The Donna Edwards Effect?

[Joanne98]

So, within 48 hours after Donna Edwards trounces Al Wynn, the House decides to flip off the administration on the "Protect America Act" FISA bill with telecom immunity. OpenLeft cites Canadian broadcasting reporting, of Edwards' win:

I can tell you one thing, on Capitol Hill following the Maryland primary, the elected officials and their staff members that I spoke with spent more time talking about Wynn and Gilchrist, than they did about Obama and McCain.

Donna campaigned against Al Wynn and his corporate financing and corruption, including his being in the tank for the telecoms.

Donna's win represented a new model of progressive primary challenges against the corporate agenda including the netroots, progressive activists, labor (SEIU), MoveOn, EMILY's List, environmental groups and others. This is something new: there has not previously been sufficient power or a playbook in place to break the incumbency protection racket. That's enough to give House Dems pause, to say the least.

What's more, all of this happened right in the backyard of the Majority Leader, who put serious chips on the table to back Wynn with street money just before election day. Right after all this, said Majority Leader offers stirring words to stand up to Bush on FISA, against the will of the telecom lobbyists.

Coincidence, or not?


Read the rest of this entry »
http://firedoglake.com/2008/02/17/the-donna-edwards-effect/#more-17756

[balantz]

1. Very interesting.

And hopeful.

[chimpymustgo]

2. We need to challenge all the enablers. Throw the bums OUT.

[balantz]

3. Hear Here!

Turn this SHIT over!

[burythehatchet]

4. I went back and searched the news archive on this race.

This was a 14 year incumbent. An early supporter of the invasion of Iraq. He had every political lever. He got trounced.

This is important. This is a very clear signal.

[balantz]

6. Yes it does appear to be a good sign.

"The Edwards effect"

And I like her name too!
:evilgrin:

[balantz]

5. An interesting progressive discussion possibility

and it sinks.

[madfloridian]

7. We supported her twice throught DFA. It was a great win.

[balantz]

8. May many more come in behind her....

Fast and furious!

[TZ]

9. Using your logic Maryland sent another message

WIth the loss of Gilchrest a moderate Republican to a much much much MORE conservative Republican. Does this mean MD is going red? No. As for Al Wynn--this kind of thing happened to Connie Morella a few years ago when Chris Van Hollen won. It really isn't that big of a shift as people think. More like one particular representative ticking off his constituency. I can tell you though, that I doubt Steny Hoyer is in any trouble in his district.
PS, I've lived in this region for 30+ years so I am VERY familiar with local politics.
On edit: When you have idiots like Alan Keyes and Robert Erlich running agaisnt incumbent Dems, the decision to keep the incumbant in office is easy,easy, easy.
Besides if we don't have Hoyer in that district we are likely to get someone like Michael Steele. Who is a black version of Rush Limbaugh.

[dmosh42]

10. MoveOn.org and other progressive groups targetted this against Wynn! n/t

[Happyhippychick]

11. A good friend of mine received a push polling call from Wynn claiming that Edwards hasn't paid her

taxes.

My friend was grateful for the call because he knew who he was then going to vote for - Donna Edwards. I think the era of negative campaigning (also known as Rovian tactics) is finally coming back to bite people in the ass.