Following up on the thread here, I want to give you guys one more thread to discuss whom we should include on an ActBlue page to reward Democrats who took a risk to support this bill. The criteria I’m looking for are:
* Voted yes.
* Conservative district or very close call in ’08.
* Announced support before Stupak’s presser last night made it “safe” to do so.
* Pelosi and Jerry Nadler (reason here) will also go in.
A number of Democrats put the well-being of uninsured Americans ahead of their own jobs. In my view that is the ultimate test of a civic-minded legislator and I think they deserve our thanks.
So far I have heard good arguments for Tom Periello, John Boccieri, Betsy Markey, Melissa Bean, Henry Cuellar, Chris Carney, Brad Ellsworth, Gabrielle Giffords and Ann Kilpatrick.
I do not plan to reward liberals who played footsie with firebaggers. Grijalva and Kucinich, for example, risked little with a ‘yes’ vote. Stupak I might just leave alone. His speech that shut down last night’s motion to recommit at least convinced me to stop whipping donations for his primary challenger.
Use the thread to discuss the list. I will post an ActBlue link later this afternoon.
***Update***
Mary Jo Kilroy also.
***Update 2***
Alan Grayson and Solomon Ortiz sound like good picks. I’m agnostic on Steve Dreihaus. He has a tough haul ahead of him, and he did vote yes, but I do not want to reward Stupak’s hard-core supporters who waited until absolutely the last minute to support the bill.
Comrade Jake
Love the new slogan! YES WE DID!
madmatt
Of course they are all gauranteed jobs withthe ins co’s they gave BILLIONS too!
Marc
Mary Jo Kilroy was on the prior post and had a number of supporting posts.
mr. whipple
Kilroy! She done good.
El Cid
Also, as promised to many an annoyed calling solicitor, since the passage of Health Care Reform, I will make my annual contribution to the Democratic National Committee. It won’t be even the majority of what I could afford to donate, but the party did do it, in the end.
Brien Jackson
Ironically, I disagree about Grijalva, Kucinich, and Stupak.
rob!
Is there some sort of ActBlue thing that actually takes money away from an elected official? If so, I want to sign John Adler up for that.
soonergrunt
Conversely, we need to also donate money to primary those Dems who voted no, regardless of the district.
Some who could’ve voted no for district reasons voted yes, and those who voted no need to learn from that.
James Hare
What about the folks who voted against reform? When do those guys pay? This shouldn’t have been close, and someone who can’t support this reform really shouldn’t call themselves a Democrat. Heck, getting this passed was one of the reasons we needed such a big majority. Let ’em go and stop wasting resources defending folks who have more in common with the Republicans than us.
BR
I disagree about Stupak, but the rest I agree.
Trinity
I will not forgive Stupak.
Will. Not.
Jim
Tom Periello represents the district next to mine, and has been a stalwart, not just on this issue. You can be sure that he’ll get a contribution from me.
James Hare
@Trinity:
His speech on the motion to recommit sounded great until I sat and thought “Bart, that could have described you until today.”
Edward G. Talbot
Don’t let Stupak off the hook. Without him riling things up as far back as last summer, the whole dynamics of this could have changed. No need to make it personal, but few are more deserving of a primary challenge for their role in this.
beltane
@Jim: I second you re: Tom Perriello. He’s in an iffy district, and yet was determined to do the right thing with little drama or fanfare.
nevsky42
Just here to again show support for my congressman, Tom Perriello (VA-5).
Here’s an interesting blog post (the author wrote an article on Obama in the New Yorker and Perriello is featured prominently).
link
When I attended one of his health care forums I was most impressed with his thoughtfulness and civility. He was incredibly polite while getting insulted by both teabaggers and single-payer supporters.
Brien Jackson
@soonergrunt:
Meh, I’d be more selective than that. I’m annoyed that Zack Space switched his vote to No, but he didn’t whip opposition to it, his vote wasn’t needed, and he did vote for the original House bill, as well as the stimulus and ACES. And he didn’t switch his ote until it was more or less clear there were plenty of votes for the bill. I can live with that.
zhak
Stupak doesn’t support women’s reproductive rights and feels men should make those sorts of calls (and you know, abortion IS legal, after all).
I’m all for Stupak being voted out. His challenger sounds like good people too.
The Grand Panjandrum
Here is a link to the final roll call vote if anyone wants to refresh their memory.
BTW A lifelong recipient of gummint run HC is disgusted at euphoria over passage of bill.
Boo fucking hoo.
Zach
I don’t know who’s going to run for the seat, but it’d be a shame to lose KS-3 and see Kansas go totally red. I suppose Dennis Moore’s vote wasn’t all that brave since he’s retiring, but it’s definitely winnable if a good candidate emerges.
phoebes-in-santa fe
An ActBlue page? Great, I love ActBlue, I make all my donations through them and was going to finally make a page with them. BUT, I’ll use your page – when it’s up – to send around to my “list”, who often ask me about good Dems to donate to.
I gave $250.00 last week to the Ohio guy – Boccieri – after hearing him come out in favor of reform. I do believe in rewarding “good behavior”.
About Stupak. I am a huge “pro-choicer”, but I am also a huger Democrat. I firmly believe in “the Big Tent Party”, which means we sometimes get those people whose views we cannot always agree with, but are good Dems in other ways. After listening to Stupak go up against the Republicans last night on the House floor and saying “we need HCR” in a very strong way, I was impressed. He and I do not agree on “choice”, but I liked what he said about HCR being for ALL people. Born and “unborn”. I had sent a donation to his primary opponent last week, but after listening to him last night, I wish I hadn’t. He showed himself to be a man with values. They might not be totally mine, but I admire him.
Anyway, get busy with your page! So I can claim it as “mine” and send it around.
JPS
This might be annoying to a lot of people, but Stupak in the end might be the best thing that happened to the Dems in the fall. After yesterday’s kabuki theater it will be burnt into the media narrative that this bill does not use federal funds to pay for abortions. It will be that much harder for the Rs to make the charge. Not that they will not try of course. But at least on the national level reporters are going to be well educated on this front.
JPS
This might be annoying to a lot of people, but Stupak in the end might be the best thing that happened to the Dems in the fall. After yesterday’s kabuki theater it will be burnt into the media narrative that this bill does not use federal funds to pay for abortions. It will be that much harder for the Rs to make the charge. Not that they will not try of course. But at least on the national level reporters are going to be well educated on this front.
JPS
This might be annoying to a lot of people, but Stupak in the end might be the best thing that happened to the Dems in the fall. After yesterday’s kabuki theater it will be burnt into the media narrative that this bill does not use federal funds to pay for abortions. It will be that much harder for the Rs to make the charge. Not that they will not try of course. But at least on the national level reporters are going to be well educated on this front.
Camchuck
I nominate Alan Grayson.
He’s a first termer. Won with 52% in a R+2 district.
He was never afraid to defend HCR and showed that a Democrat can, indeed, have balls. He needs to stick around.
Pengie
@Jim:
Third on Perriello. He’s my rep, and the district is specifically designed to cancel out the liberal city of Charlottesville and the surrounding county. It looks like a big pyramid with C-ville at the top and a huge wide base that runs along the Carolina border. There’s some serious wingnuttiness down there, where the teabaggers made plans to burn Perriello and Nancy Pelosi in effigy before marginally saner heads prevailed.
It takes a perfect storm of Democratic voter turnout and GOP malaise to elect a relatively liberal guy from the northern part of the district, and we got it in 2008. He won by a few hundred votes. It’s going to be very tough to get him re-elected this year, and would be no matter what he did, but he’s taking the opportunity to do as much good as he can rather than trying to be Republican-Lite.
Violet
Solomon Ortiz (D-TX), who represents south Texas (the Valley, essentially) announced he was supporting it on Saturday evening before Stupak caved. Link. I think he deserves a little support.
His district has a lot of people who will benefit from this bill, but it’s also got a large military complex, oil-related folks, very wealthy (conservative) ranchers, etc. It’s certainly not a liberal slam dunk district. He took heat from the tea party types.
Sarcastro
Let’s hear it for the folks who made the bill worse!
Wooo! Yea! Rock!
lotus
Please don’t leave off Suzanne Kosmas (of R+4 CD-24 of Florida), who announced her Yes Friday afternoon. A chart I saw this weekend had her as the second biggest risk-taker after Betsy Markey.
BenA
@phoebes-in-santa fe:
I’m with you on the “Big Tent” but all Stupak did was muddy the water. This bill never was going to provide direct government funds for abortion. He knew it. He inserted himself into this whole thing and created this drama just to show off for his C-Street buddies and to jack up his national profile with the “right to life” terrorists.
cincyanon
Steve Driehaus in Ohio is expected to lose his seat to former Rep. Steve Chabot (remember combover guy from the impeachment hearings?) He was expected to vote no. Conservative Catholic district in SW Ohio.
Fitzwili
@ James Hare
Hi! Even though I agree with you emotionally- I think we have to have to always keep the big picture in mind and that is – we can’t lose control of the House. If we did the ridiculous, scandalous behavior of the R.s last nite would just be the beginning. They would impeach the President, try to repeal health care, and effectively shut down the goverment.
There are probably Blue Dogs we can primary to throw a scare into them, but they will still safely win. There might even be Blue Dogs that we can primary and the Progressive might actually be able to win the seat. There are Blue Dogs( like Blanche Lincoln) that are polling so badly that they are bound to lose – so we might as well run a Progressive against them- even if they might not have the best chance in the general election. Finally there are Blue Dogs in safe seats- as much as it pains us to, we should let these Blue Digs be. Even though they vote with the R.s and are generally troublesome/ useless, that D by their name matters because it helps us keep control of the house
Marge
I am a proud resident of VA-5, represented by Tom Perriello. Tom grew up in Charlottesville, VA, son of a pediatrician. His family has always been active in the community.
He won this district by the thinest of margins. The republicans have targeted him from the day he was elected. So if anyone needs our help, it is Tom. That he is vulnerable is only a joke.
Gen
Charlie Wilson OH-6. We’re Appalachian and while it looks like the district’s usually been Democratic, you know what happened this time. The papers have been full of some of the most viscious editorials I’ve ever read, the wignuts have been out in force, it would have been very easy for him to bow to the pressure, but he looked around at the very poor district he represents and did what was right for his constituents. It took a lot of courage to stand up to some of what I’ve seen and he deserves the praise for doing so.
Comrade Jake
@The Grand Panjandrum:
Shorter McCain: GET OFF MY LAWN!
rikyrah
I’ll check back for the list. I would like to know who’s running against Artur Davis in Alabama for the Governors nomination. I’ll never forgive his sellout ass for voting no.
James Hare
@Fitzwili:
I just think whatever resources we have should go to defending the 219 who voted for the bill. If they can’t vote for a piece of legislation that represents their party’s priority for almost a century, they really don’t belong in the party.
TR
Giffords and Markey for sure.
cincyanon
Driehaus was elected in 2008. Chabot is beating him in polls by near 20 points. Still, he voted yes. Good chance he’ll be a one termer. Politico calls the 2010 OH 01 race a bellweather of the national mood.
John Bennett
I will look forward to this list, as I will try and give $25 to EACH ONE!
cminus
My first choice would be, like that of so many others, Tom Periello.
I also plan on chipping in something for Joe Donnelly (IN-2), the Blue Dog who represents the last Congressional district I lived in before becoming a resident of an unrepresented colonial possession. Even though he was one of the last uncommitted to join in and he won in a walk in 2008, his district is very competitive (R+2 PVI) and, as the home of the University of Notre Dame, very, very, orthodox Catholic.
AJ
Let off on Stupack? Ummm…NO!
“When I’m drafting right to life language, I don’t call up the nuns.” He says he instead confers with other groups including “leading bishops, Focus on the Family, and The National Right to Life Committee.”
There are going to be more votes like this. If he can’t vote with his party on their singular, nametag legislation, he should – must – go. Think what would happen if a Repuke voted for a tax increase. “Bush-The-Smarter”, anyone?
Hypnos
As an Italian who has been closely following American politics (both because I am interested in international politics, and because current Italian politics make me sick to my stomach), I want to say one thing:
Yesterday night Barack Obama and 219 Democratic Representatives put the well being of the American people ahead of that of their party and of their own future political careers – and by so doing, they made history.
It is nice to know that 180 years after Tocqueville’s masterpiece, American democracy still has something to teach the world.
And I so wish politicians in my country would learn something from that.
gbear
I’ll only contribute towards Stupak if it gets used to hire a squad of nuns to follow him around 24/7 and keep him in line. He could use some additional guidance.
Johio
I’ll second Charlie Wilson. He voted yes both times, despite a conservative district that voted McCain.
ellaesther
@JPS: I see your point, and in the way that I am back-handed grateful for a variety of things in this weird world, I suppose I am back-handed grateful for that.
But @ phoebes-in-santa fe I donated yesterday, within an hour of his presser, to his opponent, and I’m still dang glad. Some things are, to my mind, beyond the Pale even in our Big Tent, and telling half the population that they should not be allowed to make their own decisions about their own bodies is one of them.
Moreover, as Edward G. Talbot said, he was a big part of the reason that the mess was a big a mess as it was, and furthermore, as BenA said, this bill was never going to provide public funding for abortions and he knew it. He was using the bill, the urgency of the moment, and my body to make political points.
Fuck.Bart.Stupak.
@ any who still want to support his opponent: Here’s Connie Saltonstall’s Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/Saltonstall2010 and here’s her (so far one-page) website: http://conniesaltonstall.com/
low-tech cyclist
Nate Silver at 538 has a list that’s a good starting point for discussion.
matt
Another vote for Tom Perriello, he’s the real deal in a very tough district. He’ll need all the help he can get.
stinger
Sure, Stupak came out very strongly for the bill, at the last possible minute. But I want him and all the other pro-coathanger types OUT OF OFFICE.
John P
Giffords deserves little credit. She campaigned on reforming health care when she was first elected, while hiding the fact that she was a Blue Dogs. After two years in office, she started proclaiming that she is most proud of her membership in the Blue Dogs. This law would have happened much sooner if representatives like her weren’t Blue Dogs.
I live in her district, and I have given her plenty of financial support in the past. No more. I might vote for her again, but financial support–never.
Evie
Glad you’re including Bean. She really is in a tough Illinois district that went for McCain. I thought for sure she’d vote no and was planning to send her hate mail. Instead, I’m committing to at least 20 hours of volunteer time to help with her reelection.
ellaesther
@The Grand Panjandrum: “repulsed”?
“Re-pulsed“?
John McCain is repulsed by our euphoria?
I suppose it’s only fair. I’ve found him repulsive for quite some time now.
Joe
Definitely Driehaus. I was listening to WLW in Cincinnati last week, and he was definitely being targeted by the anti-reform forces. He only got elected in the first place because of the massive African-American vote for Obama. He will most likely lose without amazing inner city Cincinnati turnout in 2010.
slightly_peeved
I agree with you that this is awesome, and agree that the risk they were willing to take was historic.
But I actually think this is one of those great cases where the smart thing to do is also the right thing to do. People love to vote for a winner, and the Democrats have shown themselves what they can do when enough of them pull in the same direction for a while.
Hamsher fought the bill thinking failure will embolden Democrats. If you look at history, victory and confidence emboldens people far more than failure and desperation does. I think today was a good move for the Democratic party as well as a good day for America.
fortygeek
Pardon me for getting my angst up so early on Monday morning…but FUCK STUPAK! His primary challenge needs to be carried through with the same enthusiasm we put towards this bill.
If you posted up a FUCK STUPAK open thread every Monday morning, I’d sure as hell click on the ActBlue link and donate every single time.
fortygeek
Montysano
@rikyrah:
Who will run against Davis here in Alabama? Hard-right GOP assholes, that’s who.
In an effort to make his run for governor easier, I feel confident that Pelosi gave Davis a pass on the HCR bill. Davis is not my favorite Dem, but I’ll be damned if I’m gonna Firebag him.
Camchuck
@cincyanon:
Figures that Politico would call a district that went Dem twice in 2 decades a bellweather of the national mood.
I campaigned for the last Dem to hold this seat (won in ’92, run out in ’94). I’d love to see Driehaus hang on, but all his handwringing and back and forth with the Stupak gang was a real turnoff. If he had just acted like a strong Democrat I could get behind him more.
JasonF
Bill Foster, IL-14
Lipiniski, IL-3
Camchuck
@JasonF:
Lipinski voted no.
Matt
You might want to consider Gary Peters from Michigan’s 9th district. This district leans pretty hard towards Republicans, but Gary was brought in with the Obama election wave. As far as I know, Gary didn’t pull any shenanigans in his support for HCR, even though it probably wasn’t super popular here. WOTS is that the GOP is targeting this district pretty hard.
Linda Featheringill
BTW, the Republican senators who say they are going to run for reelection on repealing HCR – Do you think that might make them more vulnerable to a Democratic upset?
Ridge
I live in Tom Periello’s district and there is a “teabagger” element in the area which is vocal. Defeated Congressman Goode has been pandering to them and I can see him running again.
Truthfully, I though Periello wouldn’t win as he comes from an area and background which is totally divorced from most of the district. And he only won by a few hundred votes. It was the massive turn out in Charlottesville and Danville for Obama that did it. That turn out won’t be there in 2010.
Periello could use all the help he can get but direct aid would be a club for the GOP who would bring up the old “outside liberal influence” straw dog. If I thought the district Democratic Party was semi competent, I’d say support them for a massive GOTV effort, but don’t depend on them.
I really don’t what to do at the moment, Periello is in a tough spot. The best thing would be help from the White House by campaigning and jobs projects in the district.
Biden or Obama at ribbon cutting ceremonies with immediate effect would go a long way to fighting back the radical right in the area.
calliope jane
Yes, I’d like to add my support for Giffords. She voted yes last fall, too. I went to one of her town meeting last fall–it was a little overwhelming to see such anger and hatred up close (by people cheering W Bush–who does that?) but she talked then about her support of health care reform because that’s what she felt the district, and the country, needed. She even had Richard Carmona speak (he’s local) and he talked about how it’s a moral issue. The AZ-8 is a republican district; I think McCain, for reasons passing understanding, won the district. But she’s been a supporter. She has a lot of seniors in her district and they’ve been very vocal about not wanting to lose Medicare (and were very clear that they didn’t want reform because, after all, their health care was just fine). But still she’s been a supporter — I saw on the local news that she’s had supporters (seniors) make phone calls in support to other seniors, to assure them about the bill. And she did all this even though national groups have been targeting her district– I saw the horrible US Chamber of commerce ads constantly.
So she could definitely use the help! I’ve been volunteering/donating since her first election in ’06. I like her–she may be a blue dog but she never really seems to vote that way. She’s been good on this issue; makes all those GOTV calls and canvassing in ’08 worth it.
Thanks! I’m usually just a lurker here, but it has been an oasis of sanity. I didn’t comment last night, but thanks for all your “whipping” efforts. I think, though I have to check, that the entire AZ democratic delegation voted yes. Again. Impressive.
Camchuck
@Matt:
Ditto Mark Schauer (MI-7th)
First termer/won with 49%/R+2 district
Jay C
Although I think an ActBlue campaign for “threatened” (over HCR) Dems is a good idea, I wonder why you would include Congressman Jerrold Nadler on this list? He’s my current Rep, and his district (Manhattan’s West Side) is not only quite affluent, but a safe Democratic seat – and Jerry is astounding popular
IMO, Nadler certainly deserves the appreciation and congratulations you cited in your other post, but more of someone’s campaign money might really be better spent elsewhere.
Robin G
Not a penny for Stupak. Put his primary challenger on the list.
I’d like to put in a vote for Oberstar (MN-8). Yes, the Iron Range is generally blue-safe, but his constituents are NOT going to be happy about this — they’re old-school union blue, not social progress blue. And if he has trouble, there are bad potential ramifications for a governor’s race that we NEED to win. A Democratic candidate for governor won’t win without the Iron Range. We can’t handle a flip up there, or even for voters to stay home.
So, yeah. Oberstar.
Tim F.
@Jay C: Pelosi and Nadler don’t need money to win election. Donations will increase their influence by giving them cash to spread around to other races at their own discretion.
Claude
Scott Murphy probably meets those criteria.
theflax
Let me also ask for support for my Congressman, Tom Periello of Virginia. The Republicans have been gunning for his seat from the moment he was elected. This is a red district with a loud Teabagger contingent, and Dems here are a bit disheartened about losing the governor’s mansion (although I think some buyer’s remorse is setting in, now that our AG’s been exposed as a Birther.) Rep. Periello hasn’t been pulling a lot of Blue Dog nonsense, even though this would seem like the kind of district where Blue Dog nonsense would be understandable. I think he recognizes the strong possibility that he will lose in November so he’s trying to make the best of his time–in other words, he’s the sort of Congressman we need to keep in office.
kindness
I will still support progressive challengers to trogladite Democrats. I won’t do it in cases where the progressive would go down in flames and the conservative could carry a district or state, but I’m tired of others telling me that I have to live by their religious guidelines. I don’t tell them they have to live by mine & I refuse to stop furthering progressives in our legislature.
Fitzwili
@ James Hare
I absolutely agree about the donating to the 219- especially the most vulnerable. I have already started to do that on ActBlue.
I guess I want us to be very pragmatic and tactical over who we choose to primary with a Progressive.
I mean- really this pragmatisim I am preaching does go against my true feeling of Ughh throw those jerks out! But I think it is the way to always keep the bigger picture/ higher goal in focus.
Janet
Tom Periello is my hero. VA-5 is full of hard-core crazies yet Tom remains steadfast in his populist beliefs. He will need our help to keep his seat. I wish I lived in VA-5 but I am over here in Va-7 saddled with Eric Cantor. I’m glad to send my campaign money next door to Tom where he will put it to good use.
Joe Bauers
I faxed Brad Ellsworth and the next day he announced he was voting for it, so I take all the credit.
Yes, he’s more conservative than I would like. But this is Indiana and you’re simply not going to be able to get Russ Feingold elected here. He will be getting my vote and some of my dollars.
Stupak can still DIAF.
Hazel
Bill Owens of NY-23. He’s the guy who beat Hoffman and Scozzafava (barely), so he would’ve been justified in being reluctant to vote yes; but I didn’t hear him do any whining.
EconWatcher
My congresssman from Northern Virginia, Gerry Connolly, may qualify. We’re in a traditionally Republican District. Although the demographics are shifting to a bluer hue, we have some hard red regions, with significant teabag infiltration (I’m looking at you, Woodbridge). Reelection will likely be tough. I wish he’d announced before yesterday (and I suspect he knew the Stupak deal was in), but still it was a tough vote.
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
Russ Carnahan. Teabaggers were protesting against him last week. They are now putting together a campaign to unseat him.
CalD
I just punched in contributions to the DCCC, DNC and my congresscritter Joe Courtney that I’d been holding back on, pending passage of the HCR bill. (The DSCC gets theirs the day the senate passes the reconciliation sidecar bill.) If you’ve been planning to contribute any of the above, today would be a good day. The Act Blue thing may be a worthy effort and all but a few headlines about the National Committees raking in contributions in the wake of yesterday’s votes could do wonders for the Democratic Party’s mojo right about now.
Pangloss
I’m in Debbie Halvorson’s district (IL-11), and I sent $20 on Saturday after I got a GOP robocall trying to capitalize on her yes vote(s). She’s a freshman in a close district that was held by a Republican since ’94.
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
@Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony:
More on Russ Carnahan.
Check this out! They burned him in effigy!
And Emmanual Cleaver, who was spit on and called the n-word.
JasonF
@Camchuck:
Thanks, Camchuck. I knew Foster had voted yes, but when I went to look up whether Lipinski had, I accidentally pulled up the roll call from the November bill, where he did vote yes. You are 100% correct. My apologies, and I hope nobody donated to Lipinski on the basis of my post.
RonD
Im for Mr. Ortiz from Texas. He was always going to vote yes. He knows that he has a low income poverty stricken district that has a large under insured and non insured population. He grew up a migrant worker and knows what inadequate health care looks like. He is a pro life dem but knew this was bigger than that. And he does have a very conservative district from the winter retirement Texans who hate him probably bc hes Latino and “under” educated as they see it, to the the conservative catholics. But he did vote yes and is going to have a fight in Nov.
timb
@Joe Bauers: I emailed Ellsworth two weeks ago and asked him how many Indiana Republicans would be basing their vote on how he voted in this election (answer 0), that he would need every pinko Democrat like me, and this pinko wouldn’t vote for anyone who voted “no.” So, Joe, I call first credit and you can call second.
He is, however, a disappointing continuation of the evil that is Bayh…
MJUH
Congressman Solomon Ortiz Dem from Texas is my pick. He is an old-school Latino who is very grounded in his faith. I am not a believer, but do appreciate when ol’ Latinos can set aside the pressures of their church to legislate for the good of the people and not the good of their personal spiritual compass. He understands that many of the uninsured in his area will greatly benefit from this sweeping and historical piece of legislation.
asiangrrlMN
@Robin G: Damn right on both accounts. I was surprised that Oberstar was leaning no, but it makes sense. Good on him that he came through in the end.
@ellaesther: Stupak created this mess, and then he cleaned it up. I am with Cole on this one–I’m not congratulating him or rewarding him. It disgusts me that a legal medical procedure has been so vilified in this country, healthcare reform can hinge on appeasing the anti-choice people.
Don K
@Matt:
I’d say Mark Schauer in MI-7 (roughly Battle Creek to Adrian to the Ann Arbor outskirts to the Lansing suburbs) needs the help more. The district PVI is R+2, and Schauer only beat the incumbent wingnut 49-46 in 2008. I’d call his vote pretty gutsy, especially if the Reps nominate someone other than the wingnut Walberg.
I live in MI-9, and I believe Peters will have a little easier time of it than will Schauer. Peters beat the incumbent 52-43 in 2008, and the district’s PVI actually is D+2. There are some wingnuts in Troy and Rochester Hills, but these are balanced by a fair number of liberal voters (mostly Jewish) in West Bloomfield and Farmington Hills, and the minority communities in Pontiac. Birmingham is pretty evenly split these days, Bloomfield Hills is too small to matter in terms of votes, and Bloomfield Township (where I live), although still kind of Republican, isn’t terribly wingnutty. These last three were among the few towns to vote against Prop 2 (same-sex marriage) in 2004, and I believe the district as a whole voted against the proposal.
Having said that, I’m sure Peters would love the support – I’m just saying Schauer probably needs the help more.
baldheadeddork
If he hasn’t been mentioned yet, Baron Hill (IN-9) has to be on the top of the list. He also voted yes on the Cap and Trade bill.
beergoggles
stupak needs to be primaried just for poisoning HCR from the start.
CMcC
What about Allen Boyd from Florida?
beergoggles
Oh and I’ll be doing everything I can go give ellsworth the boot (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bil-browning/ellsworths-record-on-lgbt_b_467159.html)
ScottC
Periello and Markey seem to be at the top of the list to me. Though Kosmas, Foster and Hill make sense too.
On the other side, what about raising money for a primary challenger to Mike Arcuri? Or especially Lipinski in 2012 (since Illinois has sadly already had their primary)? His district is far too Democratic for him to vote how he does.
tammanycall
Still hate Stupak, will still donate to his primary opponent.
TooManyJens
I thought I heard that Kathy Dahlkemper had announced her yes vote before the Stupak press conference, but I’m not sure.
Luzeelu
Tom Perriello
Tom needs all the help he can get. This is a tough district (VA-05) and he barely unseated the odious Virgil Goode in 2008. There are numerous Repugs waiting in the wings and we need to keep him! I know he voted for the Stupak amendment, but overall, Tom is SO much better than any alternative!
priscianus jr
On Stupak, I agree with Phoebes-in-Santa-Fe and JPS. Leave the guy alone, he is sincere, he is a real Democrat. Except, JPS, I don’t believe that was Kabuki theatre. That was real theatre. What I mean is, that was one of the most dramatic moments I have ever witnessed in Congress.
CMcC
I did a 180 on Stupak yesterday. Found him to be quite eloquent, first at his news conference and later on the floor.
How about this? The Repubs have tried to claim the word “life” as their own. What Stupak did was to remind everyone that “life” does not end at birth and begin again at brain death. In fact, anyone focused on “life” at the beginning and the end, in addition to all those conscious years in the middle, should be in favor of health-care reform because this bill will help with care during pregnancy and during the final passage. The Repub rage at Stupak just may be explained by the fact that he took the word “life” from their hypocritical, cynical, nihilistic hands.
MichaelN
Dina Titus (NV-03). Freshman from a district gerrymandered to be the state’s swing district, and if she can survive the next cycle, Nevada’s congressional pickup from the current census should mean that she’ll pick up protection through the redistricting process. However, given the terrible state of the NV Dems (we’d be in bad trouble if only the NV GOP weren’t such a circus), her survival is not a given.
BrianK
My rep, Baron Hill, in IN-9. His margin of victory in the last election was a fluke, and the district leans GOP (PVI = R+6, currently rated as a toss-up by Cook).
He came out before the Stupak block, sent out emails and put up a YouTube video explaining his vote.
He deserves the support.
Buggy Ding Dong
Don’t reward Cuellar.
4jkb4ia
@Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony:
Second. Russ Carnahan may have a more liberal district than when Gephardt was representing it but it was still a risk for him. And he even supported a public option.
4jkb4ia
@Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony:
Please let these people live in the Second District where they can do no harm. Please.
4jkb4ia
Nate’s post encourages me to throw up Earl Pomeroy, who announced his support BEFORE Stupak made it official on the last day. Admittedly he has been there forever.
Mike Jones
I’d second the nomination of Murphy. He’s my Congressman, and not as liberal as I’d like, but he shows signs of actually thinking about things beyond bumper-sticker-sized ideas. We need people like that.
sacman701
I’d suggest Kosmas and Boyd from Florida, and Murphy from New York. All of them are in unfavorable districts, voted no on the first bill, and committed fairly early to vote yes this time around.
The Dems are no lock to hold the house and I don’t think they have the luxury of trying to primary unreliable members, even ones in safe districts like Lynch or Lipinski. Certainly not Stupak, who is well positioned to keep winning his own marginal district whereas a primary challenger who knocked him off from the left would probably lose in this cycle. I think your money would be better spent trying to help Carney or Giffords or whoever seems to have the most competitive general-election race.
Jerry 101
How about supporting the deep south Democrats who didn’t get skeered off.
Not sure if any of these guys were Stupid Stupak finalists, but here are the deep south ones who voted in favor, and against their state delegation.
Arkansas’ Vic Snyder stood up and voted yes while the rest of the Arkansas Dems voted no (Marion Berry & Mike Ross were No votes. Embarrassing to have a 75% Dem delegation that votes 75% against HCR).
Same thing happened in Mississippi – a 75% Dem delegation voted 75% against. While Travis Childers and Gene Taylor were too scared to vote for HCR, Bennie Thompson voted yes.
Georgia’s a bit different – the Delegation is 50% Dem, but only 4 of the 6 Dem Congressmen voted for. It appears that the Atlanta-area Congressmen voted in favor, but 2 of 3 non-Atlanta-area Democrats voted against. So Sanford Bishop, Jr. may deserve some support.
Bart Gordon voted yes in Tennessee, and appears to be outside of the safer Nashville area.
Tom Periello was a yes vote in Virginia, despite not being in NOVA or in the Richmond area.
And though not in the deep south, Earl Pomeroy in ND and Tim Walz in Minnesota decided to be on the right side of history.
Of those guys, the GOS has a graphic up that shows that Bart Gordon flipped from No to Yes this time, despite representing a district that voted heavily against Kerry and Obama (like deficits of over 10%).
And, from the GOS, it looks like he was a relatively early flipper.
Kevin
Regular reader; first time comment:
Equally important to your contemplated list, and actually more pressing timewise (because primaries are earlier), is the need for a short list of primary targets. There are a combination of factors that need to be weighed: most importantly, the extent of the betrayal (i.e., Lynch and his toxic brew of opposition to the public option, pretense of challenge from the left, change of vote, etc.), how Democratic or Republican the district is, the viability of the primary challenge. First on my list would be Lipinski if its not too late for a challenge (I think it is). Lynch and Arcuri probably also make the list. Others? But its important to post links to the primary challengers of those on the list, to whip donations early to those who need it earliest.
Exurban Mom
Definitely Boccieri. I tried to call his office all day Friday and got a busy signal each time. He’s probably being hounded. His district (where I live) has a lot of conservatives, is only about 48% Obama voters in ’08, and the guy’s on record as pro-life. He switched to yes before Stupak’s deal. And he is facing a loud pro-lifer Republican opponent.
And this seat was held by a Republican for 40+ years.
Truth or Scare
I’ll nominate Harry Mitchell, AZ-05, who’s in an R+5 district. All the AZ Dems voted yes but I think Mitchell might have a tougher go of it in November than Giffords or Kirkpatrick. He freed us from that obnoxious bloviating J.D. Hayworth in 2006 and now his HCR support is icing on the cake! And AZ is a purple trending blue state — never hurts to put money where the trend is in the right direction.
Zelma
Nobody mentions Chris Carney of PA-10. His district is pretty darn conservative, a +5 or so for McCain, I think. He both voted for the first House bill and came out for Sunday’s bill on Saturday, before the Stupak reversal. I know he appeared at Stupak’s presser, but he’d already come out as a yes vote
DFH no. 6
@Truth or Scare:
Yes, my rep Harry Mitchell (AZ-5).
Fits the criteria:
Voted yes.
Conservative district (more so than Gabrielle Giffords).
Announced support before Stupak’s presser (and did so with little public handwringing, unlike Giffords).
loon Juice
I’m in Altmire’s district, what do i do?
mai naem
I am late to this thread again. I already mentioned this on yesterday’s thread. I noticed the list on the FP. I hope you reconsider putting my rep. Harry Mitchell(AZ-5) on the list. Nothing against Giffords but Mitchell is more deserving than Giffords. His seat is in a more conservative area and he announced his support both times, earlier without much fanfare. Just FYI, he’s in a heavy Mormon area. Also too, he’s an all around nice guy and is one of the very few people I have voted “For” and not as the better of the two poor choices.