The Freshmen: What About Cindy Axne?

Waste of a seat-- but better than a Republican

This is the 4th in our series about the 2018 freshmen. First was Katie Hill (D-CA), followed by Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Katie Porter (D-CA). Cindy is a bit of a backbencher who doesn't stand out in any way at all and I probably would have saved her for a few months but, Chuck Schumer seems to have been trying to recruit her to run for the Senate seat in Iowa next year. Schumer has a knack for finding the absolute worst and most horrific candidates to run; think Kirsten Sinema. Axne hasn't shown herself to be as bad as Sinema... although... it did take a few years for Sinema to turn into the wretch she is today.

Axne won the 2018 primary in Iowa's 3rd CD to beat two progressive candidates. She then edged Republican incumbent David Young 175,642 (49.3%) to 167,933 (47.1%) in a swing district that runs from Des Moines to Council Bluffs and the Omaha suburbs on the east bank of the Mississippi River. Obama beat McCain 52.4% to 46.3% and beat Romney 51.4% to 47.2% but then along came Hillary (who gave up on Iowa fast)-- giving Trump a 48.5% to 45.0% win. The PVI is R+1 and it will be a key battleground between Joni Ernst and whichever Democrat runs against her.

Why would Schumer pick a nonentity like Axne? That's exactly why he would pick her. She immediately joined the Wall Street-owned New Dems and developed a solid "F" voting score. All three House Dems from Iowa are conservative but her ProgressivePunch score (53.85%) is worse than Dave Loebsack's 68.34% or Abby Finkenauer's 69.23%. You can always count of Schumer to start at the bottom.

I bet I don't have to tell you where she stands on any of the crucial bills pending before Congress today. But I will (not for you; for the slower people):

• H.R. 1384- Medicare For All Act-- refused to co-sponsor it
• H.R. 582- Raise The Wage Act ($15 minimum wage)-- refused to co-sponsor it
• H. Res. 109- Green New Deal-- refused to co-sponsor it
• H.R. 860- Social Security 2100 Act-- refused to co-sponsor it
• H.R. 1046- Medicare Negotiation And Competition Licensing Act (to lower drug prices-- refused to co-sponsor it

Do you think Iowa Democrats-- despite Schumer-- want a candidate to run against Joni Ernst who will not fight for Medicare-For-All, not fight for a Green New Deal discussion (which is really what this resolution is all about), not fight for a living wage, not fight to save Social Security and not even fight for fair drug prices? People in Des Moines are happy about what it costs to fill their prescriptions? I don't think so. Cindy Axne, politically speaking, is exactly one thing and one thing only: better than a Republican. That's it.

I'm glad Axne decided to not run for the U.S. Senate. But I'd be a lot gladder if there was a progressive Democrat challenging her to a primary. There isn't... at least not yet.