10 March 2015

Democrats developing an irrational fear of contested primaries

• Democrats are coalescing behind 73-year-old Ted Strickland as their man for the U.S. Senate in Ohio, hoping to avoid a hard fought primary (Roll Call).


• At the end of 2013, the party’s honchos, Harry Reid in particular, got behind John Walsh for the open Senate seat in Montana, doing their best to keep John Bohlinger and Dirk Adams from running. They ran anyway, and after Walsh’s plagiarism was revealed, he was replaced as the party’s candidate.


• After Chris Van Hollen announced his candidacy for the Maryland U.S. Senate seat now occupied by Barbara Mikulski, Harry Reid immediately endorsed Val Hollen, reportedly to avoid a primary. There’ll be a primary anyway, as Donna Edwards just announced she’s running, too.


• After California Attorney General Kamala Harris announced she was running for the U.S. Senate seat that Barbara Boxer will vacate, the field, with help and shoves from her friends, began clearing, although it’s far from cleared at this point.


• Fear that a competitive Democratic Presidential primary in 2016 would fatally weaken the party’s nominee is a major factor, reports Bill Scher, behind the support for Hillary Clinton, the party’s goddess of private email for public service.

Because California has a top two primary, a crowded field is dangerous. It’s actually possible that although the state is heavily Democratic, too many Democrats in the primary could result in two Republicans — and not one Democrat — being on the general election ballot for U.S. Senator. In California, there’s a valid argument for trying to anoint a nominee before the primary.

In Maryland, there’s a glut of Democrats. Smart, experienced, liberal, Van Hollen would be my choice. Donna Edwards is a black woman. Race and gender identity politics could dominate this primary. That’s never good.

Ted Strickland, a former Ohio governor, is too old to be running for the Senate. Democratic leaders are backing him because he has high name recognition. If he doesn't die before the primary, he’ll probably win the nomination. Then he’ll lose the election. Why Democrats think that’s good for Ohio remains to be explained.

Hillary Clinton is 67 years old, and looks and acts it. Her training and instincts are those of a secrecy obsessed corporate lawyer. She lacks to the judgment to be trusted as the number one person in any situation, and she lacks the personality and judgment for public service in any capacity. She’s proved that time and again. She’s the high priestess of gender identity politics, the Big Dawg’s hubby, the Lady MacBeth of American politics. Don’t run, damned candidate, don’t run.