I don’t need to stress how important it is that we keep this seat in the Senate, so I am particularly please to see a really solid candidate:
Democratic Rep. Donna Edwards on Tuesday announced her campaign to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, setting up a party showdown between liberals and the establishment.
“See, I’ve lived the American dream, a middle-class American dream, the one you have to work hard for just to hold on to, the one that’s slipping away for far too many Maryland families,” Edwards said in a video on her campaign website. “These are the people I fight for.”
If she wins her party’s nomination next year and is elected to the seat, Edwards would become the first African-American elected to the U.S. Senate from Maryland. Maryland’s black population is about 30 percent.
Edwards, 56, is the second member of the state’s U.S. House delegation to announce her intention to run for the Senate. Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen joined the race last week, two days after Mikulski announced she wouldn’t run for re-election.
No Republican has yet stepped forward to run for the seat in a state where Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by a 2-1 margin. However, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan’s victory in November gave fresh indication that a GOP candidate can win a statewide race in heavily Democratic Maryland these days. Democrats hold seven of the state’s eight House seats.
She’s made her career in the nuts and bolts committees, dealing with infrastructure, economic development, etc., as well as space and the environment. In other words, she’s a nose to the ground worker dealing with the non flashy stuff, and apparently doing it well. We need more of her and less of ignorant hilljacks like Cotton and company.
She’s a hard worker, has a solid background, is very charismatic, and by Senate standards a spring chicken (she’s a youthful 56), and in the right place at the right time. Not only does Maryland have a large Democratic majority, but it is a Presidential election, so this makes me hopeful we will retain the seat. Still, never take anything for granted. The big bonus is she isn’t another white male, because I’m done voting for white men if I can. We’ve had our chance and just fucked everything all up.
max
She’s made her career in the nuts and bots committees
So she’s used to the internets, is she?
Not only does Maryland have a large Democratic majority, but it is a Presidential election, so this makes me hopeful we will retain the seat.
She’ll keep the seat. If she can get the nom.
max
[‘Going to have to send her some money.’]
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I’m in. I’ve been looking for a Senate candidate to adopt: My as much as $200 will make Edwards unstoppable!
AP, still bearing the taint of Fournier, doesn’t get the whole “two electorates” thing.
David Koch
But how does Madonna feel about this?
Amir Khalid
@max:
She’s a member of nuts and bots committees, whom John Cole is particularly please to see running.
Redshift
I’m proud to say I supported her first campaign very early. She is very impressive, and everything good that is said about her is true.
trollhattan
@Amir Khalid:
Chair of the Metric subcommittee, which is tough sledding over here.
Pogonip
She sounds like an excellent candidate.
Anne Laurie
Think “we” should put up a BJ ActBlue page, John?
Elizabelle
@Anne Laurie: Yes. What Anne Laurie suggested.
Arclite
“Edwards In”
Just glad it wasn’t John Edwards!
Joseph Nobles
Always been impressed with Edwards. Go, go, go!
Ruckus
@Elizabelle:
Seconded on the ActBlue.
John, as an old white male, I agree, time to let others into the club house. Especially someone so seemingly qualified.
Drunken hausfrau
She’s 56?! Damn! She looks great. Clearly she lives healthy & strong… And I like her.
Jacks mom
there is so much really important stuff going on that I am ashamed to say that other than being pissed off at Sen. Cotton and all other repugs….I have so fallen in love with this puppy that I almost think life might be worth living.
Arclite
@Redshift:
Yes, but she probably had sex once, and that will come out in the general election.
Also, she probably said something bad about a white supremacist once, and that will play on Fox 23/6. The other hour/day reserved for Obama bashing.
Baud
If we lose a Maryland Senate seat in a presidential year, just turn out the lights, we’re done.
Poopyman
Tell that to very-ex Governor Ehrlich. Hogan will be one and done too. And there will be a dearth of non-entities like what ran against Ehrlich and Hogan in the race to fill Barb’s seat. Somewhat of an embarrassment of Dem riches, I think, although Rep. Edwards looks to be the most liberal so far.
I remember the time at one of Markos’ Saturday night parties at a Netroots Nation a few years back where I ended up dancing with Rep. Edwards. Don’t ask me how that happened. Anyway, she’ll have my vote.
Pogonip
I was surfing and saw a cute line to the effect that So-and-So was a disgrace to the forces of evil. :D
John Cole +0
@Elizabelle: @Anne Laurie: We’ll wait until a little closer to the actual race. She may not have a primary challenge and we can save our cash for the general.
Cacti
An open seat in a reliable blue state is a good chance to send a solid progressive voice to the Senate. I wish Ms. Edwards the best in her efforts.
Baud
@John Cole +0: Van Hollen has already announced, I thought.
RSR
Excellent; good to hear.
No need to resign the house seat to run, right?
Poopyman
@John Cole +0: Dafuck? She’s not the Maryland GOB candidate. Of course she’ll have multiple challengers.
(“Good Old Boy”. There are some very southern traditions in this odd state.)
Cacti
@Baud:
He has.
Nothing wrong with a primary between multiple worthy candidates. The loser can use the increased visibility from the Senate race to boot the GOP from the governor’s mansion in 2018.
Baud
@Cacti: Sounds like a plan.
Poopyman
@Baud:
Cacti
I wonder if Mikulski will endorse anyone.
jl
Sounds good to me. I think she would make a very good Senator.
And I am delighted to hear that there is any standard by which 56 years can still make a spring chicken. My best years are ahead. If Cole says so, it must be true.
Baud
@Poopyman:
Why can’t we have a primary without creating a schism?
parsimon
@Drunken hausfrau:
Indeed, yeah: She’s 56?!!?
Van Hollen’s announcement that he’ll run for the seat has annoyed me a bit. He’s solid in the House, but he’s clearly ambitious. A primary race between Van Hollen and Edwards is not likely to come out well for Edwards in the end, I’m afraid.
MomSense
She’s fantastic!! Make it so whatever it fucking takes!
Van Hollen will land on his feet if he doesn’t become a Senator. Edwards is exactly what we need in the Senate.
max
@Anne Laurie: Think “we” should put up a BJ ActBlue page, John?
Thirded and she needs scratch now because Chris van Hollen is already declared.
max
[‘Money is money.’]
Poopyman
@Baud: We’re Democrats. We’re always in disarray, according to the MSM.
Baud
@Poopyman: In fairness, I have been feeling out of sorts recently. Maybe I am in disarray.
sempronia
@Arclite:
Seconded. Only the headline fit on the screen when the page first loaded, and that was my first, incredulous thought. Never underestimate the towering ego of, etc…
The Ancient Randonneur
Cole, you are one charming motherfucker.
Omnes Omnibus
@trollhattan: Metric? Aren’t they a Canuckian band? Is it a Foreign Affairs sub-committee?
Cervantes
@Anne Laurie:
@Ruckus:
@max:
She has an ActBlue page already, reachable from her official site (linked in the post above).
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
OT, and probably already announced, NYT reports that Ferguson City Manager resigns. But still worth mentioning, I believe.
Also, Iran offers to mediate talks between Republicans and Obama. Which link I got in an earlier thread, I think.
Great news about Edwards; now where are the puppeh pictures? Priorities, Cole – please hink of your commentariat.
Omnes Omnibus
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): He seldom hinks of anything else, I am sure.
ETA: I met Larry Graham today. Not that Larry Graham, but we did have a nice convo about that LG and funk.
Dave C
@Arclite:
My first thought when I read the title was that John Edwards was running for President again, and I was about to get seriously pissed off.
Jeremy
@jl: As they say “black don’t crack”.
Mike J
@Omnes Omnibus: And one of the members is one of the seven evil exes.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mike J: I have a soft spot for that movie and for “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” as well.
Poopyman
Also too, the average age of Senators is 63, so she’d be a young whippersnapper compared to the old queens of the Senate like DiFi, Barb Boxer, or Lindsey.
sharl
Will hate to lose her as my CD-4 (MD) rep, but her becoming Sen-MD (D) would more than make up for it.
@max:
I generally believe this, but I bolded the most important part. Yes, we’re a strongly Democratic state (despite the recent gubernatorial election of Larry Hogan), but there is considerable variation in the nature of those Democrats statewide, and I suspect all the Dem competition for this seat will bring out those tensions and differences. Some potential issues, off the top of my head.
– Do tensions between Edwards and the state Dem party machine still exist, and if so, how much would that matter? Edwards was an outsider who successfully challenged MD Dem party favorite Al Wynn in 2008 (and she came close in 2006, despite entering late), and while she hasn’t directly gotten into their faces or otherwise challenged them seriously AFAIK, she traditionally hasn’t been one of the their favorites. When the party machine gerrymandered districts in 2010, it was in large part at the expense of Edwards, who lost areas of strong support in Montgomery county. Has the relationship improved since then? I honestly don’t know, but will be looking for news on that from here on out.
– The endorsement of Mikulski – assuming she doesn’t take that off the table for the primary – would be a big asset for whichever Dem can get it. Will the price for that be promises of major support for budgetary basket-case Baltimore? And if such promises are made, how will non-Baltimorean Dems respond to that?
– Does the candidate support immigration reform that is favorable toward granting greater rights to immigrants, and risk alienating certain elements among the labor sector? If so, just how big a risk is that? Donna in particular has been a friend to immigrant rights since before she joined Congress. Even during her campaigns for the CD-4 seat, there were mutterings that this would hurt her politically. If it did cut into her support significantly in CD-4, I never saw evidence of it, but statewide dynamics are very different from those of her district (at least the Prince George’s County portion of it, where I am).
– Do Dems dare utter any criticisms of domestic electronic snooping by the Federal government, and risk support from Federal government employees, especially the many folks employed by NSA in Columbia, MD (good stable employer for middle-class people/taxpayers, who are pretty good about going to the polls). On the other hand, how much of that sweet-sweet campaign money (from Silicon Valley and other bastions of entrepreneurial IT activity) do you kiss good-bye to if you say nothing on this topic, or riskier yet, declare significant support for the status quo?
I hope she stays with economic populist issues – i.e., I hope she aims for being our version of Elizabeth Warren. She certainly did something like this in 2008, when she womped on Al Wynn over the latter’s uninhibited support of the 2005 Bankruptcy Reform Act. We had a lot of home foreclosures in PG County back then related to heavy debt loads, so this resonated with a lot of folks here in PGC.
Edwards ran a superb campaign in 2008, but a statewide campaign will of course be a lot tougher. She also lacks having a Barack Obama on the ballot; BHO brought out young people in droves, which I strongly suspect turned what would have been at best a narrow victory into a big victory. I don’t see any of the current crop of likely Dem Presidential candidates offering a similar boost for her, though it’s too early to tell for certain.
Having said all that… Go Donna!
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Omnes Omnibus: So long as we’re hought of.
Sounds like it was pleasant to discuss that LG and funk with the other Larry Graham. I am slightly envious. I also have a great New Yorker lawyer cartoon if you want me to forward it through AL. Or send a burner email address to FLsgreen at gmail.
Linnaeus
I’ve been hearing Edwards’s name and this was the first real glimpse I’ve gotten of her and her style. She sounds like she’d be an outstanding candidate.
mike with a mic
@sharl:
Silicon Valley is pro NSA and DOD. The internet was a DOD project to start with.
Also it’s not just the direct jobs, the entire DC area is utterly dependent on intelligence, defense, and security money. Taking it on is going after the incomes of the people in MD who have kept it so blue and the people in NOVA who turned VA blue. It’s stupid.
Omnes Omnibus
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): If AL would be so kind, I would love to see it.
The Larry Graham thing was kind of funny. I was introduced to him, and I asked if he played bass. His eyes lit up and he said “I wish I could play like that.” Things spiraled from there. I once saw Graham Central Station open for Prince, so I had something to work with conversationally – of course, I also saw Doug E. Fresh open for Prince, which, I think counts against me.
srv
She’s too old. We need someone younger who will be around for 30 years.
RSR
@efgoldman: Not sure either way. Makes sense that’d you wouldn’t run for both houses at the same time. Still I recall similar situations, but maybe it was a state seat and a federal seat.
Asking because I really don’t know.
But if she’s not running for house they’ll need to find a good candidate there as well.
Omnes Omnibus
@srv: DiFi is still in the Senate.
Cervantes
@sharl:
Van Hollen already has Harry Reid on board and may get Pelosi’s endorsement. Will Liz Warren endorse Edwards? Will Sarbanes run? Do any of these things matter?
Thanks much — I found it helpful.
Omnes Omnibus
@Cervantes:
Eddie or Alex?
Redshift
@parsimon: She beat an incumbent establishment conservadem to win her congressional seat, do I wouldn’t count her out. It’ll be a tough primary, but she can win it.
HinTN
@John Cole +0: I have read (Pierce, I think) that Van Hollen has a real shot at bring Speaker when/if Dems regain the majority. You may be right, he may have indicated interest just to move the needle.
Randy P
Meanwhile, here in PA where Pat Toomey is one of the 47 traitors, Joe Sestak kicked off his (second) run for the Senate. I’ve been getting fund-raising e-mails from Sestak for over a year, but I guess this is the official announcement. And I’ve been ignoring those fund-raising e-mails… I’m not the type who can drop $250/ticket for meet and greet breakfasts. But the Iran letter has made me so angry, so far beyond the insanity that the wingnuts have demonstrated in the past (there really is no Peak Wingnut, is there?) that he’s getting some scratch from me now.
Edit to add: Apparently Sestak is not universally supported by the State establishment.
Tommy
Whenever I see Edwards on TV she seems to have a firebrand going on. She isn’t remotely rude, but steep across her and she will light you up. I like that. Like it even more from a lady of color. I don’t give money to many campaigns. I will send her a few bucks.
Roger Moore
@Randy P:
Peak wingnut will come when they start passing articles of secession.
Omnes Omnibus
@Roger Moore: 1861?
Roger Moore
@Omnes Omnibus:
November 9, 2016, the first day after Hillary’s election.
Cervantes
@Randy P:
They’re embarrassing themselves — and I doubt he needs them.
sharl
@mike with a mic:
Excellent points. Maryland Democrats =\= Vermont Democrats. LOTS of Defense jobs around here, many as actual govvies, but by far most are as DoD contractors.
@Cervantes: I think there are more folks likely to throw their hats into the ring, though I don’t know Sarbanes’ plans. And the endorsements issue has me befuddled as well. The only thing I feel safe in predicting is that the endorsers will wait until the very last moment – both from a political and an election schedule perspective – to see how things are playing out. But I’m guessing that Mikulski’s endorsement (if available) will be the one that matters the most by far, with junior Senator Cardin’s much less so, and out-of-state politicians even less than that.
Politics reporters will love the horse race, especially if the Presidential campaign(s) don’t suck all the oxygen out of the room as they usually do. The only way that oxygen-depletion doesn’t happen is if the Dem Presidential primary becomes a foregone conclusion early on, and if the media finds it difficult to gin up exciting stories on their own. Unfortunately, they seem quite good at doing just that.
Omnes Omnibus
@Roger Moore: If a [insert racial slur here] did cause it, do you think a [insert gender-based slur] here will? Or is it the cumulative effect?
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Omnes Omnibus: I’d say it’s kind of wash in terms of Prince shows you saw… Speaking of bass players, remind me in an open (moreso than this) thread to tell you my Victor Wooten story.
I asked AL to forward the cartoon.
ETA: Aaarrrgh.
Omnes Omnibus
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): Okay (does the fact that I initially typed ofay mean anything?). And thanks.
Why Aaarrgh? One asks because one cares.
Omnes Omnibus
@Baud: Splitter!
wasabi gasp
@Tommy:
4 U T
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Omnes Omnibus: Of color. Aaarrgh.
max
@sharl: Having said all that… Go Donna!
Amen!
max
[‘If there’s a place & time to take up a (possibly) losing fight, a primary in a solidly blue state is it.’]
Omnes Omnibus
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): Tommy is not always a rock opera. Sometimes, it is a Broadway show that I saw in the Palace theater in Columbus (with a story attached for another time). Sometimes, it is something else entirely; I held my fire as I have been accused of being too harsh to certain commenters on occasion, and, god knows, I don’t want that reputation.
Omnes Omnibus
@max: A primary is good place for an ideological fight. Dems should have it everywhere. And then back the winner.
msdc
I like Donna Edwards a lot, but this is just stupid. Do you really think that Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Mia Love, and of course Snowbilly Snooki wouldn’t fuck things up just as badly?
I know you’ve taken a lot of shit for your Clinton comments, but this kind of defensive crouch won’t make it go away.
Omnes Omnibus
@msdc: Cole has many, many good qualities. A grasp of nuance is not one of them.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
OT: guess who….?
rikyrah
@mike with a mic:
So true. Those highly educated folks of all colors that work for the US Government and companies with great government contracts, help keep MD solidly blue.
Omnes Omnibus
@rikyrah: Which liberal ideals should be compromised to keep these voters?
Roger Moore
@Omnes Omnibus:
I think the wingnuts are honestly expecting to win in 2016, and losing again will really set them off, especially if/when they get hurt badly in the Senate. I don’t think they fully understand the Presidential election/midterm election effect, or the radical differences in Senate races from election to election, so they are sure their success in 2014 is proof they’re going to do well in 2016.
mai naem mobile
I like Van Hollen and Edwards both. I’m guessing Van Hollens running because he knows he won’t be doing any leadership stuff in the House for at least 8 yrs. I think Reid endorsed Van Hollen because he would be a heavy favorite and Reid doesn’t want to lose any seats.
msdc
@Omnes Omnibus: Well, true.
satby
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): Yeah. Oy.
Redshift
@rikyrah: Edwards ran as an anti-war candidate when she nearly won the first time around, and didn’t back down on that when she ran and won in 2008 (though it wasn’t as big an issue then), so I don’t think it’s accurate to say that candidates have to suck up to the defense industry to win in the DC suburbs.
Redshift
@Roger Moore: Yep. They firmly believe that midterm elections mean the country agrees with them completely, and presidential years are aberrations or conspiracies against them. Whereas we know that presidential years are representative of the country, and midterm elections are a low-turnout aberration. ;-)
Omnes Omnibus
@Redshift: @Redshift: I actually would be interested in an answer to the question I asked above.
Mnemosyne (tablet)
@Omnes Omnibus:
Single payer.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mnemosyne (tablet): Honestly, I doubt that that is the trigger for that commenter.
Do people want to be stupid (and I considered my word choice)?
Mnemosyne (tablet)
@Omnes Omnibus:
I can’t figure out why you’re directing the question at rikyrah.
Suzanne
@Omnes Omnibus: Please be a hardass to people if you want. Including me.
Cervantes
@Tommy:
Why “even more from a lady of color”?
Is it somehow more boring when colorless ladies do it?
mainmata
She was my cong. Rep. and then they gerrymandered her district and we got Chris van Hollen. Actually, both of them are really excellent not only really smart and right on the issues but also good on constituent services. I really like Van Hollen but I think Donna would make an outstanding Senator and keep that MD seat with a progressive woman so I am going with her.
mainmata
@sharl: I am in Montgomery Co and we really disliked Al Wynn who was useless. Donna was bright, intense and engaged and a lot of white middle class voters really liked her and still do. Chris is also great but Donna’s strong progressive views are what are needed at this desperate point in the nation’s history. She is also very articulate and clear (otoh, so is van Hollen).
SWMBO
@mainmata: It sounds like Maryland has an embarrassment of riches. Please send some to Florida to run.
Trinity
This makes me so happy!