MyDD :: Pennsylvania Democrats Must Allow Contested Congressional Primary

Pennsylvania Democrats Must Allow Contested Congressional Primary

by Chris Bowers, Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 12:59:31 AM EST

Oh no. Here we go again. This is ridiculous. Enough is enough (emphasis mine):

Multiple sources tell PoliticsPA that prominent businesswoman Robin Wiessmann is considering a run against Republican Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick. Wiessmann, whose name has long been circulated, is said to be holding back until she can ensure a primary-free run. Wiessmann is said to have the support of EMILY's List and a final decision on whether to enter the race will come in the next two weeks.

She serves as a Commissioner on the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and is President of Brown/Wiessmann Group, a financial consulting firm in Newtown.

Wiessmann is the wife of prominent Democrat Ken Jarin, a Rendell fundraiser, member of the 2002 Rendell Transition Team and partner at the law firm of Ballard Spahr. Jarin was ranked #15 in the PoliticsPA List of Pennsylvania's most powerful unelected personalities.

After some quick searches on tray.com and opensecrets.org, it is pretty obvious why Jarin and Weismann have enough clout in the Democratic Party to the point where they would expect a cleared field in a primary. Combined, over the past eighteen years, the two have donated several hundred thousand dollars to Democrats nationwide.

Good for them. Democrats need money. However, such donations and the clout that unfortunately comes with them do not, under any circumstances, give someone the right to try and clear a primary field. The entire thing is disturbingly reminiscent of the unreformed Democrat method of endorsing judges in Philadelphia. Two other candidates have already declared. What is wrong with the Pennsylvania Democratic Party?

Run for Congress if you like. If you win the primary, I'll help you out, big time. However, try to clear the field in a primary again, and don't expect any help from me on anything between now and the day after the 2006 primary. In fact, except a lot more than just sitting on my hands and working with outside groups. For what it's worth, the blogosphere was easily the top donor to Ginny Schrader, the last Democratic nominee in this district, in 2004. Combined, we brought in more than $80,000. If money is what they listen to, hopefully that fact will at least cause them to take notice.

Tags: House 2006 (all tags)

Permalink :: 13 Comments :: Post a Comment

It's just politics (none / 0)

Trying to clear the field is just politics, although obviously you're dealing with principals instead of the grassroots or whatever you want to call them.

If someone can make a clear case to competitors, elected officials, local party leaders etc that they are the strongest candidate, then there is nothing wrong with those people (their minds made up) trying to convince other potential candidates (who they feel aren't as up to the task) from stepping out of the race.

The bottom line is that running for Congress against a Republican in a competitive district in a major media market is going to cost close to or over $1 million to do it right. That's just the general election. If someone is going to commit their resources and their time to raising additional money, they certainly have a right to try to convince potential rivals that it's ultimately a waste of their time and the eventual nominee's money to engage in a primary fight.

This is not the Maryland 8 we're talking about, where simply winning the Democratic primary will get you a Congressional seat for life (or until you give it up), this is a lean Republican district that will take millions of dollars to defeat another candidate. If a candidate can present a compelling case to party leaders and his or her opponents that they'll be the eventual nominee anyway and in stronger position to win the general if they don't have primary opposition, more power to them.

If you don't like it, then you need to contact their potential rivals and let them know, or barring that draft your own candidate or run yourself. Democrats need to remember that primary politics (espcially in down ballot races) is not what's keeping us from getting a governing majority -- it's not winning general elections. Voters do not care if a candidate strong armed their way into a "bossed" primary, unless the candidate is a shitty candidate, and in that case, they wouldn't be able to get a free ride to the nomination anyway.

Personally, I don't like the way a small group of 400 DNC members (who in turn are elected by small groups of highly comitted activists) managed to pick someone who they like but the majority of Democratic voters (when he was on the ballot) repudiated to be DNC chair. But, that's politics too. In the grand scheme of things, what is worse, the disconnect between Democratic activists and Democratic primary voters on a whole and general election voters, or a "bossed" primary?

by chrisishardcore on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 01:38:03 AM EST

Re: It's just politics (none / 0)

But consider the real benefit to challengers if there's a primary: name recognition. If the primary is a coronation, the media does not cover you as much as most voters will not know who you are until much later in the general campaign...after which they have may have made up their mind already. In biology even, you see the purpose of sibling rivalry is to prepare individuals for the competition they face in the wild.

Same deal here. The Democrats with no primaries end up being weaker candidates on the whole than ones that have to fight their way through. And in this district that trends Republican...that could be enough to hold the seat for the GOP.

by risenmessiah on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 01:47:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's just politics (none / 0)

The amount of name ID one running for Congress gets from doing 2 weeks of TV advertising dwarfs any ID you'd get from the press covering a primary or the lack of one.

In winning the general election, the overwhelming majority of voters who will make up their mind and either swing your way or the other aren't paying attention until the last two weeks anyway.

by chrisishardcore on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 03:14:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's just politics (none / 0)

No way! If you look at 2004, you will see that in polling data...Kerry lost many women with only a high school education after the Beslan siege in September.

Dean had very little attention drawn to him until the media provided some. And that's just last year's Presidential race. Bush benefited tremendously from the primary dust-up with McCain...because while he had name "ID" he was an unknown quantity and was not a chip off the old block.

by risenmessiah on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 04:58:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's just politics (none / 0)

Yeah well you will also find that there is a huge difference between the amount of attention voters pay to a Presidential race when that is all that is on TV (and every story seemingly has a Presidential angle) and how little attention they pay to a Congressional race (very little) or legislative race (almost none).

That's just the way it is.

to the Colorado poster: I had assumed a Philly congress race costs upwards of $3 millions, but thanks for the confirmation.

by chrisishardcore on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 05:50:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's just politics (none / 0)

More like the media decides to cover elections that way. Or more appropriately the national media. The local media will cover races...but they tend not to have the same means of dissemination.

Still, the reason more Congressional races lose primary value is that there is...surprise...gerrymandering. The Congress as of late, does not change hands very frequently. State officials are even worse...because term limits often mean that party ID is decisive...these folks only serve a couple terms before they are out of there.

But I'm not trying to bust yer balls...just hoping that your acquiescence to rigged primaries does not provide the seed to your transformation into a Republican later in life.

by risenmessiah on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 07:31:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Don't Believe the Hype (none / 0)

Just take it from the Pennsylvanian I believe said it best when it comes to contested primaries in the Keystone State, Bob Casey Jr.

There are plenty of examples where this state has had a lot of tough primaries and then come together. In fact, the history shows, if you look at it, that the party with the tough primary usually wins.

Ironic?

Tim

by Tim Tagaris on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 01:44:59 AM EST

Isn't Schraeder now head of the BucksCo Dems? (none / 0)

IIRC, Ginny Schraeder, who ran against Fitzpatrick,
was chosen as one of the new leaders of the BucksCo
Dems. IIRC, you and Jerome worked long and hard for her campaign. Why not pick up the phone and talk to her about your concerns instead of complaining about the primary process?

Also, there are already two announced Democratic candidates, Patrick Murphy and Paul Lang, who I doubt are going to drop out. Murphy seems like he will be especially hard to dissuade.

I agree that a good contested primary where Dems attack Republicans, not each other, can be beneficial for name recognition and sharpen debating skills.

by phillydem on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 03:53:06 AM EST

This is not an instance to clear the field... (none / 0)

She has enough money to fund both a primary and general without raising a cent. Yet, she is:

"holding back until she can ensure a primary-free run."

So she is not going to run against two primary opponents who are political novices and who would pail in comparison to her money advantage and clout. Sounds like she is one to roll over if everything doesn't go her way and like she is not the type of person we want running against Fitzpatrick in what is likely to be the most high-profile house race in '06.

It also sounds like she is not willing work very hard unless she has everything handed to her on a silver platter even though she has no political experience whatsoever and could use the sharpening of her skills in a primary before a very tough general.

I don't know much about Lang, but from what I hear Murphy is running around the district going to upwards of 20-30 events a week, shaking hands, making phone calls, making speeches, and doing the necessary, but hard work that Robin Weissman, from her statements, seems unwilling to do.

by sem1480 on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 08:59:38 AM EST

Re: This is not an instance to clear the field... (none / 0)

Why do you think this is going to be the highest profile race? I can't imagine that being true.

Bleeding Heartland - Iowa's Progressive Community-oriented blog

by ItsDrewMiller on Sun Jun 19, 2005 at 09:47:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Heh (none / 0)

"don't expect any help from me"
...like the help you gave not-Rep. Schrader? Right. You guys are too funny.

by asf6 on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 09:20:58 AM EST

It's probably not about the money (none / 0)

For many people who have successful careers in other lines of work, running for office is an extremely stressful decision. It involves taking a long time off from regular work (and family), making two or three speeches a day, and enduring endless assaults on your good name. It's brutal, and if you lose, the implications to your success in that other line of work can be large. So it's risky, too.

The difference between having a primary and not having a primary can be as much as 3-4 months extra of that agony. I'd try and get folks to quit too, especially those folks who are either vanity candidates or just-wanna-talk-about-the-issues, don't-expect-to-win folks, who abound in every CD.

Oh, and by the way to the poster above who estimated a race in this district to cost $1 million. You're dreaming. Count on $3-4 million if it's close.

by ColoDem on Thu Jun 16, 2005 at 04:14:41 PM EST

PA-10 has an opening for a Dem candidate (none / 0)

Here's your chance. Don Sherwood's troubles continue
as Cynthia Ore, of "backrub" fame, has now filed a lawsuit against him ensuring this story will get long term play in PA-10.

No Democrat has yet emerged to challenge Sherwood which provides all the "netroots activists" here a chance to recruit a candidate of your choice.

by phillydem on Fri Jun 17, 2005 at 06:02:45 AM EST

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