Florida Blue Dog Rep. Allen Boyd Hit From the Left

[steven johnson]

"I am not a member of any organized party — I am a Democrat."
Will Rogers

Well, it's nice to know that there's going to be a fight in the party of the big tent. It's sort of like going to see hockey and having a game break out.

The first Blue Dog has a primary challenge from the left: Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.), a former chairman of the group of Democratic House fiscal conservatives, will face state Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson in a politically competitive Tallahassee-based seat.

While Boyd’s voting record and assiduous constituent service has made him nearly untouchable in Florida’s 2nd District — a seat that has long supported Republican presidential candidates — Lawson argues that the seven-term congressman is too conservative to effectively represent his constituents.

“I don’t agree with the Blue Dog philosophy. I think it’s bad for North Florida,” Lawson said. “After 12 years, it’s time for some different kind of leadership that will be responsive to areas in Florida that I’ve been representing.”

Lawson, who is African-American, is Florida’s longest-serving state legislator, representing the Tallahassee area since 1982, when he was first elected to the state House. He is term-limited from running again for the state Senate.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20496.html

[ulysses]

1. a primary challenge -

which is "how we're supposed to do it" - is now a "hit from the left"?

[FLAprogressive]

2. Lawson is also a conservative Dem.....has high ratings from the Christian Coalition and the Chamber

of Commerce. No real good choice.

Boyd really blows though.