Ocasio-Cortez campaigning for El-Sayed in Michigan

[oberliner]

A New York congressional candidate who recently shocked the political establishment by beating a 10-term congressman in a primary is campaigning in Michigan for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will attend rallies with El-Sayed in Grand Rapids, Flint and Detroit on Saturday. They will also rally supporters Sunday in Ypsilanti.

Michigan's primary is Aug. 7, and El-Sayed — Detroit's former health director — is among three Democrats vying for the nomination. The others are former legislative leader Gretchen Whitmer and businessman Shri Thanedar.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Ocasio-Cortez-campaigning-for-El-Sayed-in-Michigan-13113015.php

[H2O Man]

1. Recommended.

[brush]

2. I commend her for this. The incumbent is NOT a Democrat.

[oberliner]

4. The Republican incumbent is not running for re-election

[brush]

6. That's fine. It's an open seat not held by a Democrat. The repugs will run someone.

[oberliner]

8. This is a governor's race

Not a Congressional one.

[brush]

9. I know. Snyder is not running. What's you point?

[Blue_true]

22. What is your point?

I read each of your posts and still have not figured it out, and I am not stupid!

[brush]

25. It's not rocket science. In other races AOC has backed candidates...

trying to unseat sitting, Democratic incumbents. Ya know, trying to swap out a proven Democratic winner of a general election for a preferred Democrat/Democratic Socialist yet to be proven able to win a general election.

In this Michigan gubernatorial race there is no sitting Democratic incumbent.

Too subtle?

[Eliot Rosewater]

27. It is clear what is going on with AOC and others. But , well, never mind.

[brush]

31. Gotcha. Hope they understand the priority is to GOTV for the Nov...

election which is just 3 months away to take back at least the House or we can continue to watch trump turn over the country to Putin.

[Blue_true]

33. No, just your earlier posts were indirect and confusing.

I favor Whitmer in the race, she is simply the best choice.

[brush]

35. Guess there was too much subtlety. In my first post on this OP...

I capitalized the word "NOT" to note that she was backing a candidate who was not trying to unseat a sitting, Democratic incumbent.

I commend her for this. The incumbent is NOT a Democrat.

[JNelson6563]

57. Nah, once again she's just

campaigning against a progressive woman cause BernieBros.

[brush]

58. On the job training is problematic. Hope she gets wise fast.

[marble falls]

55. Being pedantic?

[Hortensis]

11. WHY? Dr. El-Sayed would be an extremely weak candidate

to send up against what the Republicans will field with everything they have. To put it mildly!

MI is a perennial swing state, but Republicans currently have a trifecta, meaning they hold the governorship and majorities in BOTH houses of the state legislature. That's how they've done so much damage. We have a chance to take the governorship this year.

Dr. El-Sayed is a good man, but this is a real election with real consequences. Sending him up against the Republican candidate this year would be tantamount to trying to throw the race to the Republican white nationalist party.

So, why on earth is this something to commend, instead of ? Seriously.

Btw, moving on to the question of experience, the governor of Michigan is the head of the executive branch, like the president. We're not talking about becoming one of something like 150 representatives to the state government here.

Contrast Dr. El-Sayed's limited experience with Gretchen Whitmer's, who has 18 years' experience in MI state government positioning her to take on the executive administrative position. And have a little concern for the people of MI. He would probably do a very good job as head of the state HHS.

MI's governor is in charge of:
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Department of Attorney General
Department of Civil Rights
Department of Corrections
Department of Education
Department of Environmental Quality
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Insurance and Financial Services
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Department of Natural Resources
Department of State
Department of State Police
Department of Talent and Economic Development
Department of Technology, Management and Budget
Department of Transportation
Department of Treasury

[brush]

13. I capitalized the word NOT in my headline because my previous...

objections to some of the candidates she was backing was their attempt to unseat sitting, Democratic incumbents.

In this race at least that is not the case.

I was commending her for that.

I was not recommending the candidate she's backing.

[Hortensis]

18. Gotcha. Yes, not trying to unseat an incumbent Democrat

would be a plus, even if a null set here given there is no incumbent Democrat. It's only risking sabotaging the Democratic candidate's chance to become MI's governor by negative messaging.

Sorry I missed the sarcasm or very low raise in the bar, whatever it was.

[brush]

20. Guess I was a little too subtle with the NOT.

Last edited Sat Jul 28, 2018, 02:00 PM - Edit history (1)

And you're right. It is somewhat problematic that too many Dems running may give the repugs a stronger chance at winning.

We need to coalesce behind our strongest Dem candidates.

[Hortensis]

21. The primaries are when we need to identify

and elect our strongest Democratic candidates.

Mineral Man pointed out that after August's primaries few primaries will be left and, as you say, by the end of August we need to unite as a force behind the people we've chosen to send against the Republican white nationalist party.

[Eliot Rosewater]

28. It is almost as if an agenda is out there to harm the Democratic Party.

[TeamPooka]

24. shocking

[NCTraveler]

3. I like Gretchen Whitmer in this one.

Would love to have this seat. Flipping governors is big.

[oberliner]

5. She appears to be the favorite to win the primary

Based on the most recent polls I've seen.

[NCTraveler]

7. Looks like she will win by a considerable margin.

I believe we will see that these poll numbers aren’t realistic. I think she will continue to be overlooked. By how much I don’t know. Sanders and Ocasio can move certain people to vote who might not have, or voted for someone else, just by showing up. It’s also going to bring in serious cash and that impact won’t be immediately realized in polls.

[pamdb]

10. Ocasio Cortez

I like her but maybe she should just concentrate on her own election. I am a Gretchen Whitmer supporter. I would vote for El-Sayed if he got the nomination but I tell you, there are a lot of people in small towns and rural areas in Michigan who will not vote for a Muslim and I don't want to lose the election. Possibly he could be her running mate as Lt. Governor, but don't forget this state, for whatever stupid reason, went for the big orange idiot this election. There's more to Michigan than Detroit and Hamtramck and Dearborn and Ann Arbor where there are large populations of Muslims and liberals. There's Muskegon and Kalkaska and Holland and Benton Harbor and dozens of places that are conservative and I just don't see him winning and I really, really, really, really don't want Bill Schutte to win. Not with legalizing marijuana on the ballot. He made it his goal to crush medical marijuana here and even if legalizing pot passed, he would destroy it. And he has the DeVos and Koch money behind him.

[Voltaire2]

12. So in summary your argument is that we should

surrender to bigotry when choosing candidates?

[Blue_true]

23. The person did not write that or imply it.

Reality is what it is, people in the places he mentioned won't vote for a Muslim or a Black person. That is the reality, the issue is how do we change it, no one said accept it.

[Voltaire2]

26. Oh really?

“there are a lot of people in small towns and rural areas in Michigan who will not vote for a Muslim and I don't want to lose the election”

I guess I completely misread that.

[Pathwalker]

29. Yes you did.

Michigan IS racist.

[MineralMan]

14. I think she'd better return to her district and start campaigning

there for herself, frankly. She could lose. Seriously. Crowley will still be on the ballot, and could split the Democratic vote in that district. Ocaso-Cortez is taking a big, big risk with all this out-of-district campaigning.

Worse, she's backing some folks who are going to lose.

Risky maneuver, I think.

[Voltaire2]

16. How about giving her some respect?

Maybe she knows her own district better than you do? Just maybe?

[MineralMan]

17. Yes, maybe she does.

As for my respect, she'd have my vote if I lived in that district. But I don't live in that district. I'll be voting to re-elect my own House rep, Betty McCollum.

[Eliot Rosewater]

30. Hey, I know, let's work to elect ANY democrat as if your/my fucking life depends on it,

how about THAT!

[Voltaire2]

47. Ok so how does that play out during primaries?

[stonecutter357]

19. +1000

[Dream Girl]

37. I agree.seems she is being weaponized I'd love to know what's behind this.

[MineralMan]

39. It's the Our Revolution folks and others of similar beliefs.

They think it's time to run democratic socialists in every race, primary and general. They appear to believe that is the answer to the Republican domination of government these days.

Never mind that their candidates, for the most part, are not winning their primaries. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, however, did do so, so clearly she has her finger on the pulse of every state and district. Or so some appear to think.

While I'm a socialist, philosophically, I'm also not an idiot. I understand that socialism isn't a winning philosophy, except in a few, scattered places. Meanwhile, we have Republicans in control of all three branches of federal government. As a pragmatic sort of person, it seems best to me to correct that minor problem first, and then work on moving things further left.

But, hey, that's just me, and WTF do I know?

[Hekate]

51. What you said

[oberliner]

41. You have no idea what you are talking about

She isn't going to lose. Crowley is not running. She has no serious Republican challenger. There is zero risk in what she is doing now.

Link to tweet

[Voltaire2]

48. The important thing is to transform her campaigning

for other Democrats into some sort of problem.

[qazplm135]

53. the important thing actually

will be to see if she has this same energy in the general election for dem candidates, even if they aren't Our Revolution approved.

[Trumpocalypse]

44. Campaigning in NY doesn't begin until

after the state primary in September. So she is free to go and campaign for others right now.

[PassingFair]

32. I'm meeting a friend at this rally.

I plan on voting for Whitmer in the primary, but my friend supports El-Sayed, and I can see why.
I think he's great! Also, I want to hear Ocasio-Cortez speak, in person.

If this is being "undemocratic", then I don't want to be a democrat.

[Snotcicles]

34. I have seen and heard Abdul speak twice. I think you will be impressed.

You aren't being undemocratic by any stretch. You are being informed.

[PassingFair]

38. Thank you!

😀

[markses66]

36. Oh

[Kaleva]

40. I'm voting for Whitmore and have no problem with AOC campaigning for another candidate in this race.

[oberliner]

42. It is strange that anyone here would have a problem with it

Lots of great Democratic candidates in Michigan - good that AOC is bringing positive attention to the race.

[Gothmog]

46. Yeah for Planned Parenthood supporting Gretchen Whitmer

Link to tweet

[SkyDancer]

43. It looks like people are very excited by this race

in Michigan and Democrats are really turning out the crowds. This is great to see! Here are some videos.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

45. I really like Gretchen Whitmer

Link to tweet

[Hekate]

49. Is she spending any time back home in the district where she still has not won the GE?

Just curious, because she seems to be everywhere else.

[oberliner]

50. She will win and it won't be close

There is nobody seriously running against her. The Republican does not have a campaign website and has not filed the necessary paperwork to receive donations. He is a crank whose motivation for getting on the ballot was so he can talk about what he believes to be his unfair divorce court ruling. That's basically all he talks about when people try to interview him.

The primary was the real election - and she worked her tail off campaigning in the district to win it.

[tirebiter]

52. That's legislative LEADER

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="

" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[oberliner]

54. She is great

Hopefully whoever wins the Democratic primary can win the governorship!

[Nanjeanne]

56. Wonderful crowd turnout. Had to use an overflow room. Just

looking at the tweets and videos it looks like a ton of enthusiasm which is so great to see!

[Dream Girl]

59. What is their platform? Hot fudge sundaes, free college and a car for anyone who needs one?

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love that too, but that’s partially why we’re in the mess we’re in. I really thought people would have learned by now. We need to get Democratic control. She is running around campaigning for “progressive” candidates, who will not have broad appeal. Does anyone really think Michigan is going to elect a Muslim governor? That would be a recipe for another Republican governor. Time to get realistic.

[PassingFair]

60. How about health care and subsidized community college?

Doesn’t seem so outrageous to me.

[Voltaire2]

61. What!? No Hot Fudge Sundaes!??