling voters for the past 12 weeks, but we have many more people to reach. We need to send out 20,000 mailers to those people who live in more remote and rural areas, hire 10 additional field canvassers for those areas we can walk so we can talk to people at their homes, and purchase campaign materials including 10,000 more door hangers, 20,000 4x6 handouts highlighting our campaign, 700 yard signs and to support our digital advertising in the district.  We expect to have 41,000 people turn out and vote in the primary. We estimate it will take $30,000 to secure the Democratic nomination on May 8th.

Jenny and her team have been running a bold progressive campaign to unseat arch-villain Rep. Virginia Foxx who has turned herself into a virtual rubber stamp for Trump and a terrible representative of North Carolinans. Jenny told us that while she's been out on the campaign trail, she's "talked to thousands of people who tell me that they are struggling to make ends meet and are afraid they are going to lose their health insurance. This coupled with those who just can't afford to use the insurance they pay for is just unconscionable!  Rep. Foxx has ignored the needs of the people for far too long. She voted no on raising the minimum wage back in 2007 when it was just $5.85 an hour. She voted to strip healthcare away from millions of people with her vote to repeal the ACA. She just doesn't care about the daily grind the vast majority of us are going through. Our campaign speaks up for those who have been ignored and dismissed. We are here to fight for them."

  Jenny is eager to take on Foxx but she's got to win the primary against a centrist primary opponent first-- that's the May 8th election. Her opponent is an establishment Dem who doesn't believe in raising the minimum wage beyond $10 per hour, who doesn't support tuition free public colleges and universities and who stated that our public education system is broken and would use her knowledge of the business world to "fix it." In other words, she is all about doing just enough to look like she is on our side, but not enough to actually help our families and our communities. Jenny is committed to raising the wage to $15 an hour and tying it to inflation and fighting for healthcare for all.

Dan's turn:

There’s an old adage in politics that "field wins campaigns." That is why this campaign has invested in a robust field program that has been up and running since mid-September. We have three offices open across the 9th District and have made over 125,000 (and counting) contacts thanks to a dedicated base of supporters who have been calling voters, pounding the pavement, and attending countless events since last summer. In the final month of the primary, the money you donate will be spent heavily on our field efforts to mobilize supporters and G(et) O(ut) T(he) V(ote)! By helping us keep our offices running full steam ahead through May 8th, as well as funding direct mail and digital advertising targeted to likely voters, a donation to this campaign is an investment that will help us build a movement here in the heartland. 

Throughout this campaign, Dan has been a strong proponent of a guaranteed public jobs program, a national UBI pilot program, and the abolition of ICE. "I am proud to say I am the only candidate in my race discussing these ideas that are crucial to creating jobs, investing in our workforce, and ensuring the dignity of all people. Hoosiers (those of us from Indiana) are tired of the duck-and-cover rhetoric that other campaigns use, and with your help we are going to prove that progressive candidates can take bold stances that offer real solutions for real people."



No one is going to be able to accuse Dan Canon of being another garden variety status quo Democrat. He's been on the cutting edge of social and economic issues for far longer than this campaign-- and his campaign has been engaging the folks in Bloomington, Martinsville and Bedford and from the suburbs south of Indianapolis to the suburbs north of Louisville in discussions from marijuana legalization to the impact of automation on job markets.

Recent estimates show 73 million jobs are on the line due to impending automation. These changes could come quickly and shifting labor demands will force many people into new fields.

On the high end, more than 54 million people may have to change jobs by 2030 if technology is adopted swiftly. That equates to roughly a third of the total workforce nationwide. What’s more, automation is expected to lead to depressed wages and a drastic reduction of jobs available to people with less than a four-year degree. Almost no industry is exempt from facing these changes and the impact will be massive.

Why aren’t more politicians talking about this?

First off, there is little political will to change this trend. Tech is sexy. Think about the frenzy of cities competing to be chosen as the next location of huge tech companies’ headquarters. Second, special interest groups donate millions to keep the downside of job automation out of focus while they work to further it and push for ever-greater profits.

I am proud to be the only candidate in this race who has worked to offer solutions on this issue. When in Congress, you can expect me to stand tall for workers every day, even when it isn’t a popular position. There are things we can do now to set people up for success in the future.

• We can create a guaranteed public jobs program that provides meaningful work to people who are willing and able to take it. Let’s focus this program on rebuilding and improving American infrastructure, energy grids, and rural broadband access for starters.
• We can raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour (allowing for regional variance) to help fight against impending wage decreases.
• We can invest robustly in career training and transition assistance, including union apprenticeships, technical schools, and public education systems to better prepare workers to move into other fields.
• We can pilot a Universal Basic Income (UBI) program to develop a foundation for providing people with basic financial security.

The problems of tomorrow demand that we invest in solutions today. We cannot wait even until the next election in 2020. An estimated 5 million jobs could be gone by then.

A Miserable First Anniversary For Señor Trumpanzee, The Fake TV President

by Richard Serra

Tonight, Señor T has planned a gala celebration for multimillionaires only at his palatial Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Pikers will have to cough up $100,000 a couple but the ones who really want to kiss TRump's lard ass have to pay a quarter million dollars for a pair of tickets, which entitles them to participate in a "roundtable." Everybody who buys a ticket gets a notoriously shitty Mar-a-Lago dinner plus a picture of themselves with Trumpanzee and an opportunity to laugh at the working class suckers who voted for Trump in 2016. Members of Congress-- from both parties-- have noted that the optics of Trumpanzee taking off on Air Force One for his estate while the government is preparing to shut down-- something 32% of voters blame of congressional Republicans and 21% blame on Trump himself-- is less than ideal.

North Carolina congressional candidate Jenny Marshall noted that her opponent, Trump rubber stamp Virginia Foxx said she " hadn't given much thought to" Trump’s performance in his first year in office and that she "wasn’t sure if there was anything Trump hadn’t done well." Marshall reminded her Piedmont supporters that Foxx "sides with him on nearly everything, from his discriminatory travel ban to his attempt to repeal Obamacare to his appointment of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education (the worst Secretary of Education in our nation’s history!) She’s made it clear, time and again, that she would rather toe party lines and cozy up to GOP leadership than stand for the people of the 5th district... [What] really angers me about Virginia Foxx’s recent interview is the fact that she didn’t even think about the performance of the leader of our country. As a representative of the people, it is her job to serve them and their communities, not ignore their needs by refusing to think critically about the policies being put in place by the leader of the free world. The bottom line? Rep. Foxx needs to be removed from office in November. More than that, she needs to be replaced by someone who actually does care about the people of this district and is willing to do the hard work needed to make sure they all enjoy economic, racial, social, and environmental equity-- no exceptions." Democratic candidates across the country are hanging Trump around the necks of incumbents like the albatross he has become.

Meanwhile, the L.A. Times reported Friday morning that As Trump's first year in office ends, his support base has eroded and the opposition is energized. They noted that he started his Oval Office occupancy as a polarizing figure and "ends his first year a beleaguered one." They cite a new poll to back up their assertion.

Just under one-third of those polled, 32%, approved of Trump’s job performance, compared with 55% who disapproved and 12% who were neutral. That 23-point deficit represents a significant decline since April and the last USC/L.A. Times national poll, which found Trump with a 7-point approval deficit, 40% to 47%.

Looking just at residents of 11 key swing states, Trump’s standing is virtually the same-- 33% approve, 54% disapprove-- evidence that his problem goes far beyond the big, Democratic coastal states.

Moreover, opposition to him has intensified-- 42% in the poll said they disapproved strongly of Trump’s job performance, up from 35% in April. A much smaller group, 15%, voiced strong approval, down slightly from April.

The 55% disapproval closely matches the average of other recent, nonpartisan polls; the 32% approval is several points lower than the average, most likely because the USC/L.A. Times poll explicitly gives people the option of saying they neither approve nor disapprove, which not all polls do.

Widespread disapproval of Trump’s performance has also dragged down his party’s standing. Asked which party’s candidates they would favor if the congressional elections were being held today, those polled sided with the Democrats by 11 points, 51% for Democrats to 40% for the Republicans.

Democrats have held their own supporters better than Republicans have: Eight in 10 people who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 said they definitely would vote for a Democrat for Congress if the election were held now. Just two-thirds of people who voted for Trump had a similarly definite intention of voting for a Republican.

History indicates that with a double-digit lead on the congressional ballot question, “the Democrats would be very likely to take the House” in November, said Robert Shrum, the veteran Democratic strategist who directs USC’s Unruh Institute of Politics, which co-sponsored the poll. “The Republicans could be in real trouble.”

...Most of those who had not made up their minds in April now have done so, and by almost 2 to 1, they have gone against Trump.

“The people who were ‘waiting to see’ in the spring have mostly moved toward disapproval,” said Jill Darling, survey director for the USC economic and social research center.

Even among those who voted for him, Trump’s popularity is tepid. Asked to rate him on a 0-100 thermometer, Trump voters gave the president personally an average score of 64. His policies won a score of 72. By contrast, the antipathy from Clinton voters was intense-- they gave Trump a personal score of 7 and a policy score of 9.

An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll also released yesterday isn't quite as dire for Trump... but still pretty dire. It would Trump's approval at 39%, which is still "the lowest mark in the poll’s history for any modern president ending his first year. Fifty-seven percent disapprove of Trump’s job, including a majority of respondents-- 51 percent-- who now say they strongly disapprove, which is a record high for Trump in the survey. That’s compared with 26 percent of Americans who strongly approve of the president’s job."

The only group that approves? Republicans (78%). Democrats' approval is 8% but what is catastrophic for the GOP's midterm election hopes is that among independent, just 33% approval of how Trump is doing his job. The biggest voting block in midterms, seniors, give Trump a 41% approval, and those under 35 give him a 35% approval.

"Asked which words best described how they felt about Trump’s first year as president, respondents' top answers (allowing for multiple responses) were 'disgusted' (38 percent), 'scared' (24 percent), 'hopeful' (23 percent), 'proud' (12 percent) and 'angry' (11 percent)... 'A dumpster fire,' said an independent male from California in summing up Trump's first year in office. 'He does not represent the values of the country,' added a female Democrat from Wisconsin. 'He has no compassion and he should not be our president.'"

Wisconsin voters have buyers' remorse-- and they'll take it out on Trump enabler and apologist Paul Ryan in November

Just A Few Dozen Republicans Voted Against Aid To Puerto Rico's Hurricane Victims-- Sociopaths Like Virginia Foxx

On Thursday afternoon, Ryan finally allowed Congress to vote on an amendment by Rodney Frelinghuysen to concur with the Senate on funding aid to hurricane-stricken Puerto Rico, something Trump, a lifelong anti-Puerto Rican racist, has been very sketchy on. The amendment passed by an overwhelming 353-69, all 189 Democrats voting YES, joined by 164 Republicans. The only NO votes were from 69 GOP crackpots-- lunatics and anarchists like Freedom Caucus chair Mark Meadows (R-NC), Mo Brooks (R-AL), Jim Jordan (R-OH), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Dave Brat (R-VA), Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rod Blum (R-IA), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Sean Duffy (R-WI), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Jody Hice (R-GA), Mark Walker (R-NC) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC).

Virtually none these purveyors of anomie have serious reelection challenges. The DCCC isn't taking any of them on. But in North Carolina, a school teacher and progressive Berniecrat, Jenny Marshall is running to represent the northern North Carolina district where hate-monger Virginia Foxx has her base. This isn't an easy district. Obama lost it both times with just over 40% of the vote. And last year, Trump crushed Hillary there, 57.4% to 39.8%. Still, a slightly redrawn district that added over 30,000 Democratic voters has made it slightly less unfriendly to Democrats-- or at least to Democrats running on populist ideas geared towards working families-- the perfect description of Jenny Marshall.

Earlier this week, Frank Schaeffer visited Winston-Salem in Fosythe County, North Carolina to get the lay of the land in the 5th district and interview Jenny. He came away with glowing reviews of the district and the candidate. Take a look at the short film he posted Thursday:



We reached out to Jenny this morning to ask her what she thought about Foxx breaking ranks with the House Republicans vote against aid to the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. She told us that "Foxx stands on the idea of fiscal responsibility, but how responsible is it to let our citizens languish or die when help is just a breath away? We have the resources to help, but some in Congress, like Foxx, turned a blind eye to the dire needs of our people. It is simply unconscionable and we deserve better from those who seek to represent us." And she concluded by talking about the hurricane victims specifically"

It honestly doesn't surprise me to find Rep. Foxx voted no to hurricane disaster relief for Puerto Rico. She has repeatedly voted to deny relief to the hardest hit areas after disasters such as Katrina, Harvey, and now the combined tragedy of Maria and Irma. With lives at risk, all of our members of Congress should act to protect and provide assistance to our fellow Americans. Sadly, Rep. Foxx chooses to hold the purse strings tight and ignore the cries of her fellow citizens. She must be voted out in November and I am working hard everyday to make that a reality.

Please consider giving Jenny's campaign a hand here on our Blue America ActBlue page. She's a regular middle class working woman and self-funding a campaign isn't in the cards. And she's in one of those districts where there aren't many rich campaign donors and the donors who are rich, tend to be Republicans.

Jenny Marshall Gets A Visit From Frank Schaeffer In North Carolina

A couple weeks ago we talked a little about Frank Schaeffer's road-trip around America meeting progressive candidates working to take back the House in 2018. His first stop was Racine, Wisconsin, where he spent time with Randy Bryce, Paul Ryan's opponent. This week, he made his way down to Winston-Salem in Fosythe County, North Carolina to meet up with the progressive Democrat running for the 5th district seat held by radical right Republican Virginia Foxx. Watch the video above of Frank and Jenny talking about the campaign. And, remember, most people outside of North Carolina who have ever heard of this unfortunate batshitcrazy extremist just know Virginia Foxx for her tight embrace of bigotry and radical right buffoonery. In North Carolina, everyone knows she hates immigrants and she hates gays and she hates... well... she sure hates public education. She just doesn't believe in it. Like so many Republicans, she doesn't think education is for everyone, just for the wealthy. So it's completely appropriate that this year, she's fighting for her political life against Jenny, a dedicated public school teacher.

When Frank sent me the video, he also said that "I was stunned to meet Jenny Marshall. In this day and age intelligent sincere authenticity is shocking to encounter in a political candidate. I literally mean it when I say that my hopes and prayers are offered for Jenny. America is lucky to have her and THIS I pray is the new face of the Democratic Party. On to 2018!"

Five month ago, when we first endorsed Jenny, she told us that when she introduces herself to folks in the mixed urban, suburban and rural district they wish her luck, almost with a chuckle. Her response though is to tell them "It isn’t about luck, just hard work... hard work deep canvassing 263 precincts and a message that reaches out to voters. That is our plan, simple yet effective. Get out there and meet people where they are." And that's exactly what she's been doing for the last 5 months-- in a district Trump won 57.4% to 39.8%. It's worth noting, though, that in Watauga Co., Hillary won, albeit narrowly, but in the primary, where Jenny helped organize Bernie's field operation, Bernie didn't just beat Hillary in a landslide-- 5,811 (68.5%) to 2,514 (29.6%)-- he also beat Trump's 2,321 primary votes by more than double. In fact, Bernie won more votes than Cruz and Trump combined (5,040)!

Foxx, she points out, "feels so secure that she refuses to hold town hall meetings and her letters in response to voter questions are cut and pasted together from her website." Foxx's carefully gerrymandered district was a red district literally taylor-made for her-- until last year when a court order redistricted it, adding in something like 33,000 more Democrats. She told us that "The new district lines, coupled with the kind of campaign that we are amassing, is a recipe for us to send Foxx packing." Here's her formula for victory. If you want to help her with that, please consider contributing by tapping the Blue America Act Blue thermometer below.

Our campaign focuses on a strong economic platform of raising the minimum wage, providing opportunity for job skills training, and adding jobs through rebuilding America’s infrastructure. Everywhere I go in the 5th, economic issues are at the top among people’s concerns. From the teacher who is working a second job or the waitress who picks up a second shift just to make ends meet, people are struggling. In 2007, Virginia Foxx voted no to increase the minimum wage to $5.85 with a cap of $7.25. She does not support people earning a living wage. She has little empathy for people’s plight to make a better life for themselves. People have lost hope in our government. They need someone who will stand up and fight for their families and communities. I will fight to raise the minimum wage to $15.00 and include wage increases for service workers. I will fight for the right to unionize and will work to protect employees from pay schemes like comp time that can be controlled by their employer.

Another major worry of voters is healthcare. A recent survey found that 68% of Americans have less than $1,000.00 in the bank. One major illness can be financially devastating. Virginia Foxx wants to repeal the ACA and replace it with what I call The John Grisham’s Rainmaker AHCA where states like North Carolina will apply for waivers to gut provisions like pre-existing conditions and coverage limits. So, not only have you maxed out your insurance coverage, you are destitute and stuck in a high risk pool for the rest of your life. Thanks, Virginia. 40,000 people in the 5th district are covered under the Affordable Care Act. 30,000 receive substantial subsidies to buy their plans. They will lose their coverage when she votes yes on the repeal and replace. With 75% of Democrats and 60% of all Americans supporting single payer health plans, there is no reason for Congress to continue to stonewall the progress of bills like HR 676. I will be a strong voice in support of a single payer program.

We must protect our most vulnerable by protecting Medicare, expanding Social Security and Medicaid. I spoke to an elderly woman at the Earth Day festival who lives on $820.00 per month. She visits the food pantry and other charities just to scrape by, yet she still volunteers to help others in hospice care. In the wealthiest country in the world, why do we have people living their senior years in abject poverty? We all know the answer is greed. I support raising the cap on Social Security Income tax moving towards abolishing it completely. I will fight to prevent the privatization of Medicare and propose to increase the income eligibility guidelines to qualify for Medicaid.

You have to have the right message and the strength to stand up and fight for it. Bernie Sander’s progressive populist message resonated with the people in the 5th district as was evident in his primary results. These people of the 5th want equity from a system they feel has left them behind. They want a representative that isn’t bought out by corporate interests and big money. They want their voice heard and to know that their opinion matters. And I agree.

In the words of Bernie Sanders "Enough is enough." Let’s get to work.

A Labor Day Call for Action-- Guest Post By Jenny Marshall

Jenny Marshall and Randy Bryce

-by Jenny Marshall,
candidate for Congress (NC-05)

Labor Day: the one Monday of the year in which most American workers can count on a day off. On Labor Day, so many of us stay home from work only to find ourselves muddling through whatever at-home tasks we’ve been avoiding for a while. But Labor Day has its roots in something more powerful than that. The holiday was first created by machinist, union organizer, and secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York, Matthew Maguire, in 1882.

On that day, workers took to the streets to celebrate with their friends and families, prideful of their contribution to the American workforce. While celebrations still exist, most often at workplaces with unionized labor forces, many Americans are left feeling that they don’t have a reason to celebrate their place in the workforce anymore.

According to Pew Research Center, 15% of people in the workforce are dissatisfied with their jobs. What’s really telling is that the level of satisfaction that people have with their jobs is heavily dependent on the amount of money they make and what type of job they have. So, people who make more money and have jobs in management are generally happier with their jobs than folks who work in manual or physical labor and make less money. This is unsurprising as right-wing politicians and corporate elites continue to deplete protections that once helped workers to thrive.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Congresswoman for North Carolina’s 5th district and my opponent for Congress in 2018, is one of corporate America’s most promising allies in government. Time and time again, she has voted on policies to bolster the profits of elites while depleting rights and protections for working class people. As Co-Chair to the 2016 RNC Platforms Committee, Foxx advocated for union-busting, right-to-work laws.

As a member, and now the leader, of the Education and Workforce Committee, Virginia Foxx has repeatedly put profits over people. She voted against raising the minimum wage in 2007, but has voted to give herself a pay increase since then. She also voted no on the Employee Free Choice Act of 2007, which would have prevented employers from intimidating, harassing, or firing employees due to union membership. And just last year, she voted yes to the Workforce Flexibility Act of 2016, which would have allowed employers to give employees time off—notably, at the time of an employer’s choosing-- instead of overtime pay, rolling back regulations from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 that created the 40 hour work week in America.

Foxx has worked to stifle collective bargaining, prevent fair wages, and allow employers to tread on worker’s rights. Most recently, she approved of Donald Trump’s order to roll back Obama-era protections for women and minority workers. Well, I’ve had enough of Virginia Foxx’s attack on American workers, and I think we ought to do something about it. The first order of business is unseating Virginia Foxx and her GOP allies who work in lockstep to disadvantage American workers at every turn.

But to fix this problem, we must go further. We must increase wages, put a stop to union-busting legislation, and bring good-paying-jobs back to the United States. We must demand that workers be paid fair compensation, allowed time off, and given substantial family leave options. We must donate, volunteer, and rally for campaigns that support the People’s Platform and demand that our leaders in Congress, regardless of political affiliation, are held accountable for their actions. Only then can we bring back the pride once associated with being a part of the American workforce. Only then can we remember what Labor Day is really about-- celebrating the collaborative efforts of our community.

This Labor Day, let’s come together as workers and stand up for our rights and livelihoods. Now is the time to demand the end of corporate greed and to recognize the strength in our community. Together, we can take on corporate America. Will you join me?

Trump Supporters Are Drastically Out Of Touch With America

During his deranged campaign rally in Phoenix Tuesday night, Trump had several disparate stream of consciousness themes but what tied them all together was his profound pose as the ultimate victim. Forget about Heather Heyer, who was murdered by a Trump Nazi fan boy, Trump insisted he was the real victim. He's always pretending to be the victim. It's always been his slimy modus operandi. And it's worked for him-- to some extent-- in business and certainly works among the Republican base, which only exists to celebrate it's own victimhood. As PPP's Tom Jensen pointed out in releasing his new post-Charlottesville survey yesterday, Señor Trumpanzee's "approval rating is pretty steady in the wake of the Charlottesville attack, probably because his supporters think that whites and Christians are the most oppressed groups of people in the country... The reason Trump hasn't lost more ground for his widely panned response to the attack is probably that many of his supporters agree with some of the beliefs that led white supremacists to rally in Charlottesville in the first place. Asked what racial group they think faces the most discrimination in America, 45% of Trump voters say it's white people followed by 17% for Native Americans with 16% picking African Americans, and 5% picking Latinos. Asked what religious group they think faces the most discrimination in America, 54% of Trump voters says it's Christians followed by 22% for Muslims and 12% for Jews. There is a mindset among many Trump voters that it's whites and Christians getting trampled on in America that makes it unlikely they would abandon Trump over his 'both sides' rhetoric."

Still just 11% of Americans-- including Trump voters of course-- say they "agree with the sentiment that it's possible for white supremacists and neo-Nazis to be 'very fine people,' to 69% who say that's not possible. "Almost no one in America likes neo-Nazis or white supremacists or thinks they can be good people," said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. "But Trump didn’t lose many of his voters with his post-Charlottesville comments because so many of his voters do think whites and Christians are the most oppressed groups in this country."

Robert E. Lee has a 36/24 favorability with Americans, with 40% having no opinion of him either way. He's at a 61/10 spread with Trump voters but just a 17/40 spread with Clinton voters. In a finding that says a lot about how we got to where we are today, Trump voters say they would rather have Jefferson Davis as President than Barack Obama 45/20. Obama wins that question 56/21 with the overall electorate.

Things are continuing to look good for Democrats in 2018, as they lead the generic Congressional ballot 49-35. The 14 point lead for Democrats may be too good to be true though-- it's a function of a highly divided Republican base at this point. While Clinton voters say they'll vote Democratic for Congress next year 90- 4, Trump voters say they will vote Republican by only a 74-13 margin. Part of the reason Republicans have done better than expected in 2014 and 2016 is they were divided earlier in the cycle and came together by the end, we will see if that trend continues in 2018.

“Democrats are very well positioned for next year’s elections,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Their voters are a lot more unified than Trump’s. His attacks on his own party’s Congressional leaders are having a very negative impact on their popularity.”

Lamar Smith voted for TrumpCare-- and says he would again

Derrick Crowe is running for the Austin-San Antonio corridor seat currently occupied by the odious anti-health care fanatic Lamar Smith. This morning he reminded us that "In the 21st District, roughly 54,000 rely on the health care exchanges for health coverage. Instead of working to improve their insurance, Lamar Smith voted to kick them off health coverage altogether and add them to the 84,000 people who still lack coverage in this district under the Affordable Care Act. The Republicans' attempt to destroy President Obama's legacy would have let the rest of us get sicker, go bankrupt, and die earlier just so they could get a tax cut. Voters aren't as dumb as establishment politicians like Smith think they are. They know an attack on their lives and livelihoods when they see one. We need to get all of these people covered, period, no exceptions. That's why I support Medicare For All. Health care should be a right, not a privilege in this country."

North Carolina's 5th district has the same kind of assertively backward representative in Congress, Virginia Foxx. Jenny Marshall, the progressive Blue America has endorsed in the race has a very different perspective of health care than Foxx. Jenny sent me this statement earlier today:

"I firmly believe that a repeal of Obamacare is necessary because it is crushing our health care sector," Foxx said. This is how Virginia Foxx views healthcare, in business dollars and cents rather than loss of life and personal costs. If the repeal of The ACA goes through, the CBO has estimated that 1 out of 7 people in the 5th district will loose their health insurance. These hardworking citizens need medical coverage because it is just simply unavailable through their work and too expensive to purchase on their own without help of a subsidy.   The repeal of the ACA will make these already vulnerable households even more at risk in regards to their personal health and economic stability. We know that a healthier and more productive workforce is directly tied to a workforce that has access to medical care as a result of being insured. Republicans, Democrats, and Unafiliated voters are the beneficiaries of the ACA and have rallied together against its repeal but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Her lack of concern for the medical needs and financial security of the people in the 5th district and across this county is simply appalling.  Enough is enough.  We need to make the interim changes needed to fix the ACA and move to enact a single payer healthcare plan that provides universal healthcare for all the people living in this country.

A big part of the division among Republicans is being caused by extreme unhappiness with their Congressional leaders, perhaps driven by Donald Trump's attacks on them. Both Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell now have the worst numbers we've ever seen for them. Only 16% of voters approve of the job Ryan is doing to 62% who disapprove. A big part of that is even among Trump voters he has only a 30% approval rating with 52% disapproving of him. Ryan comes out looking popular in comparison to McConnell though. His approval rating is just 9%, with 61% of voters disapproving of him. Among Trump voters he receives just a 15% approval rating to 59% disapproving of him, not all that dissimilar from his 68% disapproval with Clinton voters. The possible pitfall for Trump with the attacks on GOP Congressional leaders is disincentivizing his base to go vote for them next year.

Their failed efforts on health care are a big part of what's causing Congressional Republicans problems. Only 25% of voters support the health care bill that was considered by Congress last month, to 57% who disapprove of it. Even among GOP voters there's less than majority support, with 48% in favor of it to 34% who are opposed. At this point only 33% of voters think the best path forward on health care is repealing Obamacare, to 57% who think it's keeping the current law and making fixes to it as necessary. Voters say by a 21 point margin that they're less likely to vote for a GOP member of Congress who supported the repeal bill- 46% are less likely to vote for such a person to 25% who are more likely to, with 22% saying it doesn't make a difference either way.

...[F]or the fourth month in a row we find a plurality of voters in support of impeaching Trump- 48% say he should be impeached to 41% who disagree. And there continues to be a significant yearning for a return to the days of President Obama- 52% of voters say they wish Obama was still President to only 39% who prefer having Trump in the White House.

Trump continues to trail both Bernie Sanders (51/38) and Joe Biden (51/39) by double digits in possible 2020 match ups. PPP never found Hillary Clinton up by more than 7 points on Trump in 2016. Sanders and Biden each win over 12-14% of the folks who voted for Trump last year. Also leading Trump in hypothetical contests at this point are Elizabeth Warren (45/40), Mark Cuban (42/38), and Cory Booker and Trump Twitter Target Richard Blumenthal (42/39). Trump ties Kamala Harris at 39% each and John Delaney at 38% each.

Generally speaking just 57% of Republicans want Trump to be the party's nominee again in 2020 to 29% who say they would prefer someone else. That 28 point margin for Trump against 'someone else' is the same as his 28 point lead over Mike Pence at 52/24. Both Ted Cruz (a 40 point deficit to Trump at 62/22) and John Kasich (a 47 point deficit to Trump at 68/21) are evidently weaker potential opponents than 'someone else.'

The GOP's Class War Against Their Own Base-- Bernie Is Fighting Back For Them

Many 2018 congressional candidates are delighted to campaign against Trump and to tie their opponents to him, especially the ones with big Trump vote scores. Several of the Blue America-endorsed candidates are running against far right GOP incumbents who literally have 100% pro-Trump voting records, as Doug Applegate has pointed out about Darrell Issa and Katie Hill has pointed out in the case of Steve Knight, who blatantly lies to his Santa Clarita/Simi Valley/Antelope Valley constituents in trying to pain himself as "bipartisan" and "mainstream." Randy Bryce's opponent, Paul Ryan, has a 100% Trump score as does Paul Clements' opponent, Fred Upton.

And more candidates than not are delighted to point out the glaring Putin-Gate scandals that have become a nightly staple of the #1 and #2-rated cable TV shows, Rachel Maddow's and Lawrence O'Donnell's, both of which are absolutely crushing Fox News in their time slots, with Fox News adamantly refusing to expose Trump's and his Regime's Putin escapades. Yesterday Bernie was in Morgantown, West Virginia and Covington, Kentucky, not to talk about Russia or Trump or Putin-Gate but to talk with voters in these two states Trump won in landslides (68.7-26.5% in West Virginia and 62.5-32.7% in Kentucky) about the Republican legislation they're passing off as "healthcare" that is really nothing but the Republican Party's class warfare against workers. Before the rally in Covington Bernie issued a shot across the bow of Kentucky's senior senator, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell:

Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was implemented, no state in the country has benefited more from the ACA than Kentucky. The uninsured rate for adults in Kentucky has gone down from 20.4 percent in 2013 to just 7.8 percent in 2016-- the largest reduction in America. Today, as a result of the ACA, only 4 percent of children in Kentucky are uninsured.

Unbelievably, at a time when Kentucky has made significant progress in health care, the Republican bill being proposed in the Senate by Kentucky’s own Senator Mitch McConnell would throw over 230,000 people in Kentucky off of health insurance. It would also decimate the Medicaid program in the state which provides insurance for more than 2 million people, including 40 percent of all children.

Further, at a time when Kentucky is struggling with an opioid addiction epidemic, there is no question that if McConnell’s legislation were to be passed, thousands of Kentuckians would no longer be able to receive the treatment they desperately need.

The bottom line is that this legislation, which nationally would throw 22 million Americans off of health insurance, cut Medicaid by almost $800 billion, substantially raise premiums for older workers and defund Planned Parenthood, is a disaster for America but an even greater disaster for Kentucky and other states that voted heavily for Trump. This Republican legislation must be defeated.

Bernie's populism is as different from Trump's as their Twitter feeds are

I want to reiterate something we looked at Saturday morning. Covington is the county seat of Kenton County, Kentucky's third most populous county. And, yes, Trump won that county decisively in November-- 59.7% to 33.7% but on primary day, Kenton County told a far different story. On the Republican side, Ted Cruz won Kenton Co. with 2,475 votes to Trump's 1,997. And Hillary and Bernie each beat both of them. Bernie won 4,880 votes countywide-- more than Cruz and Trump combined. Bernie was on the road punching back-- and so are the candidates who have been inspired and energized by his message. You think candidates like Randy Bryce in Wisconsin, Dave Gill in Illinois and Jenny Marshall are going to shy away from talking about how economic inequality is impacting working families in their districts? That is largely what their campaigns are about? That and how they plan to fight back against Republican efforts to tilt the scales further in favor of the top 2% of wealth-holders. This morning Randy Bryce told us that "Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that it’s not a working person’s house that he is speaking on behalf of. In addition to not wanting to have a public town hall because of his horrible policies, he is trying to steal what we have left of health care. Now that our campaign has taken off, he’s had the NRCC unleashed against me even though he won his last election by 35 points! What is he afraid of? Oh yeah-- that would be the people in the district. He can run but he can’t hide. November 6, 2018 can’t get here soon enough."

Jenny Marshall, the Blue America-endorsed progressive running against Trump/Ryan rubber stamp Virginia Foxx in central North Carolina, has a similar perspective. "As I travel the 5th district talking to people on the street," she told us, "the overwhelming issue that keeps coming up is money. It doesn’t surprise me in the least, as the poverty rate across the 5th district is 18.6% which is 4.3% higher than the nation's average. A staggering 44% of the households in the district are low-income meaning their incomes were less than twice the poverty level ($48,500 for a family of 4). People are hurting. They want a representative who understands and will fight for a better future for their family. We cannot ignore their pain any longer." Last month, a short article in The Economist about how little tax the Scandinavian super-rich pay gave them more fodder.

Of life's two certainties, death cannot be dodged even by the well-to-do. Taxes are another matter. Quantifying quite how much they manage to keep from the taxman, however, has always been tricky. One common approach governments take is to conduct randomised audits of tax returns. This methodology can give regulators a rough sense of overall tax revenues lost. But it is far from ideal. For instance, studies based on randomised tax audits are usually both too small and too crude to reflect accurately the financial shenanigans of the most egregious tax-dodgers: the super-rich.

A new study by Annette Alstadsæter, Niels Johannesen and Gabriel Zucman, three economists, tackles this problem by investigating two recent financial-data hoards: the “Swiss leaks,” a record of bank accounts held at HSBC in Switzerland; and the “Panama papers,” files that document the use of offshore accounts and shell companies by clients of Mossack Fonseca, a law firm in Panama. By matching the leaked information with wealth data from Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the authors are able to construct the most detailed estimate to date of the extent of tax evasion.

Their research leads to two conclusions. First, tax evasion is extremely concentrated. The average Scandinavian household paid around 3% too little in taxes in 2006; the richest 1% of households, with net assets of at least $2m, underpaid by around 10%. The truly rich, though, behave truly differently. The top 0.01% of households, with net assets of over $40m, short-changed the taxman by a whopping 30%.

Second, the numbers imply that previous estimates of wealth inequality, often based on tax data, have understated the problem. And the Scandinavian statistics may provide a conservative estimate of worldwide tax-dodging: only around 2% of Scandinavian household wealth is held in offshore accounts, compared with the global average of 4%.

Globalisation has disproportionately benefited the rich in part by rewarding capital more handsomely than labour. But globalisation has also made it easier for the well-heeled to hide their wealth. In that sense, maybe the data should cause even more surprise: despite the best efforts of a lucrative global tax-evasion industry, Scandinavia’s ultra-rich are paying 70% of their taxes.

As Alan Grayson reminded me yesterday Citizens for Tax Justice has research that shows basically identical anti-social trends by the super-rich here in the U.S. Earlier today, Ro Khanna (D-CA), who has become one of Congress' top champion's of action to make economic equality and equality of opportunity attainable goals in this country, reminded is that "Picketty has shown that today's economy favors capital over labor. Our tax rules also favor shareholders over the working class. That is why working families feel that the system is rigged against them-- that they are working harder but making less. We need to restructure the economy to reward work instead of speculation and to hold the investor class accountable for the taxes they owe."

I look forward to do the day Ro Khanna is working with Dr. Dave Gill, a central Illinois House candidate, to translate these lofty goals and ideals into programs and tangible progress. "Here in IL-13," Dave told us this morning, "we've seen the impact of economic inequality for the past 20-30 years, with jobs sent overseas and reduced access to appropriate health care and educational opportunities. As I travel through the district, I see the blight of poverty everywhere, and it pains me to know that IL-13 voted for Trump by 5 points last year. There is good news on the horizon, though-- I talk with citizens throughout the district, and among those who did vote for Trump, there are huge levels of buyer's remorse. They now recognize that his 'economic populism' was a crock, and they're angry that they got deceived by him. It started with his Cabinet picks, and the anger has grown as they've come to learn more about TrumpCare. As an E.R. physician, I know all too well the consequences of a bad healthcare system, and I look forward to going to Congress and helping to lead the charge toward Single-Payer. I've been a Bernie fan since the early 90's, and I'm proud that Bernie handily won our district in the Democratic primary last year. I hope to follow in his footsteps and ultimately join him in Washington."

Long Missing From The DCCC Equation-- Labor Solidarity

Shockingly, the DCCC doesn't recruit union activists to run for Congress any longer; quite the contrary. They have demonstrated for over a decade that they would rather recruit an "ex"-Republican or a wealthy self-funding careerist than someone who understands the concept of worker solidarity. The Democratic Party talks a good game on unions but under Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, union membership-- and power-- declined precipitously and the power of Wall Street and upper middle class professionals largely became the dominant power focus within the DC Democratic Party establishment. Anti-union twerps like Rahm Emanuel and Debbie Wasserman Schultz went out of their way-- through cult groups like the DLC and New Dems-- to cast unions out of decision-making positions and ostracize unions from all but getting out the vote on election day. Union members, sensing the change, have been increasingly deserting the Democratic Party in response.

Whenever a strong unionist decides to run for Congress, the DCCC and their allies at EMILY's List recruit garbage candidates from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party to run against them and then bury the unionist under piles of corporate money. This is just one example-- there are hundreds-- but is how it works. When Miami union members decided to run Luis Maurice, an ILA 1922 activist, for Congress, a corrupt conservative politician was already anointed by the DCCC, Joe Garcia. The Florida Democratic establishment moved into action quickly, demanding Luis get out of the race. The ultimate bagman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz illegally offered him a state Senate seat and $10,000. The DCCC wound up with Garcia, who disgraced himself and the party, and was beaten by a Republican who still holds the seat.

That's why the stench of fear emanating from 430 So. Capitol St., SE (DCCC headquarters), is wafting over DC this week. The grassroots enthusiasm for Wisconsin iron worker and union activist is driving Ben Ray Lujan and his recruitment committee henchmen Denny Heck (New Dem-WA) and Cheri Bustos (Blue Dog-IL) up the wall. An independent-minded union Democrat with a grassroots following is the last thing in the world the Democratic establishment wants to see in Congress. Today DFA endorsed Randy.

DFA's chairman, Jim Dean: "Randy Bryce’s down-to-earth, people-oriented progressivism is a breath of fresh air. While Paul Ryan’s agenda is driven by the lobbyists who can afford to buy his time, Randy’s views on the issues are forged by his time working the iron. He support for single payer health care is informed by his concern for keeping his family covered. His commitment to racial and economic justice is drawn from firsthand knowledge of how they affect his neighbors and co-workers. We need more people like Randy, who reflect and understand their communities, to step forward and run for office across the country. Against the right person running a progressive, issue-based grassroots campaign, no amount of lobbyist and corporate backing can save Republicans in the House from losing their jobs. Our members are excited to prove that by pouring their energy into Randy Bryce’s campaign to replace Paul Ryan."

In his own endorsement for Bryce over the weekend, former Congressman Alan Grayson pointed out that "If you read what Randy Bryce wrote for DWT, you’ll find two things that are lacking in most Congressional candidates: (1) an understanding about how ordinary people (not rich lawyers or businessmen) live, and (2) common sense." BINGO! Ro Khanna's endorsement also hit it out of the ballpark: "We need leaders connected to the community who can speak with authenticity about the need for universal healthcare, better wages, and good jobs. Randy has a bold vision that is rooted in his life experience. It's heartening to see people like Randy step up to serve. That is what our founders envisioned." Too bad Pelosi, Hoyer, Crowley, Wasserman Schultz and the rest of the party leadership don't understand that need for authenticity and think it doesn't matter to voters. It very much matters.

I've been watching how progressive candidates who don't know each other are rallying around each other's campaigns on Twitter this cycle. Randy seems to have formed twitter bonds with Doug Applegate-- a strong union supporter from a military background in San Diego running for Darrell Issa's seat-- and working class North Carolina candidates Matt Coffay and Jenny Marshall. They'll make up the nexus of a strong block of anti-establishment freshmen in the 2019 Congress.

Jenny Marshall is running for the North Carolina seat help by virulently anti-union fanatic Virginia Foxx. This afternoon, Jenny told us that she "became a teacher to help those kids who fell through the cracks. I wanted to be an advocate for them and their education. So, it shouldn't be a shock to learn that I teach from a social justice perspective and believe when something is wrong you must stand up and fight back. You take it to the school board, to the city council, to the legislature, and to the streets if need be. In 2011 the GOP decided to attack public education and, more specifically, the teachers' union in Indiana. My fellow educators and I stood up to their assault and several of us created spaces where we could actively push back against their agenda and build solidarity. It was then that I started a Facebook page that grew to over 9,000 people and focused on policy and lobbying for public education. It became a go-to site for people who wanted their voice heard and empowered people to action while building solidarity among workers who continued to come together and collectively fight for a better future. We worked with labor unions and civic groups to create rallys, town halls, letter writing campaigns, etc to effect change. We ended up thwarting some of the horrible things they were trying to pass with our grass roots efforts and by bringing working class people together. Then, the very next year, they attacked organized labor turning Indiana into a right to work state. I was there in the statehouse standing in solidarity against this anti-union legislation which sought to divide working people and their families. We must be willing to stand up for each other in times of prosperity and need. We must advocate for those who hold the same ideals. We are all brothers and sisters in this fight against corporate greed and the wealthy elitism that unfortunately has corrupted both sides of the aisle. Labor used to have a heavy influence in the Democratic Party and because of this, the party represented working people. However, over the decades big business and the wealthiest of our country, who don't represent the interests of working people, have taken over both parties. We need people who know what it means to stand strong for labor, build solidarity and bring working families together. That is why I am running for Congress. I will stand up for justice and represent the working people and the most vulnerable of our communities, not the greedy interests of the 1%."

A couple of hours ago, Charles Pierce, writing for Esquire published a piece, that shouldn't-- but probably will-- make DCCC recruiters uncomfortable: An Afternoon At the Union Hall With Randy Bryce, The Anti-Paul Ryan. Pelosi should be embracing tis kind of message for her party, not fleeing it. "The hall belonging to the United Autoworkers, Local 72," wrote Pierce, "is a bell jar of days gone by, and candidates long past. There are photos of the young Walter Reuther, his skull bleeding from a policeman's nightstick, and buttons and posters, fading now from the indirect light, of candidates who came here when labor support could make or break their campaigns. Randy Bryce is kicking off his campaign in the hall on a bright Saturday afternoon. The crowd is an intriguing mixture of elderly people, obvious Wisconsin liberals and, here and there, a smattering of the kind of people for whom Randy Bryce seems more like someone you'd run into on a Friday night around the keg at a fish fry. This is the kind of crowd that all of the smart folks are saying the Democratic party needs to bring itself back from the brink." But not Pelosi, not Ben Ray Lujan-- and certainly not DCCC recruitment committee heads, the very conservative Cheri Bustos (Blue Dog-IL) and Denny Heck (New Dem-WA), who are all in for "ex"-Republicans and rich self-funders.

This is how it works these days: You're a politically active union steelworker from, say, Caledonia, Wisconsin, even though you were brought up on the south side of Milwaukee in the days when that part of town was the home of thousands of people who worked at places like International Harvester, Allen-Bradley, Allis-Chalmers, Briggs and Stratton, Harley-Davidson, or one of the several dozen breweries that helped make the city famous... You have this lost history in your bones, which is why you became politically active in the first place. So, in a moment of clarity, after a couple of losing campaigns for local office, you decide to shoot the moon and run for Congress against the sitting Speaker of the House of Representatives, a man named Paul Ryan, the zombie-eyed granny starver from the state of Wisconsin.

So one of the first things you do is you hire some folks to make a video to announce your candidacy and to introduce yourself to your potential constituents. They do a good job. The music is evocative. There are sweeping landscapes of southern Wisconsin. There are lots of shots of people embracing each other. The folks get to meet your mom, who has multiple sclerosis. There are shots of you in your hardhat, working the steel, and wearing a shirt with an actual blue collar. And there is a tagline that people remember.

I think it's time. Let's trade places. Paul Ryan, you can come work the iron and I'll go to D.C.

It rings up 450,000 views on YouTube, and you end up on MSNBC twice in a week. Whoopi Goldberg gives you a shout-out on The View. Your phone starts ringing off the hook and the 2018 midterm congressional elections begin right there on your doorstep. Your mustache, and the Twitter handle it spawned-- @ironstach-- are both judged to be cool by the mysterious unwritten standards of the Intertoobz. Suddenly, the country knows you're an Army veteran who served in Central America during the Reagan years, and that you've already beaten testicular cancer. That's how it works these days if you're Randy Bryce and people say that you're "blowing up" a year and a half before anyone votes for anybody.

If you were casting a character to run for office to address all the Democratic concerns about the white working-class-- whom, as we know, are the only voters that matter-- you would pick someone who's been an ironworker for 20 years on projects all over southeastern Wisconsin, who can look at the Milwaukee skyline and tell you how it got that way.

"We were downtown at NPR today, at that new Northwestern Mutual tower-- I was on that last winter," Bryce told me on Saturday. "We were in a swing stage, hanging off the side, 500 feet up, in wintertime, and we had like a blow-dryer to warm your hands so you could feel your fingers. And Miller Park, there's a wall there with the names of all the workers. My name's on there. And then the Hoan Bridge, there's a spot in the middle that goes over the river where you can actually walk in, so I not only worked on the bridge, but I worked in the bridge.

"I hear Donald Trump talk about being 'a builder,' and I laugh. No, I laugh because I'd love to take him on a job with me. Here, put a hard hat on and follow me, and we'll see what you can really build. Driving around the district, I can point out things. For the last 20 years, I've been building things, changing the way it works for the better, while Paul Ryan is taking things away from us."

Truth be told, despite its spectacularly fast start, it's a long haul up a dirt road for Bryce's campaign. First of all, a sitting Speaker has lost for re-election only three times in the country's history, most recently in 1994, when Democratic Speaker Tom Foley lost to Republican George Nethercutt. (The other two, Galusha Grow and William Pennington, got beat during the turmoil immediately preceding the Civil War.) Second, Bryce is facing a three-way primary and one of the other candidates, David Yankovich, moved from Ohio to Kenosha specifically to run against Ryan.

Already, there's been some intra-party turmoil. Some Yankovich people complained on the electric Twitter machine about being denied entry to an event hosted by the Wisconsin branch of Our Revolution, touching off one of those delightful mini-reenactments of the 2016 Democratic primaries that we all love so very much. (For the record, Bryce supported Sanders in the primary and worked for Hillary Rodham Clinton in the general election.) And last, of course, is the fact that Paul Ryan is the coddled child of America's plutocrats and will likely have so much money to spend on his re-election that god will ask him to float a loan.

Bryce's ready answer is that all that money is an anchor, not an engine. Ryan, he points out, hasn't been seen in the district for a while and that he's more interested in entertaining the country's oligarchs than he is in tending to business back in the Wisconsin 1st.

"He's not even here to listen to what people need," Bryce said. "It's been over 600 days, and somebody will send me something. Hey, guess what, he's going to be in Chattanooga, getting a picture taken, you know, $10,000. Now they have this new thing where they won't even tell you the location because they don't want to see you. You have to RSVP, which means you have to pay the $2,500 to put your name on a list, then they'll you where it is.

"We've had two local town halls and we had to ask Mark Pocan [the Democratic congressman from the Wisconsin 2nd] to come in, when they were first talking about the repeal of Obamacare in Congress. Nobody knows how it's going to affect us, so we had to have Mark Pocan come and we filled UAW 72. People are concerned. This is their lives we're taking about."

The central political event in Wisconsin in recent years, of course, has been the use of the state as a lab rat for conservative policies; the ascension of Scott Walker, the goggle-eyed homunculus hired by Koch Industries to manage this particular Midwest subsidiary, and his pet Republican state legislature has had the most profound effect on the state's politics since Robert LaFollette and the Progressives changed everything for the better at the beginning of the 20th century. The Walker years are a photographic negative of everything that Wisconsin had been about for nearly a century, and it all began in 2011 with Act 10, Walker's successful push to destroy the public-employee unions in the state. This touched off mass demonstrations in Madison, and an unsuccessful attempt to recall Walker. It tore a great gap in the state's political fabric between what had come before, and what came afterwards. Bryce was one of the first labor voices to stand with the demonstrators outside the Capitol because he knew that Walker and the legislature had no plans to stop merely with the public unions.

"Politically, 'labor' always has been a means to attack us," Bryce said. "Pensions, healthcare. Personally, it's always been taking care of other people, because what I do for a living is pretty dangerous. I'm used to, if I'm welding over here, and my hood's down, and a crane swings something over my head, there's another worker there to say, 'Randy, watch out. Look out over your head.' Ironworkers had one of the first protests, in Horicon. We had 250 people that met at the Machinists lodge, even though we were a private sector union and weren't going to be affected at all by Act 10, we knew we needed people to come together."

Bryce was right. During his re-election campaign, Walker dodged the question of whether or not he would sign a bill making Wisconsin a right-to-work state, saying that he didn't expect such a law to land on his desk. Almost as soon as he began his second term, a right-to-work bill indeed did hit his desk and Walker signed it. (The law is still being litigated but remains in effect.) Bryce had watched Walker operate since the governor took office, and he'd known what was coming ever since those cold days on the lawn of the state capitol.

"As soon as he said that in the campaign," Bryce said, "I knew it was a done deal."

Ryan, of course, is the apotheosis of this new, conservative Wisconsin. In fact, he got there far ahead of the rest of the state, banging the drum for radical conservative politics while Scott Walker was still a Milwaukee County executive with an office full of two-bit grifters. He is a National Figure. If he's going to get beaten, or even if someone is going to give him a serious run, it helps if that person has become a kind of National Figure almost overnight.

"The way it blew up," Bryce said. "It said a lot for me. I knew it was going to be good, because I've seen those guys' work before. I could tell right away. I knew it was going to be positive. It was just telling a story but what's opened my eyes is that how that's been everywhere, and everybody wants to ask about it.

"In the last election, there was this thirst for this Donald Trump-sounding, working class populism. It was there. Guys were, like, 'He's going to help us.' I mean, come on. A billionaire is going to help you-- a guy who has a history of screwing his workers. And there are some guys who worked on jobs of his. We had a crew when I was working on Northwestern Mutual, we had a crew from Local 63 from Chicago who had worked on Trump Tower in Vegas, and just hearing stories about stiffing the workers. I mean, come on. Really?"

"One thing you will never say," Rob Zerban, who ran against Ryan in 2012 and 2014, tells the crowd in the UAW hall, "is that Randy Bryce is an errand boy for Donald Trump."

"Randy has a much better chance of winning in 2018 than I ever stood," Zerban said. "Randy was able to capitalize on his exposure as a community organizer and as a labor activist, he had a built-in infrastructure that helped his campaign get off the ground. You've seen him on a national level already. So many people here know him-- they know he's fighting for the right cause and they know what Paul Ryan is. He can't get anything passed. People are desperate for change, in this district. I saw it in 2012 when I was running, and it's gotten worse."

At the end of the speeches, with the requisite John Cougar Mellencamp tune bouncing off the walls, Randy Bryce walks through the crowd with his mother, who is leaning on a cane because of her MS. Like in his now-famous video, there are a lot of people embracing each other, and something is very warm here that goes far beyond the YouTube hotness of a single video. It is the start of something, the heat of first things, fueled by possibilities nobody yet understands.

The DCCC is launching a new "university." They tried hiring a friend mine to teach but he told them he'd just as soon work at Trump University and that he's not interested in working with people who follow an agenda that has led to a consistent pattern of losses. Does that rally need to be further baked into the Democratic cake? One course I'm sure they will never teach at DCCC University is anything about labor solidarity-- because it isn't something they know about or understand or encourage.