Democrats

POLITICS 05/05/2018 07:01 am ET But it probably doesn't hurt. By Ariel Edwards-Levy America’s electorate is growing more diverse. By the next presidential election, racial minorities will exceed 40 percent of the eligible electorate in six states, according to a report released in April by a consortium of think tanks. By 2036, a dozen states will pass that mark. At the same time, the share of states whose electorates are more than four-fifths white is predicted to drop steadily, from 23 in the next presidential election to only 11 by the year 2036. Nationwide, white voters without a college education are expected to make up a dwindling ― though still significant ― share of the eligible electorate, dropping from 46 percent in the last presidential election to just 37 percent by the year 2036. The electorate is also aging, with voters above the age of 65 making up an increasing slice. The report, titled “States of … [Read more...] about America’s Electorate Is Getting More Diverse. That’s No Guarantee For Democrats.

POLITICS 05/22/2018 11:19 pm ET Lawyer Lizzie Fletcher beat progressive activist Laura Moser in a district Democrats hope to take from the GOP. By Daniel Marans Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, a corporate attorney, won the Democratic nomination for Texas’ 7th Congressional District on Tuesday, reassuring national Democrats eager to flip the GOP-held seat. Fletcher’s win in a runoff reflects the preference of primary voters for a mainstream Democrat capable of appealing to enough of the affluent, suburban Houston district’s Republican voters. It also delivers a victory for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the official body charged with electing the party’s candidates to the House. The DCCC backed away from an active role in the campaign after provoking outrage among some progressives with a February opposition research memo against Fletcher’s more liberal opponent, Laura Moser. Fletcher finished first in a seven-candidate March … [Read more...] about Establishment-Backed Moderate Wins Heated Democratic House Primary In Texas

POLITICS 06/01/2018 05:01 am ET Big money is shaking up a clash between three groups vying for power in the party — veterans, Latinas, and Native Americans. By Kevin Robillard ALBUQUERQUE ― A wave of money from outside groups is transforming a Democratic primary in this historic mile-high city, making a former prosecutor and veteran the front-runner in a three-way battle with a Latina law professor and the potential first Native American woman in Congress. Groups supporting veterans, Latino candidates, women and Native Americans are creating a fracas on the airwaves with nearly $3 million in spending. The big money battle highlights how the party’s outside groups are clashing — not only over which candidates will battle Republicans in swing seats, but also over who will fill safely Democratic seats, where incumbents can play a role in shaping the party for decades to come and form a bench for statewide runs. (Congressional Hispanic … [Read more...] about The Most Interesting Democratic Primary No One Is Talking About Is In New Mexico

POLITICS 06/06/2018 12:19 am ET Updated 32 minutes ago State Sen. Jeff Van Drew’s positions on guns and other social issues rankled activists. By Daniel Marans State Sen. Jeff Van Drew easily won the Democratic nomination for New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday, pleasing Democratic officials who backed him and disappointing progressive activists wary of his voting record. Van Drew, who has represented the southernmost tip of New Jersey in the state Legislature for the past 16 years, is no ordinary moderate. The 64-year-old dentist has taken positions on a range of social and economic issues that are far outside the Democratic mainstream. He has voted against basic gun control measures, legalizing same-sex marriage and increasing the state’s minimum wage above the federal minimum of $7.25. He has also backed legislation withdrawing New Jersey from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and a state constitutional amendment requiring … [Read more...] about Conservative Democrat Wins Primary In New Jersey House Seat

POLITICS 06/26/2018 10:51 pm ET Progressive activist Dana Balter wins. New York is a key part of Democrats' plans to take over the House. By Daniel Marans Dana Balter, a progressive activist and Syracuse University professor, won the Democratic nomination in New York’s 24th Congressional District on Tuesday, delivering a setback to the national Democratic Party, which had backed her opponent. Balter’s win reflects the importance of grassroots support and a strong field operation in low-turnout primary races. She benefited both from the backing of the local Democratic parties and deep ties to central New York’s anti-Donald Trump resistance movement, of which she was an active member since the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election. The outcome is a disappointment for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which avidly recruited and then staunchly backed Juanita Perez Williams, a former state prosecutor and Navy veteran. The party … [Read more...] about Nationally Backed Democrat Falls Short In New York Primary For Congress