I had heard rumors this might happen. I received the email below from Allen Waters announcing he is contesting Senator Warren’s renomination. I think Donald Trump does a better job reading the political mood than this guy does. For a statewide race he wants to run to Warren’s right! I believe he initially considered seeking the GOP nomination and just recently changed his registration. I know the GOP wants to bloody Warren in anticipation of a 2020 presidential candidacy so part of me wonders if Waters is a stalking horse. I suggest we watch closely where his money comes from. My gut bet is that he doesn’t get 15% at next year’s convention. At least Ed O’Reilly could claim faithfulness to the platform when he challenged Kerry! In case anyone is wondering he did not address today’s convention and I did not see a table for him.
Dear Christopher,
This is Allen Waters from Mashpee, the land of the Wampanoag. I am a 61 year old, black conservative “Blue Dog” Democrat running for U.S. Senate against Elizabeth Warren. I am the right candidate to attract moderates and conservatives, inside and outside the Party, especially those Mass Democrats who unenrolled because they were dissatisfied with the changes over the years after President Kennedy.
I want you to support my grassroots campaign because I believe we should grow the economy, protect our culture and, above all, protect the American people. I also believe that free enterprise is the cure for the failure on poverty in America.A party official recently told me that I should not challenge the incumbent. That’s not how our Democracy is supposed to work. America does not just belong to the wealthy and academic elites, the media or the political establishments. America also belongs to the people, including the common men and women, like myself, who want peace and prosperity for themselves and their families, and to be able to retire in dignity.The more you get to know me, the more you will get to like me. In the weeks ahead, I hope you learn more about my campaign, and invite me to speak with your groups.In God’s hands,Allen
Republican
In 2016, the Cape Cod Times described Waters as a “Mashpee Republican” when he dropped out of the Republican primary to challenge Bill Keating.
The Times said Waters “did not want to be a spoiler to other Republican candidates who might have a stronger chance to go further.”
Hmm. This might be good news — an easily dispensed challenger, to bring some attention to the race.
Whenever I read something like “protect our culture,” I take that to mean “let’s make sure to ostracize those folks over there.” The only part of our culture that needs protecting is the ability of everyone to be a part of it.
Join the party, Mr. Waters!
I don’t expect that I’ll vote for him, but I welcome him in to the race. I want my candidate to work for those votes, and I think a primary helps us to push and pull and prod and poke at our policies and platforms, peacefully. 😛
Meh. Double edge sword… yeah, there’s the possibility of the ‘push and pull and prod and poke’ against the platform and policies to which you refer, and which I’m all in favor of… but there’s also the possibility — indeed the greater likelihood given the reward Trump received for his, um, hijinks — of devolving into a primary version of the 2012 general elections ‘Pocahontas v dipshit’
So while the ne plus ultra would be two, or more, candidates committed to policy and platform, I’d have to say my second choice is, in fact, no challenge, far and above any muckracking and mudslinging where everybody loses ground.
Hope nobody minds too much that I’m using diarist’s prerogative to comment on an old post, but I just had reason to look at his website again and noticed that he is back to running as a Republican.