Debi Golden To Bow Out
Her decision will leave newly converted Democrat, Rodney Tom, as the only Democratic opponent seeking Republican incumbent Luke Esser's seat.
Debi was originally chosen as the party's candidate, but when Rodney Tom flipped insider backing went his way and she was asked to step down. It appeared when she decided to continue her candidacy that we were going to experience a primary battle, yet it seems now the pressure for her to end her bid, coupled with lessened financial support as backers that would have helped finance her campaign started to gravitate to the Tom campaign, were too much of an obstacle to overcome.
How this all played out was very unfortunate for a good candidate that we should all hope was not so soured by the turn of events that she won't consider running for another position in the near future.
We should all wish her well.
Posted at 3/28/2006 10:41:00 PM PT
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6 Comment(s):
the way you guys have been talking about this story, sounds like a bummer of an outcome. I hate that "let's not have a primary battle" DLC-type crap. If that happened to me I'd be far more Hackett than Golden...or has she made a statement about it?
Sorry to hear the choices became less stark in that district...
No statement yet. I suspect there will be one very soon.
I don't think this was about not having a primary battle but more about a sense that the landscape had changed. Golden was a victim of circumstance.
As a frequent attendee of the 48th District Dem meetings, this was quite the disillusioning turn of events. That Rep. Hunter (who we all affectionately call "Ross") would recruit a Republican to run against a qualified progressive (who we have come to adore) is beyond disturbing. Maybe he knows about some poll numbers that we are not privy to, but it is almost cowardice to run for the center so early. Debi's exit from the race is tragic for the party, but I don't know how she could have beat Esser in a post-primary world. I'm confidant she could have beat Rep. Tom, but it would have been an expensive task - she surely would have been vilified for beating the "more electable" candidate is she lost in the general. More importantly, she would have been a great state senator. But enough "would have"'s - I'm fed up with my party that is so afraid to take a stand.
I'm sure the next meeting of the 48th Dems will be quite heated - no more grinning and bearing it. People will want to know how Rodney Tom stacks up with their values and positions.
As another frequent attendee of the 48th LD meetings, to read here & there that there was most definitely a big conspriacy to knock off a progressive is likewise most disturbing. If Ross were out to get "progressives," why did he help & encourage Debi in 2004? Why did his campaign work with hers early on in the same year? Why was he endorsed by Progressive Majority that year while she was not? Who says Ross isn't progressive? No one can ever tell me what is conservative about him.
No one ran center or sideways. After 4 years of abuse, no money, and no endorsements from his own party for voting with us, Rodney finally had enough. Ross had been pushing him along, perhaps for years, but you can't believe getting a defection is a bad thing: we have 2 dems in the house, right now! What I think really did Rodney in was Esser's blocking any transportation spending from his seat on the transportation committee. Rodney has been complaining in his last 2 town meetings about how we have money for a new 520, but no $$ for its approaches: the senate keeps messing it over. That and the civil rights thing, I think really riled him, and probably the national swing of his party in the wrong direction.
I do not see how you can blame the party for the choice of one incumbent over one race in one small state. Once Tom put his entire career on the line and defected, it was his choice to make, not Ross'.
I for one am fed up with some in my party for taking
these symbolic ideological stands on things without regard to whether your stand can actually PREVAIL WITH THE VOTERS in the ELECTION. ESSER is the TOP SENATE RACE IN THE STATE THIS YEAR! What Ben said in the last meeting about what the voters care about vs. what we do was instructive. I for one want to stop the conspiracy dreams and intra-party sniping and start winning. And I am willing to give a brand-new Democrat a chance.
I bet that Debi Golden also understands that and will back Rodney Tom 100% in his bid to unseat Esser. As should we all.
In time I hope that Ross Hunter gets more credit than he has been for helping Tom flip.
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