Know what I learned about Tom Carper in this election? He supports a $15 an hour minimum wage. I didn’t know that about him before. For the simple reason that he didn’t before, and he came out against Bernie Sanders’ bill to raise it in 2017. He changed only because he was challenged by a Democrat with a platform aimed at the people of the state rather than its special interests.
The new Tom Carper also said he supports marijuana legalization. The old one didn’t.
The updated Carperbot is even in favor of re-importing pharmaceuticals from Canada. The old model voted against legislation allowing the import of FDA-approved drugs from select foreign countries in 2017, 2012, 2011, and twice in 2009.
Tom Carper said in his debate with Kerri Harris, “The thing I’ve heard the most from people in Delaware over the last several years is, ‘Why can’t you guys in Congress work together?’” Tom Carper spent $3.3 million of the $3.5 million he raised defeating Harris. Perhaps if he spent less time talking to the people who gave him $3.5 million and more listening to the people he’s elected to represent he wouldn’t say something so elitist and out of touch.
My point is that Kerri Harris’ campaign delivered everything progressives could reasonably have hoped for. This new Tom Carper might not be a ball of progressive fire, but he’s been forced into some positions that won’t win him any applause from his supporters at the Chamber of Commerce or the VFW, and that he never would have adopted otherwise.
I think most people who donated to the Harris campaign would agree that’s a pretty good return on investment.