There are three special elections for open House seats to replace members who were selected by Biden for his administration. All 3 are safe Democratic seats:
LA-02- Cedric Richmond (D+25)
NM-01- Deb Haaland (D+7)
OH-11- Marcia Fudge (D+32)
OH-11 and LA-02 were created by Republican legislatures to pack African-American voters into a district so that neighboring districts would be safer for Republicans. This cycle Richmond won a 6-way race with 63.6%; Fudge won with 80.1% and Haaland won with 58.2%. These are seats where the primary winner will be headed for a congressional career as long as they'd like it to be.
Hill reporter Tal Axelrod wrote about expected clashes between progressives and candidates from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party. Axelrod did his best to weave a story of ideological enmity and conflict and of a Democratic Party "wracked with ideological fissures." He warned that "With Trump gone, those divides could burst open again in what will likely be crowded fields of candidates."
I'm not sure I see it, although in Cleveland, ambitious politicians are attacking front-runner Nina Turner for her anti-Biden remarks over the past year.
Cleveland City Councilman Jeff Johnson (D), who is also running for Fudge’s seat, told The Hill in an interview that he is not looking to get into “trivial and silly” fights within the party but that Turner’s comments are “relevant to how you will be representing the interests of the 11th District.”
“I think it's irresponsible for anyone to come and ask for votes from the 11th District and then go to Washington to constantly challenge and confront Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, as stated by Sen. Turner and her allies looking forward to her coming so that they can force issues like ‘Medicare for All,’” he said.
Turner batted away that criticism, telling The Hill she has enjoyed an “outpouring of support and energy” around her campaign and that the voters will have the final say as to who they want their next representative to be.
“I am not running against or fighting against President Elect Biden. I can work with anyone who is committed to working on behalf of the people. We should all work together for the common good for the greatest number of people. That is my only goal,” she said in an email.
“A primary is the exchange of ideas; it is a contest of ideas,” Turner added. “We will compete and the voters will get the final say.”
Turner is being backed by virtually ever progressive group in the country. A couple of weeks ago Marianne Williamson wrote a post for us on why she's backing Turner's candidacy, whose campaign you can contribute to by clicking on this ActBlue link.
The other 2 races are not as fully defined as the one in Ohio and Axelrod was unable to come up with any candidates to prove the theory he pulled out of his ass. In New Mexico the CD-01 party central committee (174 people with a progressive majority) will select a nominee in lieu of a primary. The front runner is unabashed progressive state Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, who Blue America endorsed in 2018. She would be a powerful new progressive voice in Congress
Others running include a conservative state Rep, Melanie Stansbury, Brian Colón, New Mexico's state auditor-- also a conservative Democrat-- and trial lawyer Randi McGinn, one of the richest people in New Mexico (worth about $80 million), whose political positions are not worked out yet. There was talk about Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver running, but both have announced that they are staying in their current jobs. Several others-- including 4 state Reps-- are considering throwing their names into the hat. Please consider contributing to Antoinette's campaign by clicking on the Blue America 2021-22 congressional thermometer on the left.
The election to filled Richmond's seat inLouisiana will come in March with a jungle primary. If no one gets 50% in the first round, a runoff will be announced. There are 3 declared candidates, state Senators Troy Carter and Karen Carter Peterson (the EMILY's List candidate), and Baton Rouge activist Gary Chambers, Jr. A dozen other are mulling whether or not to jump into the race, including Natalie Robottom (president of the New Orleans City Council), former Congressman Cleo Fields, and 3 state Reps. Richmond is a conservative Democrat and I have a feeling most of the candidates for his seat are as well. I'm following up to see if any are progressives.
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