Every time I have attended a political event over the past few weeks I’ve heard the same thing: “The President will be re-elected and we are going to pick up legislative seats.” There seems to be a cockiness that has permeated the Democratic ranks. We are more confident than we were in 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2010. The only time I recall this level of cockiness, bordering on arrogance, was in 2004 and that election proved to be a disaster. Much like 2004, the Republicans are appealing to their base with great effect, polarizing the nation politically while attempting to create wedge issues. Yesterday, James Carville sounded an alarm to Democrats, saying “we haven’t won anything yet.”
Here in Florida we face our usual uphill climb. The GOP and its allied PACs will flood the state with negative ads and will be working hard to get out the vote. Today we learned, courtesy of the Republican-leaning BizPac, that the best Democratic pickup opportunity in the State Senate will be more competitive than hoped if early polling is an indicator. While this poll gives us no indication as to who was sampled, and whether Ellyn Bogdanoff was clearly identified as a Republican or if Maria Sachs was clearly idenitifed as a Democrat, it should be enough to force progressives in Southeast Florida to get moving towards the goal of unseating one of Florida’s most right wing Senators. (Bogdanoff was one of a 12 Florida Senators to achieve a 100% score from the American Conservative Union in 2011 and recently was ranked in the Senate top 10 by Associated Industries of Florida). Given that the Democrats last beat an incumbent GOP State Senator in 1992, recent history should serve as enough motivation to get progressives working for good candidates and against bad legislators. The assumption that Sachs will beat Bogdanoff because it is a Democratic performing seat would repeat the fallacies of past failed election efforts.
This election cycle will be the most critical of our lifetime as the GOP could achieve complete control over the federal government at the same time as they control the majority of Governorships and legislative chambers around the nation. Progressives of all stripes must also work extra hard to turn out voters who may have been disappointed by certain aspects of the Obama/Biden record and by the continued propensity of Democrats in Florida to cut deals and protect their own self-interest. Only by working hard on behalf of local candidates and activist groups can we maximize our potential this November. In many critical parts of the state, the local Democratic parties are broken and need volunteer help as well as creative and innovative thinking.
Do not believe this election is by any means won. As James Carville said yesterday, “we have not won anything yet.”
Obama’s people will work hard to get out the vote. We also have an all star roster of local candidates in Palm Beach that will drive the vote. Dave Aronberg and Joe Abruzzo both will be on the ballot. Ted Deutch is very popular county wide and he will fire up the base voters. If Sachs loses it is her own fault.
Florida is so out of balance in Tallahassee. The Republicans rule, So if the Democrats want more of the same, Stay home…Some might say we are a one party system (me) in Washington because nothing gets done, and that our representatives are representing themselves
Some of the good guys lost their seats (Dennis Kucinich), Does this mean that we are a reflection of who we vote for?
Subscribing to the play book of what’s in it for me and I got mine mentality, has only contributed to the tremendous inequality and lack of critical thinking skills needed for a healthy economic society. We have allowed the media to push their agenda of fear. sound bites and theater.
As far as the Sachs race goes, we all know about the constant infighting amongst the Palm Beach County political elite (Burt,Weiss and Handler, and the Delray Mafia). They will find a way to screw this up and then blame someone else. Many of us know how often they play all 4 corners in each cycle. They did not back Maria the first time she ran and are no more in love with her now. let’s not forget how Maria backed Christ and how often she voted with the Republicans. This same group is currently trying to topple the Supervisor of Elections. In Palm Beach County the area under the bus can get extremely crowded at election time.
You do know that Aaronson’s crowd will quietly back Ellyn. She worked for Weiss & Handler until recently and Sachs husband is the rival lawyer.
Then when Sachs loses they will blame the other people like the FDP, outside consultants and even Ron Klein if it suits the agenda.
Hey, MS. Are you schtupping Aronberg and Abruzzo?
Molder is spot on. Oh, and Boca Voter, I know Sen. Sachs is not Jewish but I don’t think she backed Christ.
Maybe it is because Bogdanoff is a good lawyer and W & H is an actual law firm that needs qualified lawyers. Abruzzo works there too as a consultant.
W & H is a racist firm. Just check out their all-white list of attorneys and consultants. http://www.weisshandler.com/weiss-handler-attorneys.asp
Let me guess, MS, now you’ll tell me they have plenty of minority staffers. They’re the ones cleaning the toilets, right? So typical of the racist south county mafia.
Deutch is good at getting out the losers as candidates. Deutch is such a jackass. Just wait when he sees what will happen with Abruzzo and Aronberg. Titanic. Sachs is going to take them all down with her. Don’t screw with crazy. Deutch BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!
While the activists have lots of energy the continued use of race as an issue and promotion of people like Laxer who would have no business running for office hurts the credibility of the party. If the activists would get behind the leadership of Commissioner Aaronson, Congressman Deutch we would be better off. Abruzzo and Aronberg are young superstars in the party and will win. Talking up Laxer, Gersham, Neuhoff and all these other gadfly and unapproved candidates hurts the party and hurts Obama. Does anyone in their right mind actually believe Laxer would make a better Senator than Abruzzo? Neuhoff a better commissioner than Aaronson or Berger? Anyone better than Aronberg?
WAKE UP PEOPLE!
I wish other DECs were so big that they could have an “infighting” problem. Must be nice to have that luxury 🙂
Palm Beach is a special place, Dave. The DEC is pathetically weak. It is the Democratic clubs that run rough-shot over the DEC forming their own PACs and spending money in primaries and sometimes for Republicans in non-partisan races.
Laxer is backing Marylou. I hope Laxer runs against Abruzzo. Neuoff is a joke. Who is Gersham? I dont think Laxer is running. I spoke to Laxer. She is not running as much as we want her to. She friendly with Aronberg isn’t she? Didn’t she date him or something?
Have you seen Orange County? lol
It’s Ted Deutch’s fault race is an issue. Why did he not sit out a race where Bernard is being promoted. It is not a minority district but creating a race war in a district that includes Riveria Beach is not a good idea, is it?
I love how Krishnaiyer always talks about Bogdanoff as if she is some right winger. NOT TRUE! Most people would say she’s moderate. I actually like her but won’t vote for a Republican.
Laxer campaigned openly and actively for Gelber pissing off everyone in the process. I love that girl! She told them where to park it. I doubt she dated Aronberg but if she did, it did not affect her jeudgement in the AG race.
Laxer never dated Dave and we need her to run. Morning Star is Wexler’s staffer that keeps writing on this blog who has hates Laxer and always has because she is smart and hot. She would not run against Skidmore in 90 when Deutch endorsed Slosberg for the seat in 2010. She left working for Deutch. Since that time they have been scared of her. Abruzzo and Dave all get along with her. The person that has a problem with her is Wendi and Sachs. Who are both working with Crist, Weiss and Handler, Sachs, Sax and Kaplan within Deutch’s office like they did in 2010. Laxer wants nothing to do with them. So since 2010 they have been worried that she will run and WIN.
Smart, Hot and Jewish….Scary huh. I dont think she is doing it though. She is down with PBC. Morning Start tries to put her down with the rest of the losers like Bryan Miller, Rick Neuoff, Kevin Rader, etc because they know she can win. They also try to start fires where is no smoke.
Abruzzo dated Aronberg while Andre watched.
Dave has higher standards than Laxer. I know he would never date someone as flaky as her. He is a real catch.
As far as Laxer is concerned she burnt the leadership before. She had her chances. She was good with Deutch but wanted it all and tried to muscle Wendi out. She has to be the star. The activists have fed her ego by making her the star. We know she has support but just not enough to beat Abruzzo and she will divide the party in an election year. We cannot afford that. We need to all be on the same team. Aaronson , Deutch and Aronberg are out leaders, loyal Democrats who will deliver Florida for Obama.
As much as you people like Laxer she could cost Obama, Murphy and Jacobs or Frankel if we are forced to run a primary for Abruzzo. I hope Tara realizes the consequences of a possible run.
I agree. Laxer is smart and hot!!! I hope she runs!
Run Tara Win! Make them miserable!
Laxer tried to muscle Wendi out? I knew she did not get along with her but she is now officially my hero. Smart, nice, hot and against Wendi Wexler???? I’ll buy that candidate any day of the week!
On the subject of this post if Bogdanoff wins we are not blaming Neuhoff, Laxer or complacency. We are blaming Weiss, Handler, Aaronson, Deutch and Wexler.
I’m not sure Laxer should run. Shed be better off choking Sachs in the primary. That should have been her seat anyway and she will beat Bogdanoff. I give Laxer a lot of credit for backing Gelber and Meek last time. It finalized her break with Deutch and Wendi. But I think Abruzzo is strong and we ought to get a stronger, purer candidate in the most important race. Seriously, Sadhs backed Bush and Crist. Some Democrat she is. I like Kartik’s writing but this time taking Sachs side is unlike him and a disappointment from someone I felt was more principled. I know you hate Ellyn, K but you always lecture on this site about conservative demos and not backing them. Why are you for Sachs then???????
Its no luxury, believe me !
But we do have a glorious headquarters in the back of a strip mall
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apjlaw/7167197298/
I truly think we need to do some “outside the thinking” to make the Democratic Party successful. Wondering, because of the amount of money in campaigns nowadays, if certain organizations have run their course. That is why I introduced The National Democratic Scholastic Program, because I feel that we need to do vital functions on our own,like training candidates, that the party at all levels refuse to do or do half-ass.
Sachs voting record is better than Bogdanoff.
If we were going by policy, Sachs should run against Abruzzo and the Ds should have a strong D woman run against Bogdanoff maybe Bradenburg. The reason this is not the case is because like Wexler, Deutch is going to make money from all those between Weiss and Handler…and Sachs. Dude Laxer they love they just think she is a threat because she is not a robot. Aronberg is going to bust all of these people in due time
Had to Google search that one.
i agree with this…..we have been lulled into a sense of complacency by favorable polls and a media that is acting as if the race is over. they did the same thing when kerry ran. look what happened that time. disaster!
I like Berger and Laxer. Dave I question. Gershman I don’t know. Wexler I never liked. Abruzzo I like.
How about the Voters Coalition formed so erstwhile Dems could endorse Republicans and yet stay on the DEC????? Delray Beach is a sewer.
A Laxer candidacy would actually help Obama because it would excite the base. That having been said she should not run. Abruzzo has earned this chance.
Abruzzo is an in articulate moron. Laxer will kill him .
So you don’t want the base to come out so we run Abruzzo? Are we trying to GOTV for Romney? I think the best thing we can do is have people like Sean Phillippi and Mark Pafford scream for Obama with Randolph. Wexler should stay home if he wants Obama to win. He should do it for his county, state and country…He owes us at least that. I am so so so excited about Dave Aronberg running for SA because Ron Klein taught him how to play with Wexler, Deutch and company …and then screw them in the long run for their corruption. Thank you Dave. WE LOVE YOU. You are the KING of the COUNTY!
We just need to get out the vote. Regardless of who is in the way locally and who wants to hurt the party like whoever this morning person is….we need to focus on the re-election campaign of Obama.
Everything will fall into place including any that might be involved in corruption. The truth always wins.
It would be awesome if Laxer ran. I think she will really fire up the activists and get people off their butts and work. She will out in the time and help the whole ticket.
Did you really say “unapproved candidates?”. Isn’t this a democracy with Democratic primaries to find the best candidates that the voters want to represent them? Or are you just looking for people that will never bring up your taking money behind the dumpster?
Enough with the Laxer shit. She doesn’t leave Boca so there is no chance she will run for anything. You have to leave the driveway to be a candidate. Oh, and she has such a hard on for Abruzzo because he didnt want to date her. Everyone knows that, except Tara herself.
Laxer never dated Abruzzo and just by changing your name on a blog does not mean you are not the same person who keeps bad mouthing everyone including Sachs and Laxer.
I still think that Sachs should run against Abruzzo. She would win and if Abruzzo is such a great elected he should run against Bogdanoff. The truth is they are backing Bogdanoff. The same people that are backing Abruzzo, Slosberg, Deutch and Rader. They are all Rs.
You are all confused you are thinking of the blonde who dated Dave, Jeff and Joe. Wrong lady.
Being smart, hot and Jewish are not the major criteria for office. Being savvy, working to develop networks and raise money and help democrats are more important. Laxer may be a young good looking female but she has worked against our party locally opposing Aronberg and Greene in 2010 and by encouraging activists to work against Wexler. As for leaving Boca it will be tough to run for her in a district that includes North County and the western communities.
Laxer did a campaign against Wexler? That is not true she was Deutch’s chief of staff in the senate when Wexler was in Congress. Laxer doesn’t live in Boca anymore. We all voted for Meek that is how he won the primary. Aronberg lost the primary against Gelber. Big deal she was 2 in 2. I think we need to focus on getting out the vote and not MS hardon for Laxer. She has not even filed for anything or said she was going to this time …you already have a hard on. Go get the votes out instead of your insecurities about Bobby baby.
You guys are all stupid. Laxer left working for Deutch because he played the game. Laxer didn’t want to and didn’t agree with the Afganistan war…why is MS making it about Wexler. This county HATES Wexler and loves Deutch. The person you should feel bad for is Wendi who has been hurt in the crossfire with all this because they hate Wexler…and Deutch has her as his staffer. We love Wendi, Tara and Deutch …it is Wexler we have a problem with. Deutch is the schmuck in all of this. Not anyone else. He has proved that when he and Bobby do everything together now. What a pity. Wendi keep doing great and Laxer best of luck in all you do. We are all proud of you both!
Ellyn is going to win this seat. She is going to knock on doors, raise money and go back to the middle because she knows that many Democrats will vote for her. She is going to squash Maria like she did Kelly.