Miceli has staked out the DINO position on most issues, so for me, he’s a non-starter.
Eldridge is the most solidly progressive on all the substantive issues in the race. What I wonder is first, how he would do in the general election. Republicans have done well in the 5th. Could he turn out enough Dems to carry the district? Once he gets to Washington, how effective will he be in moving Congress toward his positions on health care and the environment?
Finegold is an enigma to me. I like his positions on many issues, but there’s the occasional blast from the field, such as legislation to mandate steroid testing for all professional athletes. Is this a sign of a whack-a-mole approach to policy, or am I missing something?
Tsongas underwhelms me. Again, I’m happy with a lot of her positions on issues, although her experience at Fallon concerns me when it comes to health care. She certainly can raise money and get establishment endorsements. She would know how to work the Washington system, but I don’t entirely know whether that’s a good thing.
Donaghue also seems solid on significant issues. I appreciate her experience as an elected official in a very interesting city. I wonder how much her election would strengthen the hand of some Lowell-area politicians who are not as progressive as I would like. I also worry about her ability to raise the money she’ll need to raise to win the general election.
So, my mind’s still open, and so is the floor.
I’m supporting Jamie for one simple reason – because to my mind, he’s the finest candidate in this race. I’m not worried about him in the general, he’ll be going to Washington after winning the primary.
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And you’re right to be concerned about Nikki’s ties to Fallon – when it comes to the health care crisis in this country, Nikki is part of the problem, while Jamie is part of the solution.
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Thanks for asking for advice – that’s my two cents.
I listened to Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair John Walsh speak this afternoon. The Party has every intention of putting the full resources of the Democratic Party into electing our nominee. He stated that he has absolutely no intention of having the Party lose a seat under his watch. I have total faith in both John Walsh and Jamie Eldridge and am certain that he will be able to win the general election.
but no freshman is. Eldridge is young, and he’ll gain influence over time. He’ll also be one more legislator beating the drums for real progressive values, not putting his finger in the wind and playing to the media.
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I can’t vote for Eldridge, and I can’t even help him knock on doors [I’m many miles away until September]. I’ve thrown him a few bucks, and I’ve tried to stay current and keep my friends in MA-05 in the loop.
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I do hope you vote for Eldridge, because he’s the best guy for the job. Electibility got us GWB in 04.
I second the other posters. Jamie is the most consistent and substantive progressive in the race. If he wins the nomination, he will win the general election. In five years in the Mass. legislature he has already demonstrated great skill and tenacity in fighting for his priorities. Therefore I believe he will quickly become an effective progressive in Congress. He will be more like Barney Frank or Jan Schakowsky than like Dennis Kucinich.
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I am a volunteer for Jamie. Bob Van Meter
A dearly departed U.S. Senator once said, “Politics is not about big money or power games, it’s about the improvement of people’s lives.”
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I had a chance to see four of the five yesterday. (I wouldn’t have been interested in what Miceli had to say anyhow.) Of the four real Democrats, it was Eldridge who clearly showed that he thinks, and has taken action, like a Paul Wellstone – who is my gold standard for the type of person that we need many more of in Washington. Eldridge gets it.
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More effective than if we didn’t send him to Washington. And more effective than if we send someone whose positions on health care and the environment are already weaker than ours.
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After last week, you really have to ask yourself whether establishment Dems serve any purpose at all.
We all know that no freshman congressman will singlehandedly take over capitol hill and bring about sweeping reforms. That being said, the 5th district does have a choice between a candidate who will be a solid voice for progressive policies or others who will vote the right way most of the time but are less likely to become standard bearers for the congress I’d like to see.