Here's Why Establishment Conservatives HATE Primaries-- Poor Ben Ray Luján

When Ben Ray was chair of the DCCC last year...

When Tom Udall announced he wouldn't run for another 6 year Senate term in 2020, DC swamp monster, Ben Ray Luján, immediately announced his availability. Like his old pal, Joe Crowley, Luján is quite popular in DC and if it was only lobbyists and consultants and the Washingtonian elite voting, he would win. But it isn't-- and he may well not get through the primary, where the state's progressive Secretary of State, Maggie Toulouse Oliver, is battling to be the state's first woman senator. (Luján could say he's battling to be the state's first openly gay senator but he's locked tightly in a closet of knee-jerk deceitfulness, so... not open at all.)

Oliver is campaigning on an overtly progressive platform, including Medicare-For-All and the Green New Deal. Luján is campaigning on an "it's my turn" platform. He hasn't signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 1384, Pramila Jayapal's new-and-improved Medicare-For-All Act. And he hasn't signed on as a co-sponsor to Lloyd Doggett's H.R. 1046 to lower prescription drug prices. But suddenly, out of the blue, starting to feel the pressure of a primary from a progressive... look what happened:

Over 80% of the co-sponsors signed on to Alexandria Ocasio's Green New Deal Resolution (H.Res. 109) came aboard on Day One-- February 7. Everyone else came aboard by February 25. Did Luján suddenly become a fan of something progressive-- and AOC!-- on May 1? That's a laugh! But you know what did happen? Two things:

1- He saw Maggie Oliver's website, the first page of which includes "Maggie will be a champion for working families. She will be a fierce voice for women, women’s right to choose, and equal pay for equal work. She’ll push for a Green New Deal. And she’ll take on Donald Trump’s backwards policies to cut Social Security and Medicare. In the Senate, Maggie will never stop working to make sure we have a Washington that works for all of us." And this:



2- The state party passed two resolutions last week, one supporting the Green New Deal-- unanimously-- and one condemning the DCCC's decision to disadvantage primary challengers, almost unanimously. "Be it resolved that the DPNM State Central Committee, the governing body of the DPNM, strongly opposes the DCCC’s new primary elections policy; Be it further resolved that the DPNM State Central Committee urges the DCCC to abolish its new primary elections policy, establish a policy of neutrality in all Democratic primary elections to ensure a level playing field, and allow the Democratic voters in all Congressional districts to choose the candidate of their choice without any interference from the DCCC."

The Green New Deal resolution was sent to Luján's office and he had no choice but to sign on as a co-sponsor of AOC's resolution in Congress or basically forfeit any chance of winning the Senate primary. This is the state party resolution he was sent that is anathema to Pelosi's status quo establishment leadership team, of which he is a (lackey) member:

Support for a National Green New Deal

Whereas the citizens of New Mexico, the United States, and the world are under threat from increasingly extreme weather and environmental disaster caused by global climate change. Global climate change is caused by human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, and a timely transitioning away from them is necessary to stave off severe economic damages and mass loss of human, animal, and plant life,

Whereas, because fossil fuels will become more expensive to access and the world economy is moving away from fossil fuels, it is necessary to transition New Mexico’s economy away from fossil fuels, and such a transition must be just, fair, equitable, and ensure support to current workers in the fossil-fuel industries,

Whereas, the New Mexico economy would be strengthened by the diversification away from fossil fuels and a broadening of our energy exports by becoming a leader in solar- and wind-energy generation and upgrades to the energy infrastructure

Whereas, a "Green New Deal" has broad bipartisan support among US voters, and would provide necessary federal funding and substantial economic benefit, enabling New Mexico to achieve these diverse goals,

Be it resolved that we support House Resolution 109/Senate Resolution 59, the Green New Deal, to carry these goals forward for the State of New Mexico and the Nation and that copies of this resolution be transmitted to New Mexico's congressional delegation.

Imagine if 2020 progressive presidential candidate Marianne Williamson could sit down with Luján and help him think clearly about what the role of government should be and how he could fit in in making the lives of ordinary New Mexicans better. I know-- too much too ask. Meanwhile, though, watch Marianne's fascinating new video, out earlier this morning: