There Is A Rule To Not Bash Democrats

[gab13by13]

So I have to ask questions of the leaders of my Democratic party in Pa.

In the primary I was pissed that no Democrat was on my ballot for my district. I inquired and was told to write in Ronnie Ray Jenkins. He didn't get on the ballot in time. I can't say anything about that.

So I get my general election ballot on Monday and Mike Molesevich is the Democrat running for Congress. Fine, OK, I voted for him.

No Democrat is on the ballot for my 66th Legislative District. I will write in Ronnie Ray Jenkins.

Why will I get alerted on if I feel that my Democratic party state leaders have given up on my district?

I honestly understand the situation, I live among the Magats. Just don't keep harping on me to do my part and GOTV when I have to write in names on my ballots.

Wife and I enthusiastically voted for John Fetterman, (I believe he wasn't the choice of my party leaders) and Josh Shapiro.

2022 is the most important election in my 75 year lifetime. Democrats, you had better vote, or our vote may mean nothing in 2024 if we lose Congress.

ps/ do not believe polls, vote.

[MichMan]

1. I gave up trying to understand that rule

Manchin and Sinema get vile comments accusing them of accepting bribes etc. and my alerts were ignored. I quit giving a damn.

[RocRizzo55]

13. Me too. N/t

[FoxNewsSucks]

16. what else explains their anti-democratic behavior?

Both have opposed our Democratic president, they have opposed the Democratic Party, they have helped Republicans. If there's a better explanation I'd like to hear it.

Also, bashing is pointless insulting. Legitimate criticism and pointing out anti-democratic behavior is not bashing.

Democratic politicians should work on the side of their party, to advance their party's agenda, and support their party's president shouldn't they?

[gab13by13]

18. who would be a better Senator from West Virginia than Manchin?

Would a more pro-Democratic candidate have a chance at winning in West Virginia?

Joe Manchin is the best we could hope for from West Virginia in today's climate.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

27. Good point that's always overlooked. Not everyone is a perfect Democrat.

Manchin might just be a 20% D. Better than a 0% D

Feel the same way about media. There are many who are predominantly D.

[BradAllison]

34. Last week, Senator Sinema got up at a Mitch McConnell fundraiser

She proceeded to bash the US Congress while a bunch of McConnell supporters laughed and Turtle face looked on chortling.


Where can I file a complaint against her for bashing Democrats?

[Meowmee]

63. I am sure there is somewhere to register a complaint

But will anyone listen? I don't understand who supported her to be a candidate in the first place.

[Demsrule86]

36. That a different problem...we all know the rules.

[marble falls]

39. My alerts have generally worked. I always vote to hide when I'm called on those alerts.

[Zeitghost]

52. Some animals

Are more equal around here...

[ForgedCrank]

54. That ain't

no shit. I can barely participate here at all because of it.

[TigressDem]

56. Reporting their behavior, holding them accountable is not bashing.

I think the main idea of the rule is that the REICH WING bashes all our DEMS and fawns over the DINOs Manchin and Sinema enough for US to leave them to that.

As DEMs we are good at identifying problems and working on solutions and getting it done.

Yeah we need to blow some steam off at times, but it is good to know there was a huge problem in poor PA that they could not get a DEM for that district.

The repukes make death threats to DEMs working for elections. They do everything to make life harder for anyone trying to make sure fair elections happen. So in times like these it seems their terrorist approach is really driving people away and making DEMOCRACY even more difficult to protect.

Since the OP is in that district maybe he could find out what happened. Not from a bashing point of view, but simply to see what the local DEMs faced that caused the delay and see if there needs to be a warning sent out to other areas to watch out for that kind of issue.

[Celerity]

58. +1

[TigressDem]

59. Second THANK YOU to OP - got a copy of MN ballot for 11/08/22 to see situation

I see two people running unopposed, but they both seem like DEMs, hope it doesn't make me a bad person to not be overly concerned about that.

BUT WHAT I DID NOTICE

EVERY SINGLE JUDGE ON PAGE TWO IS AN INCUMBENT RUNNING UNOPPOSED.

WITH Judge Eileen Cannon and her abuse of power. THIS CONCERNS ME.


Checking the judges, but most of them are appointments by DEM governors and many have risen from lower courts.
Their activities and experience are pretty solid. Only one is really youngish, but she's got some experience that seems solid.


https://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2016/11/why-minnesota-has-mostly-managed-keep-politics-and-money-out-judicial-electi/

A good reputation

Experts say it’s all but impossible to keep politics — and money — out of the judicial selection process entirely.

But some systems work better than others. Minnesota’s judicial selection process has fostered a reputation for fair and impartial judges, even as courts in other states have become increasingly politicized, said Robin Wolpert, the president of the Minnesota State Bar Association.

Most judges at all levels of the Minnesota Court system are first placed on the bench by appointment of the governor. District court judges, who make up the vast majority of Minnesota judges, usually first pass the muster of a 49-member judicial selection commission, made up largely of attorneys.

In order to hang on to their seats, judges at all levels must be re-elected by voters in nonpartisan elections. When a judge leaves office at the end of a term — which happens rarely, in part because judges are required to retire at age 70 — there is an open election with no gubernatorial appointment.

Oftentimes, Minnesota judges run unopposed. But sometimes they don’t, and other times there are open seats. The quality of candidates not appointed by Minnesota governors has tended to vary more, Wolpert said. Under Minnesota statute, the only requirements for becoming a judge are to be over age 21, be eligible to vote and be a licensed attorney.

The selection processes in Mississippi and North Carolina are similar to this, minus the judicial selection commission — so why isn’t Minnesota seeing nasty attack ads?

Expectation of impartiality

For the most part, judges and judicial candidates in Minnesota have hewn to a standard of impartiality that has all but disappeared in some parts of the country, Wolpert said.

[MyOwnPeace]

2. With you on this........

I DO think it is fair to 'discuss' the possible failures and let-downs that have happened in local party leadership and activities. Those 'thoughts' are meant to make the party stronger, not 'bashing.'

I also agree that we must NOT heed the polls - it looks like the media are working to make the Senate race a 'more interesting story' - lots of 'positive' things being said about 'Dr. Ooz' and continuous 'concerns' about Fetterman's health.

You ARE correct - this is a MOST important election - perhaps our last chance for a 'fair' one!

[Demsrule86]

37. But it doesn't make the party stronger, and we can read Democratic bashing in a million places.

and turn on the TV even MSNBC and see it. I like the rules. Sinema and Manchin should not be treated this way either. I was just searching for a post the other day...it was old. And boy the vitriol...this is better.

[gibraltar72]

3. Similar situation here in Mi.

Every once in a while a brave soul steps up as a sacrificial lamb. Way to many uncontested positions in my area.

[Demsrule86]

38. It costs money to run a campaign. And I can understand why the Party doesn't want to spend money

if there is no shot. When I lived in Woodstock GA, the party often didn't run a candidate as there was no chance. The money was better spent in Marietta and other places...and look at what was achieved, we turned Newt Gingrich's seat blue.

[mgardener]

4. Matt Castelli is running against Elise Stefanik in my district.

But I do not think national Democrats are giving him much support.

[gab13by13]

5. Looks like I can't write in Ronnie Ray Jackson

he isn't from my 66th district, he was running for the 15th Congressional district and lost the primary.

Maybe I will write in my name, I was on borough council for 7 years.

[BlueGreenLady]

6. Why don't you run for that office?

There is an uncontested State Senate seat where I live. No One will spend the time, physical effort traveling, Huge amounts of money for campaign ads. I am a poor speaker with no financial means. The odds of a Democrat being elected are low in my district. The odds of your reputation being shredded are HIGH. I am so very grateful to the candidates who do put themselves out there.

[Pacifist Patriot]

8. Yes, that's what people need to realize. Running for office is not for everyone.

I put my hat in the ring back in 2018 in a district that sounds very similar to this one. It damn near killed me within 9 weeks of launching the campaign. And I mean that literally. And I am using the word literally correctly.

[LeftInTX]

47. That's for your service!

I'm sorry.

[murielm99]

25. We almost aways have uncontested

seats in my red district. If someone steps up just to be on the ballot, I always help them.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

28. In red Texas as well. Plus a critical piece - no one pays

any attention at all. So IF you have $$ and can buy enough slick signs and plaster them everywhere, you can win. How Cruz did it.

[murielm99]

30. Someone stepped up to run for our Congressional seat

this time. Her name is Lisa Haderlein. I busted my butt to get signatures to get her slated in. I will walk my precinct for her if she wants, and whatever other help she needs.

This is in the 16th, formerly represented by Kinzinger. I still don't trust the man.

[summer_in_TX]

61. Hard to recruit candidates if few voted for the D last time.

In Texas, some Dems decide to cross over and vote in the Republican primary to influence who runs in the general.

Higher turnout in the Rs make it harder to get good Ds to run. And sometimes really poor candidates for a particular spot embarrass the rest of the local ticket.

A purist Dem on our club steering committee made it her goal to defeat the incumbent conservative Dem because he had voted for a bill to prevent gay couples from adopting. She was a lesbian herself, and rejected others' view that the young D could be educated and vote better in the future. She succeeded in undermining him in the primary and the other Dem in the race lost to the GOPer because Dems were weakened in the process. He voted with the Ds a lot of the time, but came from a conservative town. At least we had some votes our way on some issues.

The incumbent conservative D retired from politics, the GOP elected a tea party republican for three terms. Now the tea party guy's wife is running and likely to win since the county was gerrymandered to put more Rs in the new district. The Texas Lege is already a supermajority of Rs and we have great trouble even fending off bad stuff. And a local D helped set that dynamic in motion and could not admit some votes were better than no votes our way.

There are a lot of reasons that some spots may be unfilled and it may not necessarily be the state party's fault.

[marble falls]

41. Not running gets us Louie Gohmerts. Only we Democrats worry about the fall out in a campaign ...

... we need to run for every office. I never had what it took to run for local office, but you can bet I supported everyone who had it. We need to run for every office. And vote every election. And vote 'none of the above' or leave blank all single candidate Republicans in every race no Democrat is running for.

[LeftInTX]

44. Gohmert beat an incumbent Democrat. He has had a Democratic opponent every election.

I agree, we need to run Democrats in all races. Sometimes finding an appropriate candidate is a struggle in very red areas. Many attorneys will simple run as Republican judges because they know they can't win as a Democrat. This sometimes leaves us with "fringe" candidates.

[MyMission]

7. Same here in Western NC

My district runs roughly 60/40, and the 60% are Bible thumping idiots.
They elected meadows and cawthorn.

Several races have no Democrat on the ballot including our sheriff, who primaried the former awful sheriff several years ago, won the primary which meant he would be elected in November. But once in a while we get a democratic challenger, and they lose 60/40.

Our local democratic party is quite active, despite the red environment.

Both of our states, and many others need to GOTV overall to win Senate races, even if our local races don't offer us candidates.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Maybe they didn't give up on. Maybe they had trouble finding Jenkins or anybody else. . . nt

[betsuni]

10. ...

[Joinfortmill]

11. I hear you.

[stopdiggin]

12. cannot think of a party out there

that would not love to have a full slate of candidates on the ballot. They're certainly not discouraging people from filing (which takes minimal money and effort)

Flip side, or caveats - 1) candidates that are 'wingnuts' or clearly lacking in any qualifications are probably not going to get ringing endorsements and backing (and shouldn't) - and, 2) parties will probably continue to channel resources toward races and candidates that have at least a small shot of winning (which is entirely proper, and the only intelligent course).

But almost anyone with any modicum of real potential (or even just appeal) - is almost certain to be met with open arms.

[bucolic_frolic]

14. You got your ballot already?

Did you receive email notification? I haven't heard anything.

[gab13by13]

19. Wife and I got our ballots Monday

from Jefferson County. There are only 4 offices to vote for. I can check my email but I am sitting here looking at my ballot.

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. I get the frustration you feel about ballots with no dems on them... but on the other hand,

in seriously gerrymandered districts (or districts that aren't, but are just overwhelmingly GOP), there's a strategic reality for the dems not to put forth candidates or spend money trying to get one on the ballot -

when there are finite dollars to be used in elections, it's just not good stewardship to spend money in what are basically guaranteed losing districts. There's a counter-argument that by avoiding spending money in those districts, the people in those districts don't get hear alternative voices - and that might hurt in the long-term. But it also might not.

[gab13by13]

22. I agree with you 100%.

I'm thinking back to the 70's and 80's when times were different. We have a big 4th of July parade in our borough and we had a Democratic Rep and a Republican Rep riding together in the back seat of a convertible. My District used to be able to elect Democrats back then. Half of our borough council was Democrats, myself included, and my first year I got the most votes. maybe because I took on some powerful people who wanted to strip coal on our pristine watershed?

There is no chance of winning if we don't try. I had a good message to run on, protecting our water supply.

[aikido2012]

20. Signature Petitions for Candidates

In order to get on the ballot candidates need to gather signatures. If local Democrats don't volunteer to go door to door to get them then voila! no Democrat on the ballot. I can't tell you the number of times on a weekend afternoon, standing on someone's doorstep in the rain, with my clipboard, I've been yelled at. "Don't you know it's Saturday! Don't bother me!" Then one year we didn't get enough signatures and our local FB explodes with "Why isn't there a Democrat on the ballot! What's wrong with these folks!" I'm just a resident taking time out of my weekend to help make democracy work. Most people don't understand the work that goes unseen. Volunteer with your local Democratic Committee! I promise, they need you!

[BlueGreenLady]

42. Yes. Volunteer to GOTV.

It is the hard, unpaid, unappreciated work of unseen volunteers that keep what's left of the Democratic Party going.

[hay rick]

53. In Florida you can get on the ballot by collecting signatures or by paying a fee.

Our local party encourages candidates to get the signatures- it helps with getting their name out, demonstrates commitment, helps them form a team, and saves money.

[Tree Lady]

21. My district in southern Oregon same thing

Every once in awhile we get candidate that tries but last time and this time I don't know who is running. Even governor I am seeing lots of signs for the Independent that is running and haven't seen one for the democrat.

[brooklynite]

23. Who is saying you'll get alerted?

The Democratic Party is not s "Democratic Public Figure" and criticizing policy or strategy is not "bashing".

[erronis]

24. "do not believe polls, vote" - a LBN post "Republicans gain ground in Senate races - PA, WI"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142977556

There are some discordant messages flying around. I agree with you to not believe the polls - or the outfits that benefit by churning the news cycles.

[NBachers]

26. Western New York- Nate McMurray ran twice with no Party support- put together a hellofa ground game.

Because he was brash, outspoken, and liberal, he may have alienated the "centrist" leaning Big Pols. He ran his car to every village, hamlet, and community in his large district. Because he was in Paladino country, it was an uphill struggle, and he was written off by the State Bigwigs. Enthusiastic, young, tireless, dedicated, and treated like a red-headed stepchild.

Posting here, I was told "the bones" of that district weren't good, so that justified abandoning it.

Abandoning the district when there's a committed candidate and supporters working their hearts out. Twice

Don't win? So what? A framework was put together for the next time . . . and the time after that . . .

Betrayed by their own party

[gab13by13]

31. Unbelievable,

Believe me I got in trouble here at DU for backing Fetterman over Lamb. Some people hold the notion that Democrats need to be moderate to get elected. Candidates like Fetterman win because they just are themselves, they don't try to portray an image of someone they are not. The Democratic party has been a great party because we are an open tent party with moderates and progressives having rigorous debates and then coming together.

Anyone from the Magat party who puts a toe over the line is hit with death threats.

[blue neen]

50. There were many of us here who backed Fetterman over Lamb, including me.

I don't recall getting in any trouble. I'm sorry you had that experience.

There were also a number of Lamb supporters here, and there was plenty of debate about the candidates. Most people stayed pretty respectful.

[gab13by13]

29. Democrats used to be able to win in my district,

This is what happened;

My dad told me when I was a little boy that rich people vote for Republicans and poor people vote for Democrats. That idea would allow Democrats to win in conservative areas. Republicans ran out of bullshit to convince the unwashed to vote for them so they changed strategy. Republicans have no agenda, no platform. The Republican party has morphed into the Magat party. I cannot debate a Magat.

I asked my 89 year old golfing buddy if he was going to vote for Fetterman. Consider, he is a racist, bigot, misogynist. He replied that he couldn't vote for Fetterman because he is a Democrat. That's it, the Magat secret sauce to win elections, putting a label on every Democrat. If Christ came down from heaven and ran for office as a Democrat, Magats could not vote for him because he is a Democrat.

Magats have a simple message that requires no critical thinking, no intelligence, all Democrats are evil and Magats have been sent by God to rid the world of them.

[Wounded Bear]

32. I believe that constructive, reality based criticism is allowed...

Just not character assasination or MAGA level attacks.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

43. I can assure you that good-faith constructive criticism can be capriciously punished

here at DU (depending on who is the subject).

[Grasswire2]

49. + 10000 nt

[Farmer-Rick]

33. The Democratic party here seemed to come alive under Obama

But then it died back again. They even ran a KKK member a couple of years ago.

When Obama first ran, there was no chance in hell that he would win TN or even our county. So instead, our local democrat party put us on a bus to North Carolina and Virginia. We went door to door handing out flyers and then calling voters in those States. Guess what? Obama won both those states.

There's more a party can do then just try to get their local candidate a win. But since then, no one has ever again implemented that strategy. It's as if they found a successful strategy, then gave up on it immediately.

[Prairie_Seagull]

35. Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame on me.
Don't believe the polls.

"Vote". (B. Obama) oh yea, and many others.

[hay rick]

40. Speaking as one who has tried recruiting candidates in a red area and failed repeatedly...

I'm in a red part of Florida. This cycle there is no Democrat running for our state senate seat. Myself and two others approached several people about running. Nobody took the bait. In my experience recruiting candidates is futile. They show up or they don't. We have not had a Democrat run for any countywide office in a decade. I do not blame local Democrats. We are all volunteers and do what we can. I do not blame the state party- they are chronically underfunded compared to the Republicans. Putting significant resources into unwinnable races would be political malpractice.

[LeftInTX]

45. Exactly

Parties have limited resources.

[LeftInTX]

46. Do you have a county party? Get involved. That's where it starts.

I'm sure they tried to find a candidate, but they couldn't.

We scrambled at the last day to find a candidate for a certain seat in 2020. (We just did not want to leave it contested) She had run for the same seat in 2018 and didn't want to subject herself to this all over again. (She got 40% of the vote) However, she filed at the last minute. As in 2018 she didn't win, but we had a Democrat on the ballot.

Candidates need to WANT to run. That's the problem. No one wants to commit suicide.

[Midnight Writer]

48. To me, it's not "bashing" if it is provably true. I'm not a "My Party Right Or Wrong" person.

But if it is just speculative or shit-stirring, that is "bashing".

[allegorical oracle]

51. Same here in Fla, especially in the legislature. Many Repugs run uncontested. At one time

considered running for Supervisor of Elections, but now it's not worth the death threats.

[mcar]

55. I live in a very red county in FL

There are very few Democrats who run in local races. The Democratic party here tries to get people to run and we've had success in some of the non-partisan races.

2 younger Democrats decided to run for county commission and school board. Both dropped out after a week. Why? Because their young children got death threats. I'm serious. MAGAts were driving up to their houses and threatening their children.

Can you blame people for not taking that chance?

[TigressDem]

57. Telling the truth isn't bashing GAB. But maybe assuming DEMs gave up on your district ...

is what the MAGATS want you to believe. Could be that they pulled some crap and the DEMS just couldn't get around it in time.

Maybe dig a little deeper with the DEM party leaders locally to see if something big happened to cause this over site.

Maybe the people who had worked for your district before died. A lot of times it's the retirees who have the time to GOTV and run the election booths.

Maybe they got credible death threats. You sound like you live in MAGA world there.

Maybe the MAGATS put a lot of barriers in the way of Ronnie Ray Jenkins to prevent there from being a DEM on the ballot.

Because if there was any pattern to it, it's probably going to be used elsewhere.

Maybe your noticing this can help prevent it from happening in another state or district.

Just a thought.

[Samrob]

60. PS Do believe polls, RUN a candidate, damn it!

No uncontested elections ANYWHERE!!

[calimary]

62. If WE ALL vote, we can own all those polls.

As opposed to them owning us.

VOTE!!!

VOTE, DAMMIT!!!!!

Vote like your rights depend on it. Cuz they DO.