I know that a lot of party activists and insiders have been very supportive of Dianne Wilkerson’s campaign. As Democrats, it’s important that we rally behind the winner of the primary. However, Wilkerson’s sticker campaign makes this a unique situation: what do her party activist supporters do? Continue to support her, or unite behind the Democratic Nominee?
Well, I think the decision is obvious – Sonia’s politics are progressive, she’s energetic and will make a great State Senator. However, for those who can’t be compelled by common sense, it’s important to weigh the consequences of bucking the will of the Democratic Party’s voters. For starters, anyone who is a member of the DSC and would rather like remaining one, they should immediately make clear that they do not support Dianne at this point in time.
Why? According to Section 3 of the Democratic State Committee bylaws, supporting the opponent of the Democratic Nominee is direct grounds for removal. Members of local town, city and ward committees should take note – most local committees share the same policy.
Of course, I hope that the establishment that supported Dianne Wilkerson that extended beyond the party will take heed, too. MassEquality should note Sonia’s amazing numbers in Jamaica Plain, for example, which has an extremely high proportion of GLBT voters. If Sonia didn’t have the vocal and active support of the glbt community in her soon-to-be district, she simply wouldn’t have won the race. Continuing to buck those voters will cost volunteers and contributions – not to mention credibility.
I only wish Wilkerson could have remained above the fray in this election. As a losing incumbent, she could have taken the respectful route and worked on her problems and continued to be an advocate over the next two years, running in the next primary, respecting the Democratic process of the party she’s been elected to represent over the past 15 years. Instead, she pulled a Joe Lieberman, embracing the politics of division and choosing to try to tear this district apart in her quest to stay in power. The utter waste of resources – that could be spent in local and national races (races that we need to win) – is disparaging. But, the fact that she thinks her opinion is more worthy than the opinion of the party she’s been elected from these past years is intolerable.
Your post is very clear, but it should wait until when/if the Senator loses the recount. People who support her should do so unless she decides to go forward with the sticker campaign – and they may have a role in talking her out of it.
where things will stand before she decides to run the sticker campaign. There’s a lot of people who will be on local committees, etc. and probably not realize that by supporting Dianne in a sticker campaign they’re risking expulsion.
<
p>Obviously, Dianne has the right to the recount. If she wins that, then she does. But if she doesn’t and still goes on, her current supporters should think twice before extending that support to a sticker campaign – because, for many, there will be consequences.
“embracing the politics of division and choosing to try to tear this district apart in her quest to stay in power”
<
p>What power? Any Democratic Party that is worth our money and time will keep Wilkerson as far away from any real power in the State House as any Republican.
there’s more than the political aspect to this for most legislators, there’s the personal subsistence aspect. i highly doubt she has been lining up other work “just in case”.
If Dianne Wilkerson loses the recount on Saturday, it’s over as far as Democrats are concerned. Sonia Chang-Diaz is the Democratic standard bearer fair and square. She ran for it, she worked for the votes, she played by the rules and the voters have spoken.
<
p>Gov. Patrick, Mayor Menino, Sen. Kerry, Sen. Pres. Murray and the others who supported Dianne’s losing bid, should and will stand for Sonia and work for her election in November. Because there are no separate rules for Dianne (although some would argue that there have been very separate rules for her in the past)..
<
p>If Dianne cannot accept defeat and chooses to prolong the race with stickers (against the sound advice of former supporters)…shame on her…and I hope it will only spur others to step up and help Sonia and ensure that the rightful Democratic winner goes to Beacon Hill.
<
p>
In Somerville 4 years ago Vinny Ciampa after losing the Democratic Primary to Carl Sciortino ran a sticker campaign in the General Election in November. So, he wasn’t kicked off his Democratic Ward Committee, and in fact he was on the ballot this year and won another term on the Ward Committee. He even recieved that 20 year Lifetime member reward this year so that in future years he never has to run on the ballot again. He is an automatic lifetime member of his Ward and City Committee.
<
p>When certain Democratic Somerville Aldermen supported the Republican Nominee for State Senator against Democratic Primary winner Pat Jehlen they were not kicked off their Democratic Ward committees. One of them was actually Chair of his ward committee. They then went on to be delegates to the next Democratic State Convention.
<
p>Even if the rule only applies to DSC members rather than City or Town Democratic Committee members, It just seems wrong.
is they’re only enforced when a) people know them and b) they’re willing to do something about it. It’s probably too late for Vinny and those certain aldermen, but it’s not too late for anyone who supports Wilkerson’s sticker bid. If they do so and are a part of the party apparatus, they should be booted from it.
It seems wrong that members of Democratic City Committees can support publically opponents of the Democratic Nominee.
<
p>Unless of course they are going to prison like John Bonomo.