Progressives that Biden doesn't like

Creepy Uncle Joe is the ultimate insider of the Democratic Party establishment, so when he endorses someone you know that he's not doing you any favors.
So who has Biden endorsed? Darren Soto is one.
Soto is notable for only one thing - who he's running against.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, a possible presidential candidate in 2020, took sides in one of the most competitive Democratic congressional primaries in the Sunshine State.

On Tuesday, Biden endorsed U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, D-Fla., for a second term in Congress over former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla. In 2016, Grayson ran for the U.S. Senate but was routed in the Democratic primary by then U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., while Soto defeated a field of candidates--including his current rival’s wife Dena Grayson--to win the open seat.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus Political Action Committee came out in support of Soto.

Soto has the endorsements of every single member of the Florida Democratic Congressional Caucus.

Nancy Pelosi also didn't want Grayson to run.

"But Darren is there now and is very important to us in terms of generationally and also in terms of issues that relate to Puerto Rico, which are a priority for us to address. I have supported Darren Soto. I'm sad that Alan chose to come back in that race.

It sounds like Grayson is an unpopular candidate running against a popular progressive candidate.

Looks are deceiving.

He has an adoring national progressive base, with more than 100,000 campaign donors. He passed more legislation than any other member of Congress. Grayson also has a lot to show locally for his time in office, like the VA Hospital, the extension of SunRail, and big increases in federal funding in his district.
...
In 2016, Soto squeaked by in a four-way primary, with just 37% of the vote against three opponents who had never run for office before. Soto isn’t a fundraising lightweight, though. He notched over $400,000 last year, 65% of it from corporate special interest PACs, and he continues to raise money.

If Grayson challenges Soto, it would be an interesting race to watch. One website said that a poll showed Grayson 65%, Soto 35%, but it wouldn’t necessarily be an easy win for Grayson. Soto had many conserative positions in the Florida Legislature, drawing an “A” rating from the NRA and voting for “docs vs. Glocks,” a $200 fee from women seeking protection from domestic violence and mandatory ‘transvaginal ultrasound’ for women seeking an abortion.

Firstly, Soto is anything but a progressive. His conservadem credentials will not inspire the base.
Secondly, it looks like another case of the Dem establishment trying to shove a centrist candidate down throat of it's progressive base.

Finally, I looked and failed to find a single poll on this race. Which is a curious coincidence when I looked at Biden's other major Democratic primary endorsement.

Over on Long Island, Biden, who spoke for about 45 minutes—much longer than Clinton, who clocked in at 12 minutes—pointed to Cuomo’s achievements such as paid family leave, marriage equality, a statewide $15 minimum wage and tougher gun laws.

“Andrew Cuomo has never backed away from his progressive principles, not one single time,” Biden argued.

I've already gone over Cuomo's questionable "progressive" credentials.
However, I couldn't help but notice the lack of recent polls in the NY governor's race.
nygov.PNG

So Nixon starts out way behind, then cuts the lead in half in just a month, and then...not a single poll in six weeks?!?!
WTF?
Are we simply not doing polls in primaries where establishment candidates might lose to progressives?

Share
up
0 users have voted.

Comments

Are we simply not doing polls in primaries where establishment candidates might lose to progressives?

And when I look at those numbers you listed, I can’t help but be reminded of all the polls showing Her victorious.

up
0 users have voted.

Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.

detroitmechworks's picture

Hath spoken, and as she is infallible, so shall we vote.

Accept these judgements for thou art sexist and hath a special place in hell if thou dost not.

Yeah, though we suffer at the betrayals of the heretics, we shall not fail, for their votes will always be with us.

I'm With Her.

/snark

up
0 users have voted.

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Steven D's picture

the discrepancy between what the the polls showed and the "counted" votes won't be exposed.

It's why exit polls are no longer being done. To hide the election fraud.

up
0 users have voted.

"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

@Steven D

just in case. that's my take, also.

also to put a brake on any momentum Nixon might build.

"Any trick in the book now baby, that I might find."

up
0 users have voted.
ggersh's picture

me a misogynistic, racist Cuomo bro?

I get confused

up
0 users have voted.

I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

"centrist democrat". It kind of implies a 50/50 balanced voting record. They punt and waffle on the social issues and the rest of the votes, they might as well be moderate republicans. But then again, maybe that's the updated definition these days.

up
0 users have voted.
Wink's picture

She's out there busting her ass!
I think she has zero chance of beating Mario Jr., but she gets major props for trying!
I've actually shaken hands with Alan Grayson. Big guy! At least 6'2". And looks you in the eye as he says hello. Yeah, he can be an asshat, but you get the real deal with that guy. There's no mistaking him for a blue dog.

up
0 users have voted.

the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

Mark from Queens's picture

@Wink
I guess. But only because they'll steal it. If it were a fair election I think he might get his ass handed to him.

But these polls are bullshit, aren't they? As Dr. John said upthread, it's eerily similar to the 2016 primaries. Once they started showing Bernie on the gain - they nixed the polls, to use a pertinent pun.

Zephyr Teachout, with absolutely no coverage at all in the media, managed to get like 35% of the vote last time. So deep is the Cuomo disdain. Nixon is a known face, a celebrity (hello, 2016 election!) and infinitely more likeable (the key quality in dumbed-down American elections). Will there even be debates? Hell no. Like his counterpart $hills, he'll make sure that's minimized, because he has nothing, like her. Another vapid, soulless Protectorate of the Wealthy.

I can't stand Cuomo. He is the ultimate Neoliberal poster boy. Really there's just too much to say, and I ain't got the time.

Then there's the carpetbagger Crowley, another POS Neoliberal who is my Congressman. Like the Neoliberal Nightmare in Albany, he's also being challenged by another progressive (though I really can't vouch for the validity of either of their platforms) woman.

I'm leaning toward voting against these two pricks. But it's a real quandry, I tell you. In this case, and because of what happened in 2016 and before, I believe very strongly that primaries held by the Democratic Party are a complete joke and totally stolen at will. They'll absolutely do the same to these two. Though I believe if there were accurate elections both of these primaries would see the incumbents defeated by the energized challenger's volunteers and canvassers getting out the vote.

up
0 users have voted.

"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:

THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"

- Kurt Vonnegut

thanatokephaloides's picture

Are we simply not doing polls in primaries where establishment candidates might lose to progressives?

Or the mainstream media isn't publishing them now because of the unpleasant (to ownership) information in them.

Bad

up
0 users have voted.

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

boriscleto's picture

The national Democrats decided that they wanted failed Syracuse mayoral candidate Juanita Perez Williams to lose to the incumbent Republican John Katko instead of the more progressive SU Visiting Professor Dana Balter. She just barely got enough signatures to force a primary. Balter is already on the Working Families Party and Women's Equality Party ballot lines, so they are really just going to split the vote...

Not that it really matters. White people in CNY love Katko...As a federal prosecutor he specialized in putting black gang members in prison for violating the RICO Act. And he occasionally makes a show of opposing Trump, but always votes in his favor in the end...We already get "Katko voted for the Trump tax cut that hurts New Yorkers" ads every commercial break.

It really doesn't matter to me. I'm voting for good old Howie Hawkins on the Green Party line...

up
0 users have voted.

" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "

Wink's picture

the Green line until
@boriscleto
they put him in the ground.
I'm not sure if 'cuse Repubs or Dims put Perez Williams in the race, but she literally seemed to appear out of nowhere. Kind of like Dylan Ratigan here in 21. Dana, I guess, making up too much ground. A real shame. Some good candidates out there! Damn few will win. And none if the Dim party have their way.

up
0 users have voted.

the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.