Big Red for the football team, Big Red for the state...not THIS time, lol. Get ready, Righty scum...
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/20...ictory-It-Changes-Everything?detail=emaildkre
A Progressive Democrat Beat an Ex-Congressman in a Shocking Primary Victory. It Changes Everything.
AWildLibAppeared
Community
Wednesday May 16, 2018 · 6:02 AM PDT
Let's talk about Kara *******.
Kara ******* is a nonprofit executive from Omaha. She founded and runs the Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance (OHKA), a highly effective organization that tackles serious health policy issues at the state and local level. She also served on the board for her local community college. She’s been engaged with her community for years, all while raising and supporting a daughter of her own.
Then, the 2016 election happened.
Like hundreds of other women across the country, Kara decided to step up to the plate. No Democrat was running in her home congressional district, Nebraska’s 2nd (NE-02), so she decided to run.
She relied on her humble background, her healthcare advocacy, and her experience in nonprofit fundraising to build a grassroots campaign. She focused on the progressive values that drive most Democratic Party activists: concern for healthcare, education, economic equality, gun safety, immigrant rights, civil rights, protecting the environment, and more. She proudly displays her platform on her website.
But she had one big problem: in 2016, NE-02 was one of the few congressional races in which an incumbent Democrat lost reelection. And rumors were spreading that this ex-Congressman, Brad Ashford, wanted to win his old seat back.
The mere possibility of his candidacy caused many major Democratic organizations—from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to Emily’s List—to avoid helping *******. After all, they wouldn’t want to upset a former congressman. He had previously shown he could win a tough race, and he already had connections to all the lobbyists in DC. If he were to run, he’d surely become the Democratic nominee!
Despite this setback, Kara ******* decided to continue her campaign for Congress. A number of months after ******* announced her candidacy, Ashford did enter the race. But ******* pressed on. She distinguished herself from Ashford in some notable ways—sticking to her more progressive views on healthcare and education—and slowly, despite the DCCC and other establishment groups endorsing Ashford, her movement in Omaha grew.
Last night was primary election night in Nebraska. And shockingly, by a slim margin, Kara ******* won. She will now be the Democratic nominee for NE-02 this November.
Many of us who follow politics closely were surprised by Eastman’s victory, but we probably shouldn't have been. With a perfect combination of strong local roots, clear reasons for running, and a determination to achieve the seemingly impossible, she’d make a stellar candidate in any district. A primary challenger defeating an ex-congressman in his comeback bid is largely unheard of in Democratic politics.
But ******* ran a relentlessly positive campaign that focused on the issues. She showed herself to be serious and sincere. She didn’t try to pander to special interests or present herself as a “moderate”, as Ashford did. She chose to be herself, be authentic, knock on doors, and stand by her values.
Forget ideological squabbles, so-called “identity politics”, or any other way we like to divvy up candidates. Kara ******* is exactly the kind of candidate all Democrats should want in Congress for two simple reasons:
She knows how to win, and she ain’t afraid to do it!
Kara ******* has now given us all a real opportunity: a chance to help fundamentally change the conversations that Democratic insiders have in DC, now and perhaps forever, about candidate viability. Kara has defied conventional DC wisdom about what makes a candidacy "viable." If she wins in November, it will shift perceptions in DC about how Democrats win. And that will help us win in 2020, 2022, and beyond.
And she's favored to win in November. NE-02 only voted for Trump by 2.24%, and a majority of voters didn't choose him. Considering the electoral swings favoring Democrats that we've seen in special elections like the recent 16.2% swing in Arizona’s 8th congressional district special election, Kara ******* has a very good shot at winning the general election.
But for Kara ******* to win, she may need a bit of help—a jumpstart, if you will. It’s no secret that money infects the American political system. ******* needs money and outside support to help get her message out to voters this November. She's already proven herself to be a decent fundraiser, raising $355K this cycle entirely from grassroots donations. However, she had to spend a good chunk of that money on her upset win in the primary. Whether the DCCC and other establishment Democratic groups step up to support her remains to be determined.
If Kara ******* can win in a swing congressional district using grassroots donations alone, she could change the political map in American politics forever.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/20...ictory-It-Changes-Everything?detail=emaildkre
A Progressive Democrat Beat an Ex-Congressman in a Shocking Primary Victory. It Changes Everything.
AWildLibAppeared
Community
Wednesday May 16, 2018 · 6:02 AM PDT
Let's talk about Kara *******.
Kara ******* is a nonprofit executive from Omaha. She founded and runs the Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance (OHKA), a highly effective organization that tackles serious health policy issues at the state and local level. She also served on the board for her local community college. She’s been engaged with her community for years, all while raising and supporting a daughter of her own.
Then, the 2016 election happened.
Like hundreds of other women across the country, Kara decided to step up to the plate. No Democrat was running in her home congressional district, Nebraska’s 2nd (NE-02), so she decided to run.
She relied on her humble background, her healthcare advocacy, and her experience in nonprofit fundraising to build a grassroots campaign. She focused on the progressive values that drive most Democratic Party activists: concern for healthcare, education, economic equality, gun safety, immigrant rights, civil rights, protecting the environment, and more. She proudly displays her platform on her website.
But she had one big problem: in 2016, NE-02 was one of the few congressional races in which an incumbent Democrat lost reelection. And rumors were spreading that this ex-Congressman, Brad Ashford, wanted to win his old seat back.
The mere possibility of his candidacy caused many major Democratic organizations—from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to Emily’s List—to avoid helping *******. After all, they wouldn’t want to upset a former congressman. He had previously shown he could win a tough race, and he already had connections to all the lobbyists in DC. If he were to run, he’d surely become the Democratic nominee!
Despite this setback, Kara ******* decided to continue her campaign for Congress. A number of months after ******* announced her candidacy, Ashford did enter the race. But ******* pressed on. She distinguished herself from Ashford in some notable ways—sticking to her more progressive views on healthcare and education—and slowly, despite the DCCC and other establishment groups endorsing Ashford, her movement in Omaha grew.
Last night was primary election night in Nebraska. And shockingly, by a slim margin, Kara ******* won. She will now be the Democratic nominee for NE-02 this November.
Many of us who follow politics closely were surprised by Eastman’s victory, but we probably shouldn't have been. With a perfect combination of strong local roots, clear reasons for running, and a determination to achieve the seemingly impossible, she’d make a stellar candidate in any district. A primary challenger defeating an ex-congressman in his comeback bid is largely unheard of in Democratic politics.
But ******* ran a relentlessly positive campaign that focused on the issues. She showed herself to be serious and sincere. She didn’t try to pander to special interests or present herself as a “moderate”, as Ashford did. She chose to be herself, be authentic, knock on doors, and stand by her values.
Forget ideological squabbles, so-called “identity politics”, or any other way we like to divvy up candidates. Kara ******* is exactly the kind of candidate all Democrats should want in Congress for two simple reasons:
She knows how to win, and she ain’t afraid to do it!
Kara ******* has now given us all a real opportunity: a chance to help fundamentally change the conversations that Democratic insiders have in DC, now and perhaps forever, about candidate viability. Kara has defied conventional DC wisdom about what makes a candidacy "viable." If she wins in November, it will shift perceptions in DC about how Democrats win. And that will help us win in 2020, 2022, and beyond.
And she's favored to win in November. NE-02 only voted for Trump by 2.24%, and a majority of voters didn't choose him. Considering the electoral swings favoring Democrats that we've seen in special elections like the recent 16.2% swing in Arizona’s 8th congressional district special election, Kara ******* has a very good shot at winning the general election.
But for Kara ******* to win, she may need a bit of help—a jumpstart, if you will. It’s no secret that money infects the American political system. ******* needs money and outside support to help get her message out to voters this November. She's already proven herself to be a decent fundraiser, raising $355K this cycle entirely from grassroots donations. However, she had to spend a good chunk of that money on her upset win in the primary. Whether the DCCC and other establishment Democratic groups step up to support her remains to be determined.
If Kara ******* can win in a swing congressional district using grassroots donations alone, she could change the political map in American politics forever.