Alison Lundergan Grimes stays out of sight as speculation swirls

[kentuck]

The voters of Kentucky seem to have a different opinion of ALG than the folks here at DU. No doubt, she made mistakes, but she is young enough to recover. And she has a helluva base of supporters in Kentucky if she decides to run for another office, regardless of what DUers may think.
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http://www.kentucky.com/2014/11/07/3526724_grimes-stays-out-of-sight-as-speculation.html?rh=1

<snip>
"It's a bump in the road," Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said of Grimes' defeat. "This lady, if she chooses to stay in public office, is going to be a bright shining star in Kentucky's political scene for a long time."

The polls had showed a closer race, but Grimes' share of the vote was above Obama's job-approval ratings in the state, University of Kentucky political scientist Stephen Voss said.
"Fundamentally, this race was stacked against her," he said.
A closer outcome would have left her stronger to turn around and run for another office, Voss said. With her double-digit loss, Grimes "looks like all the other Democrats in an awful year for Democrats."

Grimes needs to be judicious in choosing her next political race, he said.

"It's rare to come back from losing two," Voss said.

[world wide wally]

1. You can keep her if you want her. I'd like to see actual progressives who can admit who they

voted for at least.

[TheKentuckian]

3. I didn't want her but the power players and the Clintons did so I worked for her to remove the turtl

but I think she is pretty worthless.

[Electric Monk]

59. I wonder how much of her dark PAC money came from Yertl's in-laws and friends.

Making a good show of it and whatnot, but either way in the end they win.

[valerief]

55. +1

[MannyGoldstein]

2. She should switch parties

Since she fought like a banshee to prove she isn't a *real* Democrat.

[kentuck]

4. Obviously the pup tent is not big enough for her to fit in?

And we wonder why we keep shrinking as a Party?

She was not the only one to not come out in support of the President. But what other issues do not make her a "real" Democrat? That she did not defend the President's carbon limits on coal?

Yeah, it's become a pup tent.

[MannyGoldstein]

14. There's a natural place for people who

are even further to the right of Obama on guns and the EPA, and who may not actually vote for Democrats.

[SomethingFishy]

17. It depends on how far to the right you want the party to go..

I understand what you are saying, but since we got hammered shouldn't we at least try doing something different?

I'm of the mind that I stood by the party for the last 30 years with votes, donations and labor, no matter how far they strayed from my values. Maybe it's time the party stands for me.

[kentuck]

22. I understand where you're coming from...

But when President Obama signed this executive order: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/us/politics/obama-to-offer-rules-to-sharply-curb-power-plants-carbon-emissions.html

It sort of put ALG in a tight spot. She is not an anti-environmentalist but she had to choose between the coal miners in her state or the President who they thought put them out of work. It was not an easy road for her.

Other than that, what did she support that was so far right?? Was it when she went skeet shooting? She had said that she was for sensible controls on gun ownership.

Other than trying to put distance between herself and President Obama, because Hillary and Bill were old friends of the family. She had known them since she was 14 years old. She thought Hillary could make up whatever she may have lost with the President's supporters. Obviously, she was apparently wrong.

But what other issues was she "too far right" on? She took progressive positions with women and labor. She was supported by the United Mineworkers Union as well as the Steelworkers Union as well as the CWA (Communication Workers of America.) She was a role model for young girls and college students in the state of Kentucky. They loved her. She worked harder than anyone I had every seen.

I think we need to be careful about who we throw under the bus and why? If her stands were too far right for our Party, then we indeed can expect much tougher times in the future. We need to weigh more of the circumstances before we discard good Democrats, in my opinion. Also, we need to understand that this was an ass-whuppin' for our entire Party and we will need to pick ourselves up and stop all the self-analysis sooner or later.

[AtomicKitten]

29. Immigration.

Tacking to the turtle's right with an anti -immigration ad.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5985590

[kentuck]

30. Yes, that was a mistake.

That was not good.

[AtomicKitten]

31. yep

[kentuck]

33. I think she was blind-sided by that ad?

When I communicated with her, she never used the words "illegal aliens". She said "undocumented citizens". I think sometimes things go on in a busy campaign that the candidate is not always on top of. Not to excuse her for that ad.

[TheKentuckian]

61. Dude, I'm not sure why you are so enamored with Grimes. She is just a typical Clinton machine hack

that is even more ashamed of Democratic positions than is typical even for that gang and attempted to win by going right of the top elected TeaPubliKlan on coal, immigration, and guns (though I don't give a shit about this one).

Her rationale for candidacy was "30 years is too long" and otherwise sought to either conflate her positions with her opponent or like I just mentioned, actually trying to out flank him only actively confronting him from the Democratic side on minimum wage.

I think 80% of the attraction is she is a well spoken, telegenic, relatively young woman. The other 20% is mostly her father and the favor of the Clintons.

[LawDeeDah]

39. Not a smart woman.

What in hell was she thinking. I guess she wasn't.

Loser doofus.

[GeorgeGist]

60. Keep digging.

[aikoaiko]

6. So President Obama is real Democrat for Manny?

[kentuck]

8. Yes, she got her butt kicked...

But not as bad as some.

Bill Clinton, Hillary, Elizabeth Warren, and the last 3 Democratic Governors of Kentucky thought she was enough of a "Democrat".

[aikoaiko]

35. And I think so too

[MannyGoldstein]

13. Probably closer than Grimes. nt

[aikoaiko]

34. Right. Even if she said I am Obama 100% you'd still be saying she should have run as a Democrat.

Lol.

[treestar]

20. No.

The only real Democrat is Elizabeth Warren. She can kick ass. She is tough. She would MAKE those Republicans and Third Wayers vote for single payer.

If Elizabeth Warren were President, the Republicans would know they are going to get their asses kicked but good and they would behave.

[aikoaiko]

37. The only real Democrat?

It's a little early for that kind I dogma.

We will have to see if Warren can lead

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

53. I'm pretty sure he's being sarcastic. nt

[aikoaiko]

56. Thank you. It's hard to tell around here sometimes

[aquart]

46. Do you have the questionaire ready? Do we have to get 100% of the answers "correct"?

Personally, I think "the only real Democrat is Elizabeth Warren" would make Elizabeth puke in a bucket.

Maybe you should get her to fill out your purity test to see if she's really "the only real Democrat."

Purgists are dangerous hysterics, not unlike the people who freaked about ebola. IMHO.

[msanthrope]

16. She is a Democrat in good standing, and I was proud to work for her

election.

Did you work for any Democrats, Manny?

[still_one]

54. Absolutely, and she did quite well with the odds against her

[still_one]

51. I guess you must be from Kentucky, right? Oh no you are from Mass. Who did they put in as governor

again?

Charlie Baker? Somewhere I recall there was also a governor named romney

Hmmmmm

[TwilightGardener]

5. Honesty and some party loyalty might help her next time around.

And by party loyalty, I mean she should have demonstrated some.

[kentuck]

7. We do not know for sure if the DSCC asked her to not embrace Obama?

Or the other candidates that did the same. But no one is going to change their minds. Overall, she had a pretty progressive agenda. Including raising the minimum wage. Stopping our jobs from going overseas. Protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare. Equal pay for women. But she was not pure enough for support here, I guess? Some didn't like the way she shot that gun.

[GGJohn]

10. Ya know she has to pass a purity test here on DU?

I'm flabbergasted by those that are throwing her under the bus just because she doesn't pass the "purity test" here.

I go back to the old saying "When in Rome, do as the Romans do".

I wouldn't worry too much about the young lady, despite what certain people here say, she'll rebound and there are good tidings in her future.

[demwing]

9. She did, she's very loyal to the party

and promoted solid party policies

[TwilightGardener]

11. Sorry, the whole not-admitting-vote for Obama thing was ridiculous

and proved that her political instincts were faulty and immature.

[kentuck]

12. That may have hurt her?

Much like the "Dean Scream" hurt Howard Dean. But, at closer inspection, it was probably something pushed by the media and created by the Republicans.

[TwilightGardener]

15. She is an appealing person, with talent, but she needed better advice of how

to to tread carefully around the topic of Obama. It's fine to delineate where you disagree with his policies, but treating the President who is of your own party as persona non grata was clearly a mistake, and hopefully went against her gut and better judgment. If she really didn't vote for Obama, and was trying not to be too honest in that moment, then we've got a much bigger problem and she doesn't belong in Dem politics.

[joeybee12]

42. +1 ...it made her look like a coward...

She did not need to embrace Obama, and, quite frankly, a lot of Dems were smart not to...but you need to grow a spine and push back and define the dialogue, not react to it like a deer in the headlights.

[KoKo]

18. Maybe it's just that

Obama can work better with Mitch McConnell. He seemed to say so in his After the Election Presser. Could be she got bad advice not to associate herself with Obama from a campaign manager who had some direction from Party upstream that McConnell would be easier for Obama to work with than who would replace him. "Dirty Tricks?"

If she was polling well until she refused to answer if she voted for Obama and then she tanked. I'd wonder if she was told to do that. It seemed to be such a big mistep...it didn't make sense from what I'd read of her.

The news about McConnell's father-in-Law that broke before the election would hopefully have given her a boost. But, it must have broken too late or they didn't report it in Kentucky. I'm hoping that story has legs and McConnell gets an Ethics Complaint he has to deal with. But, then that's probably just wishful thinking.

[kentuck]

26. KoKo.. The President's name was mud after the character assassination he took in Kentucky.

I don't know that it would have made any difference? Perhaps?

But, honestly, I don't know if Bill and Hillary hurt her more than helped her. Just a few days before the election, we had Monica Lewinsky come out and remind people of some unpleasant moments from the past.

We can second-guess all those candidates but I hope we learn some lessons from it.

[KoKo]

44. Same thing with NC...

Hagan got a boost from a fundraiser Hillary did for her in September. But, Bill came Friday before Election Day, Tuesday and got 8,000 to fill a stadium for a Rally for her...
and her poll numbers for Early Vote had her leading...but Election Day was when her numbers turned.

So did Bill hurt her? I didn't know about the Monica stuff before election but, I wonder if the Undecideds on E-Day were turned off by Bill's Visit and that last minute rally. People remembering Monica and yet there he is appearing with a Dem Female Candidate in what is now a Conservative state taken over by GOP in 2012.

NC was only Southern state to go for Obama in 2008 when the Dean/Kucinich Activists had organized before 2004 and were still active. We got our Repubs sweeping House/Senate and Governorship after our Dems had 2012 Convention in Charlotte...at the Bank of America Stadium Site. Shocking turn around.....

I expect more numbers and theorizing will be coming out in the days and months ahead as to what went wrong. I hope they stop blaming Dem Voters for everything, though.

[treestar]

21. No she would have won this had she only been

more progressive!!!

Not only should she have said she voted for Obama, she should have complained that he disappointed her and that she wants single payer and that's what she's going to make Obama do if she goes to Washington!

[Old Nick]

19. Breaking: She is now claiming she has never heard of Kentucky

[BluegrassDem]

23. Kentucky Dems have a VERY deep bench

Unlike a lot of other states, Kentucky has more than its fair share of rising star Democrats. We are not reliant on Grimes to run for anything.

[kentuck]

24. I like Jack Conway and Steve Beshear.

You are right. We have some rising stars and they all supported ALG. She is not the only game in town but she does not deserve to be thrown under the bus, in my opinion. We don't know what the DSCC may have requested as far as embracing Obama. They ran a pretty incompetent operation also.

[LawDeeDah]

25. gun totin', Obama bashing and stunned. Sounds like our Sarah Palin.

[kentuck]

27. I don't think that is a fair comparison.

Her IQ is a 100 points higher than Sarah. She may have made mistakes but I think that is a little harsh.

[LawDeeDah]

28. If she can't stand for anything, she stands for nothing.

That vote thing was an absolute stunner, you got to have a lot of stupid in you to think that was going to help anyone in any way. Sounds like Mark Penn was advising her.

[kentuck]

32. She did say that she would not "rip" health coverage out of the hands of 500,000 Kentuckians...

And I think she could have been a little stronger with that message? It may have helped her some?

[BeyondGeography]

36. She's very young and it took guts to go after McConnell the way she did

She has a great chance to learn from her mistakes if she doesn't take very legitimate criticism personally. I hope she does evolve because we need all the good, young candidates we can find and she is talented.

[kentuck]

38. That's the way I look at it also...

We may have to change our litmus test just a dab?

[steve2470]

45. She probably listened to the wrong people

She was very brave to take on McConnell and did OK for her first attempt.

The standard media narrative was "Obama bad, Dems run from him", which was, imho, the wrong way to go. She didn't have to ram it down the throats of KY voters, but yea, acknowledging she voted for him and generally supported him would have been better. KY is a conservative state in general, so, she has to do the blue dog two-step to get elected.

[stevenleser]

62. I agree. She made campaign mistakes, but she is very young. She took on one of the most powerful

people in government in a state whose fundamentals completely favor them and made them sweat at least. That is a huge accomplishment.

I expect big things from her in the future. People who are piling on at this point, well, what I would say about them would risk getting me a hidden post. Let's just leave it at that.

[bluestateguy]

40. She's a fool

Should have gone with Ashley Judd

[tularetom]

41. How do the black voters of Kentucky feel about her?

I guess it's not a huge percentage of the population, but African American voters could provide her with edge she might need to put her over the top in this hypothetical future race. And my guess is they might tend to resent the slap in the face she gave the first black president.

Fairly or unfairly, she's damaged goods.

[kentuck]

43. She received 95% of the black women vote but...

only 43% of white women vote. Mitch beat her with the women's vote. That was the biggest surprise to me in the entire race.

The only age group she won was the 24-29 age group.

She did very well in the black community. They did not fall for the propaganda.

[TshaiRedhair]

47. Not one mention of the Indigenous peoples of North america n/t

[hlthe2b]

48. I believe Native Americans to be important EVERYWHERE in this country. That said

There are no federally recognized Indian tribes in Kentucky today.

So, what is the context of your comment/point?

[TshaiRedhair]

57. I mean in the whole campaign this year.

I just mentioned it in that thread. Very frustrated right now.

[arcane1]

49. Huh? In what context?

[TshaiRedhair]

58. I mean in the whole campaign this year. n/t

[Vinca]

50. If GOP voters have a choice between real Republicans and Repub Lite, Dems lose.

I'd rather go down defending Democratic values (and Presidents) than sucking up to the right.

[RandySF]

52. The governor's race is next year.