“Sarah McBride to Primary Tom Carper” Part 4
This is the 4th and probably last installment of this series. By the end of this post all people of good will should agree that I’ve made a strong case that Sarah McBride:
- SHOULD challenge Tom Carper in a primary,
- CAN beat Tom Carper in that primary, and
- WILL beat Tom Carper in a primary.
I said yesterday that it would take drive and money to dislodge the shambling corpse. Like most corpses shambling around the US Senate Carper’s campaign coffers are stuffed with money. In most states the sums needed to be raised and spent to beat a shambling corpse would be staggering. Delaware is a little different though.
With no major media market, and no statewide media to speak of, Delaware is a cheap state to compete in. Still, for the sake of argument, let’s say it could take millions to compete against Carper. Beyond my measly contribution of $29.95, could McBride raise the staggering sums required? Fuck yeah, she could.
Having established a national profile and with deep connections in every significant LGBT advocacy group, McBride’s “call list” is going to be juicy AF. This is by no means a complete list of PACs dedicated to helping LGBTQ candidates:
- LPAC was founded in 2012. Since then they’ve have raised more than $6.1 million from supporters in all 50 states and helped elect over 115 LGBTQ candidates to office.
- Equality PAC is the political arm of the Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus. In the last election cycle it raised over $6.3m for openly LGBTQ individuals and strong LGBTQ allies running for US Rep and US Senate.
- Human Rights Campaign
- LGBT Victory Fund helps elect LGBTQ people to positions at all levels of government.
These and many other progressive funders could provide a solid base for local outreach and fundraising within Delaware. And I’m pretty sure they would flock to a Sarah McBride candidacy. Just check out LGBT Victory Fund’s pop-up ad.(below)
They know Sarah, and the prospect of electing the nations first trans senator – even while the GOP is escalating its attacks on trans rights – would be unbelievably attractive.
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Also, she’s actually FROM Delaware… unlike possible racist (in that all white people are at least unintentionally racist) Tommy Carpetbag.
Sorry, Som, but I don’t think elevating the discourse actually wins elections anymore… I used to. Reality no longer supports that notion for me.
The ends is someone as worthy and capable as Sarah McBride as a us senator. The means is mocking a sub par 1%er who has made a career out of slowing down progressive causes by being slightly better than the QoP.
Word.
Having laid all of this out, my only fear now is that Carper will read it and slink into retirement without putting up a fight.
A lifelong office holder will Never slink off they need to be pushed, maybe with a wall behind them:)
Good point. Part of that is because by Carper’s age these shambling corpses are an industry that a bunch of people depend on for their daily bread.
He will enter this contest with a phalanx of people around him constantly letting him know how great he is and how important his re-election is to the republic.
Lordy Lordy what would Ed Freel do without him:)
The only problem I see with this whole argument is that you are banking on Sarah being a stone stepper, which I don’t think she is. To run for United State Senate after having one term as a state senator under your belt would, I think, be a slap in the face to the constituent base who supported her in SD 1. They had a master of the senate in that seat who stepped aside because he saw the talent and passion would bring to the state senate and I don’t see her trying to make a career change just because viably she could.
Meh. She’d get 85% of the vote in her district if she primaries Carper.
Also – people said the same thing about Obama being a one term senator. History does not remember the people who meekly wait their turn.
I have no doubt she would get an overwhelming majority of her district to vote for her, it’s not really a wait your turn thing, I think she’s more than capable, and there’s nothing wrong with ambition. But jumping right into that race after one term seems kinda like stone stepping; and you’re correct, people said that about Barack Obama and he proved many wrong, so perhaps I’ll be proven wrong… just wanted to give my thoughts
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Great comment.
Ben: Why do you think rank-and-file democrats would support a candidate who unfairly called Carper a racist? That’s the kind of thing most voters don’t like, even democrats. P.S. I would never vote for Carper.