Bernie Is Building an Army of Primary Challengers

[Agschmid]

[div style="display:inline; background-color:#FFFF66;"]Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s opponent is his prototype.

[center][/center]

[div style="display:inline; background-color:#FFFF66;"]Tim Canova is not Dave Brat.

Sure, Canova, who’s waging a primary challenge against Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Florida’s 23rd congressional district, is an underdog from the academic world taking on an entrenched opponent who raises obscene sums of cash for her party, just as Brat was in his 2014 challenge against then–House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. And yes, in both cases, it’s that very fundraising ability that made Wasserman Schultz and Cantor powerful within their own party structures but also targets for their party bases, who have viewed them as subservient to their respective donor classes.

[div style="display:inline; background-color:#FFFF66;"]The difference is that Canova, unlike Brat, is a fundraising powerhouse himself—and that was even true before Sen. Bernie Sanders, in an aggro move for someone trying to become leader of the Democratic Party, endorsed Canova’s bid to topple the current chair of the Democratic National Committee. Whereas Brat’s challenge to Cantor slipped under the radar, Canova’s bid against Wasserman Schultz is now assured to be one of the most closely watched primary contests of the cycle. If there is to be a concrete Sanders legacy, it will be measured by the ability of those whom we’ll uncleverly dub “Bernie Democrats” to mimic his campaign model against members of the Democratic establishment—but win. No pressure, Tim.

And Canova is a Bernie Democrat right out of central casting. When news first broke over the weekend that Sanders was endorsing him, it may have seemed like a spite play against Wasserman Schultz, who Sanders has attacked over a litany of perceived botched calls this cycle. But Canova is more than just the random name Sanders found while Googling to see if there was a vehicle through which to troll Wasserman Schultz. The two have a professional history: Canova advised Sanders on Federal Reserve reform as part of a 2011 panel organized by the senator. Canova, a law professor at Florida’s Nova Southeastern University, positions criticism of monetary policy higher than your average politician, and he lines up similarly well with Sanders on trade, campaign finance, and Wall Street regulation.

Read more on Slate.

[question everything]

1. Not a Democrat, never been a Democrat, challenged Democratic candidates

This is Sanders all the way. Never will change. The only question is, why are so-called Democrats supporting him.

[ThePhilosopher04]

4. Not about the label or the party. It's about the positions and where one stands on moral issues

Bernie and Tim Canova stand with the American people. Hillary stands with corporations, the 1% and the perpetual war machine.

[Demsrule86]

38. Bernie is truly going to be sorry

Do you have any idea what awaits him when he returns to the Senate? He is beginning to remind me of Sarah Palin...primarying sitting Dems is the devils work.

[Cornus]

5. Probably because...

...he functions more democratically than most of the elected Democrats.

[zazen]

11. Debbie has "challenged Democratic candidates" by supporting their Republican opponents in Florida

Why the double standard?

[vintx]

12. I'm guessing ignorance nt

[tazkcmo]

13. If you don't know by now

You'll never know.

[jack_krass]

16. He's more a Democrat(in the traditional sense) than HRC

[George II]

27. Being a Democrat isn't a "tradition".

[AgingAmerican]

34. Democratic beliefs are a tradition

[oldandhappy]

17. well, maybe because we think he is really a Democrat

I think clinton is a right leaning centrist. This campaign has turned me towards being a progressive.

[JRLeft]

18. This is not a sport Gawd Damn it. Bad policy screws the people. Get past party labels for once.

[Demsrule86]

39. And nominating people who can't win

leads to GOP gains...and way more bad policy...funny how Bernie always attacks Democrats.

[Ken Burch]

46. In every district we're talking about, progressives are just as electable as "centrists".

The right wing of this party has no monopoly on electability.

Do you really believe that we can ONLY hold DWS' district by renominating as drug warrior who still defends private prisons and payday loan scams?

[nashville_brook]

19. and that's apparently why you're so threatened by him?

[Dawgs]

20. Fuck labels.

I prefer the politician that is more like FDR than Nixon.

[KPN]

24. The right question to me is why are so-called democrats supporting Hillary?

Answer: some because they like stability, others because they are so-called Democrats.

[ThePhilosopher04]

2. Go Bernie! Go Tim Canova!

[JonLeibowitz]

3. Thanks Agschmid. K&R

[whatthehey]

6. Great - hopefully at all levels

Political power structures are fleeting at best if started from the top. We can see how successful the Tea Party was, and how they achieved it, in a scant few years. If there really are enough people driven to remake the Dems into a more left leaning party the way to do it is at the precinct and county and state committees to begin with.

[Segami]

7. Kick...thanks

[think]

8. Tim Canova is an army of primary challengers? Where are the others?

[tazkcmo]

14. You'll see.

What ever you do though, pretend it isn't so. Ridicule Sanders' supporters for all of their actions and policy positions. Belittle Sen Sanders record supporting not wealthy Americans. After all that, call for unity in the party.

Some folks just don't get it even after a year.

[uponit7771]

33. we've been told that for 9 months already, this is the team of angry do nothings

[tazkcmo]

35. In a hurry?

Your Inevitable One hasn't even wrapped up enough delegates to claim the nomination after a year and her opponent is reportedly a cantankerous old Jew that's a racist and misogynistic commie and you want a revolution to be complete in 9 months? Sheeesh!

[uponit7771]

45. Yes, everyone is in a hurry to stop wasting time and resources being angry and doing little

[Demsrule86]

40. Tim Canova

will lose badly...he is not right for florida and especially not Wasserman's seat as Hillary won by 38 points in her district....more money wasted by St. Bernie.

[think]

41. I'm sure you'd prefer Pay Day Debbie but some us are tired of corporate sellouts.

It's hard to beat corrupt candidates with all their advantages but not impossible.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Good. "Throw the bums out", has a nice ring to it.

[Blue_Adept]

25. it's always someone else's bums that you want thrown out

never your own.

i'd be pissed if my reps and senators got tossed out because of this wave of nuttery/purity.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

30. What "purity"?

It seems to me that people who demand we follow the dictates of one party or one candidate are the "purists" here.

[tazkcmo]

36. Amazing, isn't it?

The war hawk is called a peacemaker while Bernie promotes violence. Now we're purists for not coming to heel to the DNC.

[vintx]

10. I hope they're prepared for the fight.

The DNC has shown how unwelcome progressive change is in this party

[sufrommich]

15. I see one guy,Tim Canova,who's running against

the person Sanders supporters hate the most. Where is the rest of the army? I'll be convinced when the donations start coming in from Sanders supporters out of real commitment to progressive candidates elsewhere as opposed to contributions that come from angry supporters to one candidate in Florida.

[Luminous Animal]

32. Here you go...

http://berniecrats.net/

[anotherproletariat]

21. Is the going to fund them with his leftover campaign money? nt

[brooklynite]

22. 4 people is " an army"?

[TwilightZone]

23. An army of one? Slate must have hired Salon's headline writer

[Bleacher Creature]

26. Still waiting on his army of general election challengers.

Or does he only go after Democrats?

[redstatebluegirl]

29. Good question!

[George II]

28. This most likely will come as a shock to many on this forum (from back in March):

Obama Endorses Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s Bid For Re-Election

March 28, 2016

President Barack Obama on Monday threw his support behind Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who is facing a progressive competitor in her first primary challenge for the seat.

“Debbie has been a strong, progressive leader in Congress and a hardworking, committed Chair of our national Party since I proudly nominated her to the role in 2011,” Obama said in a statement Monday morning.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/obama-debbie-wasserman-schultz_us_56f93747e4b0a372181a53e1

[Ash_F]

42. DWS is enabling predatory lending.

[George II]

43. No she isn't.

[Ash_F]

44. Counterpoint: Yes she is

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/debbie-wasserman-schultz-payday-lenders_us_56e1a9d6e4b065e2e3d50764

[Hiraeth]

31. It only takes one to stand up and lead.

[randome]

37. Him and what army?

I don't see how anyone can be this clueless. 99% of us would welcome with open arms a true revolutionary. But Sanders isn't it. He can't even get his own colleagues to endorse him. There's a reason for that, wouldn't you think?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]