What Democratic Revolt? Moderate Cruises in PA-13 Primary

[DonViejo]

David Freedlander

It was to have been a victorious night for progressives—but the voters had other ideas, handing a congressional primary win to proudly moderate Brendan Boyle over a Clinton favorite.

The so-called Democratic wing of the Democratic Party, with its emphasis on income inequality and clamping down on Wall Street, was supposed to be ascendant.

Someone forgot to tell Philadelphia on Tuesday.

In one of the year’s most closely watched Democratic primaries, Brendan Boyle, a proudly moderate 37-year-old state lawmaker, cruised to victory in a congressional district serving northern Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs.

In a bitter four-way primary, Boyle was attacked as both pro-life and anti-public education. He denied both accusations, but pro-charter school and pro-voucher entities have donated heavily to him, and during the heat of the campaign, NARAL Pro-Choice America said Boyle’s “track record” made him “clearly the wrong choice in this race.”

The primary attracted unusual attention in part because it was seen as a microcosm of some of the forces playing out in the Democratic Party at large as the 2016 elections approach. The early front-runner was Marjorie Margolies, who served in Congress from 1993 to 1995 and cast a deciding vote on Bill Clinton’s first budget as president. That vote cost her the election the following year. In the intervening decades, her now ex-husband has gone to prison for fraud, and her son married Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea Clinton.

more
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/20/what-democratic-revolt-moderate-cruises-in-pa-13-primary.html

[mgcgulfcoast]

1. lets not be like reps

we have room for everyone.

[Chan790]

6. I do not agree.

I think our tent has become too large because it is now too dispersed and too permissive of Republicrats. There are no consequences for running as a D and governing/legislating as an R.

We're not voting for laundry here. Positions matter. If they support TPP/TPIP, oppose unions, dither on reproductive choice or equality issues, support tax cuts and oppose social safety-nets...we'd be doing ourselves a favor to expel them from the Democratic party.

[winter is coming]

2. "The low-turnout election"

A four-way primary and still there was low turnout.

[Cosmocat]

13. How about that

We had a tragically low turnout for the municipal election last year, and SOMEHOW managed an even lower turnout in this midterm primary.

The apathy of this country is amazing.

And, make no mistake, even for the people who did not turn out, while they agree with liberal positions on most issue, somehow, they identify more strongly with republican messaging.

The 30-40ish types who I know who don't bother to vote - they have no time for the bashing gays thing, but when they do get to the polls they vote R cause of the "big spending democrats" meme.

No amount of talking to them and trying to explain things can tell them differently.

This country is NOT in a good place.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Warren, de Blasio...

Larry Summers was stopped from taking another chunk out of the 99%, TPP and starving senior citizens and the disabled sensible, responsible Social Security reforms are on life support...

Progress is not monotonic, but it's certainly progressing.

[bottomofthehill]

4. Moderate is a funny term for Boyle

Looking at his positions http://voteboyle.com/on-the-issues/ he looks like a candidate that I could easily support.

For the Public Option
For Medicare to negotiate for the best drug prices
Wants to protect Social Security
Wants to raise the minimum wage
Close Billionaire Tax Loopholes
Invest in Infrastructure and Transportation
Supports ENDA
Strong support for Lily Ledbetter Act.
Supports Planned Parenthood funding
He is an Irish Catholic kid who has personal problems and issues with abortion, there are a lot of Irish Catholic politicians who have a hard time with this issue being attacked by both the left and right. (my comments not his directly, but you can read his position)
Member of the Green Dog Caucus with 100% Sierra Club and Clean Water Action
States that Climate Change is REAL

[1StrongBlackMan]

5. Thank you for this information ...

I don't know anything about Boyle; but I agree ... He doesn't sound "moderate", he sounds like someone that can win.

[frylock]

7. quiet, you. this thread was posted to shit all over progressives..

you're ruining it for everyone.

[winter is coming]

8. So Obama's positions are "progressive", Boyle's are "moderate"... who's running this shell game? nt

[frylock]

9. "moderate" "liberals" are running the game

[Arkana]

11. Yeah, I'm gonna have to say he's not Elizabeth Warren

but he doesn't strike me as a DINO either.

[yallerdawg]

10. Interesting how short the Clinton coattails are

In a state where Hillary leads by 50% approval, she can't help carry just one little rep? A relative?

And it can only go downhill from here.

[juajen]

12. Nope, he sounds very reasonable.

This woman would probably have voted for him over her. I'm from southern Louisiana, and am pro-choice, but, I understand the Irish and the French, and Catholic influence. Perhaps I need to know more about Chelsea's mother-in-law.

[LynneSin]

14. I know that district very very well - it tends to be moderate

I was not surprised by the outcome of the results.