Democrats Sold Their Soul for a Senate Seat

[EdmondDantes_]

26. The author doesn't establish who the party is they are referring to

Yes some Democratic established figures like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren endorsed him early and loudly, but I believe a majority of the "establishment" supported Janet Mills such as Chuck Schumer.

Yes a large majority of Democratic primary voters wanted Platner, but he certainly wasn't being pushed from the top down like the author is suggesting. But I don't think those voters were consciously going for Platner because he's a cishet white guy. I do think they were willing to look past all his red flags because for a lot of people fundamentally economic progressivism is the key concern.

Do I agree that his voters were overlooking a whole bunch of flaws? Absolutely, but much of the party establishment wanted Janet Mills who clearly wasn't what the voters wanted. So you can't really say the party was hung up on getting a cishet white guy when they wanted a woman.

Do economic progressives need to not just focus on economics and make sure they are intersectional with other groups in the party? Yes. But likewise other groups in the party including the traditional establishment needs the economic progressives both for their enthusiasm and for pushing the party on economic issues. Being part of a big tent means having to find areas where you agree and areas where you can compromise without betraying your values.