Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Roe is not about choice. It is about freedom.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

Not loving this new fraud based economy.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

Washington Post Catch and Kill, not noticeably better than the Enquirer’s.

The real work of an opposition party is to hold the people in power accountable.

The gop is a fucking disgrace.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.

“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

Jesus watching the most hateful people claiming to be his followers

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

Sadly, media malpractice has become standard practice.

An almost top 10,000 blog!

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Local Races Open Thread: Congratulations to Rep. Shontel Brown

Local Races Open Thread: Congratulations to Rep. Shontel Brown

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Not my district, to be sure, but Rep. Brown seems to have made some good choices…


… One of the biggest being ‘don’t piss off Black Democrats’…

And frankly, post-election, her opposition is giving something of a master class in How to Lose, Bigly…

Reader Interactions

65Comments

  2. 2.

    Baud

    I’m half tempted to stay around for this comments, but I think I’ll leave it at Congratulations, Ms. Brown.

  4. 4.

    The Thin Black Duke

    The House Negroes get bigger paychecks these days. Turner is a despicable person, isn’t she?

  7. 7.

    Another Scott

    I’m glad that Brown won, and I’m glad that I was able to see her potential (and contribute some funding to the effort).

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  8. 8.

    debbie

    There was a similar situation here in 2020 in the race for longtime excellent Representative Joyce Beatty’s seat. The opponent was named Morgan Harper, a young, self-labeled Progressive who had just moved back from D.C. where she had worked at the CFPB. Harper wasn’t as in-your-face as Nina Turner, but she spent a lot of time denigrating Beatty’s record and trying to label her as an ineffective moderate.

    What I couldn’t stand was her effort to defeat an effective Representative and cannibalize the Democratic Party rather than running for a seat held by a Republican and trying to broaden and strengthen the party. She, like Turner, ran for her ego, not for the people or the party.

  9. 9.

    Argiope

    Once upon a time about 10 years ago I was a Nina Turner fan when she introduced a bill in the Ohio lege to require guys who wanted Viagra to have a cardiac stress test and counseling to be sure they were medically low risk enough to have sex.  It was directly aimed at a measure requiring unnecessary ultrasounds for women who wanted abortions, and it was pretty effective at pointing out the hypocrisy of Republican legislators.  Unfortunately that pre-abortion ultrasound requirement became law and Turner became….not a team player.  But for a while there it seemed like she had the right stuff and the right idea.  She might have worked out well for OH-11, but I’m okay with not finding out.

  10. 10.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    If Shontel Brown holds on in #OH11, it’s the story of an underdog who came back from 35 points down,

    it’s also a story of a polarizing candidate, unable and unwilling to build a coalition, who by definition created a self defeating low ceiling.

  11. 11.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    As someone who has claimed the mantle of ? ☘The Establishment☘? for years, I take full credit for Turner’s defeat.

    You welcome, America

  14. 14.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    … learns the hard way that Democrats like Joe Biden

    He moved the country on gay marriage. He defeated dump. He elected the first female Vice President. He’s running a competent, scandal free, drama free government. He scored trillions in relief. He revitalized ACA. He created a new safety net to get children out of poverty. He got out of a foreign war. He read Putin the riot act. He’s about to win trillions more infrastructure. What’s not to like.

    Someone should give him the medal of freedom.

  15. 15.

    piratedan

    Note to the Progressive Left:

     

    I am a Progressive voter but you/we have a problem….

    The People that are supposed to speak for us are assholes…. in a merit based organization they would have been fired.  if we keep trotting out the likes of Nina Turner, David Sirota and Bianna Joy Grey we are going to lose any cred we have with anyone…

     

    Those people are so high and sanctimonious that they have very little understanding about the political climate and how to work with allies and until they get shitcanned this will continue to happen…

     

    End note

  18. 18.

    CaseyL

    Holy fuckballs, I just watched the Chris Hayes segment about the Trump-Meadows-Clark plot to send letters to the six states that went narrowly for Biden, saying the DOJ had decided the elections in those states were flawed by voting irregularities, and the state legislatures (all GQP-controlled) had the green light to throw out the results and pick their own slate of electors.

    Acting AG Rosen refused.  Trump was going to fire him and appoint Jeffrey Clark (a co-conspirator) as Acting AG.  Clark would have sent out those letters.

    The only thing that stopped the letters going out was that the DOJ threatened to resign en masse, and say why.

    Three days later the insurrection happened.

    JFC.  These people need to be imprisoned – at the very least.

  19. 19.

    Rusty

    Thankfully the majority of Democrats are not the “burn it all down” crowd.  That’s the other party.  Make progress, work with others ( which is another way of saying take them into account, listen to them), recognize problems but have a positive vision, these are our party’s values.  It’s a little boring, I’m good with that.

  20. 20.

    gwangung

    @piratedan: They think they’re on the right side of history and that the power of their ideas alone should give them power.

    While they’re right on the first, they’re dead wrong on the second….you still have to persuade people and some folks are difficult to persuade (see the current pandemic). When you think persuasion is beneath you….

  22. 22.

    Kent

    … learns the hard way that Democrats like Joe Biden

    Well yes.

    But also at a more fundamental level, she learned the hard way that Democrats like Democrats.  Nina Turner is not a Democrat.  The “I am not a Democrat” independent socialist bullshit gets tiresome.  Go start your own party.

  24. 24.

    Mary G

    @Steve in the ATL: She’s talking about Bernie Bros like Walter Bragman, and I am with her all the way.

    I was an admirer of Nina Turner way back when in the Bush admin, when I was still watching cable news and she was on MSNBC a lot bashing Shrub and Cheney. But after she hooked up with Bernie and Cornel West and them she was just another useful idiot. I wouldn’t vote for Bernie for dogcatcher, but he is a genuine leftie who’s pushed the center left. The people he’s surrounded himself with, not so much. When Tina pitched a fit and walked out of the unity meeting with the RNC because they had the gall to serve donuts, she disqualified herself for anything.

  25. 25.

    dmsilev

    @Martin: <conspiracy>He was silenced because he tried to reveal the truth.</conspiracy>

    Edit: from your link, the conspiracy goes all the way to the top:

    The county Republican Party said in its Facebook post that Apley’s death was “a tragedy,” and called on supporters to “please pray for Melissa and Reid and their family.”

    “God remains in control although this is yet another tough one to swallow,” the organization added.

  26. 26.

    JML

    Turner has that whiff of narcissism about her that I want to part of. Is she running for Congress because of what she could do for the people of her district, or to promote herself and her “brand”? Never all that clear to me. When she ran that ad claiming that Brown might be facing jail time (with no foundation)…that was the kind of pathetic hail mary that a) never works in a primary, and b) is the sort of thing only someone who thinks they’re entitled to win believes will work. Her “concession” speech was contemptible and proof of her unfitness to serve.

    YMMV on Clyburn, but there’s no question he knows how to wield power.

  30. 30.

    Aussie sheila

    @piratedan:

    Absolutely. I’ll never understand why US leftists spend so much time dissing the only political party in the US likely to form government that is not the fascist lite Republican Party.

    I get policy disagreements and disappointments, and I understand the critiques of the rightward drift of many left of centre parties world wide over the last three decades. But running for elected positions in a party whose leaders you publicly trash and whose policy positions you describe as analogous to eating s**t strikes me as both dishonest and politically batshit.

    I’m not surprised she lost, and I hope the loss teaches the US left activist base a lesson. Don’t shit in your own house.

  31. 31.

    Geminid

    @Kent:  Turner has helped start a party. She was a headline speaker at the People’s Party organizing convention last summer. She made a fiery denunciation of the Democratic Party, but did not go so far as to quit it. But just a few months later, the prospect of an open OH 11 seat materialized when Marcia Fudge was selected for HUD Secretary. Almost overnight, Turner repackaged herself as a loyal Democrat. She tried to present as a warm, likeable person. This did not seem to come naturally, though. And when the race started slipping away in the last weeks, Turner dropped the mask and went scorched earth.

    Shontel Brown deserves a lot of credit. She faced a large field and a principal opponent who had a cohesive core of support and a lot of money.  Democrats nationwide rallied to Brown’s side, but they could never have pushed her through had she she not been a capable candidate in her own right.

  32. 32.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Aussie sheila:

    I’m not surprised she lost, and I hope the loss teaches the US left activist base a lesson. Don’t shit in your own house. 

    Sadly, it won’t teach the “You’re all corporate whores!” nutcase left a lesson.

  34. 34.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    For all the talk about “progressives” vs teh “Establishment”, my understanding is that while Nina Turner brought in the whole Bernie-World Traveling Clown Show (including Susan Sarandon, but not Michael Moore, AFAIK– made me wonder about his health), her media campaign (dishonestly, not a surprise if you’ve paid any attention to her self-serving shape-shifting) tried to sell her as an Obama-Biden Democrat. Still baffled at some of the people who supported that (ahem) bowl of shit. And not so surprised at others

    ETA: I’m an atheist, but one who knows and admires many sincerely liberal people of faith; that said, imagine being a grown-ass man and tweeting out “God is not done with Nina Turner”. Assuming He’s real, He can do so much better.

  35. 35.

    Tim C.

    @Aussie sheila: Because a significant number of those “Leftists” are functionally Republicans.     Not necessarily in terms of detailed policy preferences,  but in the kind of fundamental rot in the GQP brain that has replaced any functional reasoning with a set of “principles”  that go roughly as follows.

    1.  All Political/Economic/Social/Environmental/Social Justice Problems have an easy and simple solution(tm).
    2. That simple and easy solution(tm) would be very very popular with everyone if they fully understood it.
    3. That simple and easy solution(tm) is only being prevented from happening because of the stupidity and evil of the Democratic party.
    4. Republicans are only a problem because of the Democrats failing to do something.   This principle applies in all circumstances, and particularly when dealing with Republican policy failures.
    5. All Democrats are all part of a monolithic group with no sub-factions, that is easily swayed by the “establishment” that controls everything.
    6. If the simple and easy solution(tm) doesn’t seem to be working, it is because of sabotage by Democrats or because Democrats didn’t support it enough.
  38. 38.

    kindness

    I’m so glad Bernie seems to have risen above it.  I mean passion for an outcome is one thing.  Slagging your own party constantly means you really should be in another party.  Maybe Nina’s passion for the Democratic Party is misplaced.

  39. 39.

    Mary G

    Seeing things like this and Tom’s post about his cabins makes it kind of hard to give a shit about this grifter:

    Amid worsening drought, Lake Oroville's record-low water level forces shutdown of power plant. It’s one of California’s most important reservoirs, formed by nation’s tallest dam & is key to the system that sends water to Bay Area & SoCal https://t.co/wRSZ6tUnWe @MattHjourno— Ron Lin (@ronlin) August 6, 2021

    My wingnut neighbor put in a row of trees right on the property line twice or three times as close together as they need to be about ten years ago and waters them abundantly with sprinklers. So abundantly that a six foot section of my garage wall has completely rotted from standing water coming over the wall. He has been advised over numerous times of the problem and always promises to fix it and in two months water is pouring over again. In the driveway proper the fence is turning white on my side from the minerals in all the water he’s wasting. This mook. I’m not sure I should even contact him again, I doubt he’s vaccinated and will give me a blast of bullshit about the government and dirty rotten childless socialist cat ladies like me telling him what to do with his life and water. My homeowners’ insurance carrier has been cancelling policies on older houses right and left for the faintest excuse, so I am afraid to report it to them. I guess I’ll find a contractor to fix it and take him to small claims court. First world problems but all very upsetting.

  41. 41.

    John Revolta

    @Martin:

    In April, (Apley) commented on a Twitter post from public health expert Leana Wen, who shared findings from a trial indicating that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech remains effective against the virus for at least six months after the second dose.

    Apley replied to the tweet by writing, “You are an absolute enemy of a free people,” and “#ShoveTheCarrotWhereTheSunDontShine.”

    Happy trails, buddy

  42. 42.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @mrmoshpotato:

    It would also make him hard to tackle.

    Counterpoint!

    Also, counterpoint, in response to Rupar’s tweet:

    Phil @CelticWombat 42m

    To be fair, the vaccination requires a good arm to put it in.

    Rightwing meatheadedness among pro athletes does not surprise me, but I’m a bit surprised at how widespread this strain seems to be

  44. 44.

    Captain C

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    tweeting out “God is not done with Nina Turner”. Assuming He’s real, He can do so much better.

    Assuming He/She/They/It is real and cares, perhaps They have more lessons in the folly of pride and wrath in store for Ms. Turner.  Though I’m not sure that’s what the original tweeter intended.

  45. 45.

    Another Scott

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    J.R. Richard was unvaccinated and died of the virus. His friend Enos Cabell was on the broadcast tonight, clearly furious and full of grief.

    — Richard M. Nixon (@dick_nixon) August 6, 2021

    :-(

    So many things that we used to think were caused by evil spirits or whatever turned out to be caused by other things. I wonder if 50-100 years from now they’ll know what turns so many people into stupid idiots and have a treatment.

    :-(

    I really do think that it’s important that we get a real, science-based, handle on how our brain works when it comes to learning and accepting things that are untrue…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  46. 46.

    NotMax

    Just a note to point out she’s not a Rep. yet. She will with near certainty be once the special election is held in November but let’s not put the cart before the horse.

  49. 49.

    prostratedragon

    @Captain C:  Whether or not it’s what Mr. Jealous meant,  that is exactly what many people mean by the phrase.  One of those ambiguous sayings.

  50. 50.

    Jay

    @Mary G:

    a), do you have watering restrictions? If so, report him every time.

    b), sprinkler systems are shallow, do you have a sharp small spade or transplanting shovel?

    c), have your contractor raise the wall, or build a wall on your side of the property line, above grade, ( I am guessing you are down slope) on a bentonite foundation. All the excess water will pool in his yard, turning it into a swamp and flooding his basement.

  53. 53.

    Anotherlurker

    @CaseyL: Thank you. This is exactly what I thought she was saying.

    I don’t get where the management lawyer’s hostility to the tweeter comes from.

  55. 55.

    James E Powell

    I always believed that Shontel Brown was going to win. She’s not just connected to the people who turn out voters, she’s one of those people. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to jinx it. Anyone from Cleveland will understand this.

  56. 56.

    Ascap_scab

    Now do Charlie Crist vs Nikki Fried running for Florida Governor.

    Got in a Twitter spat with someone saying Fried couldn’t win because she was ‘owned by the marijuana industry’ and I was denigrating Crist by calling him ‘republican lite’ when I pointed out Crist ran as Pub vs Bob Graham and the Pubs kicked him out and he is a DINO.

  57. 57.

    Geminid

    @Ascap_scab: Crist certainly was a Republican. He not only ran against Senator Bob Graham, he ran for Governor against Democrat Jim Davis in 2006, and won. Crist ran for Senate as an Independent in 2010 against Marco Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meeks, and came in second.

    When Crist ran for Congress in his home district in 2014, he ran as a Democrat. When he won a very close race, Crist became the first Democrat to represent the district since 1955. Since then he has consistently voted with the House Democratic Caucus. Although Crist used to be a Republican, if he is now a Democrat in name only, so are the other 50 most moderate caucus members.

  58. 58.

    Geminid

    @Geminid: Tbe questions of Crist’s past as a Republican and Fried’s past as cannabis lobbyist will be hashed out in the Florida primary. I believe Florida’s primaries are closed, so registered Democrats will decide between them and the other contenders. When it comes to the general election against Rubio, I doubt if either issue will stop Democrats from voting for Crist or Fried. Crist’s Republican past might belp him with independents, but that’s just speculation.

  62. 62.

    MontyTheClipArtMongoose

    @Rusty: the faixgressive left is willing to burn it all down only because not all of it would burn; theirs would be fine

    loved the excerpted tweet thread describing the nu white fleft as the progeny of generations of gqp voters… & allah willing, those twentysomething fleftists today will, like salmon to the columbia, return to the homeland at 35, the volvo driving soccer moms & nascar dads of the mid 21st century

  64. 64.

    J R in WV

    @stinger:

    @David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch:

    Someone should give him the medal of freedom.

    LOVE that video. When he realizes it’s for HIM, he whirls around and starts crying. Love. It.

    This is part of what makes Joe Biden a great President. He has real emotions and isn’t afraid to show them.

    Plus President Obama, who must have know what the award would mean to Joe… they were and are obviously good friends.

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