Published: Friday, May 17, 2020
The upcoming U.S. House election offers a glimmer for the Democratic Party, despite a difficult Senate map and the former president Donald Trump leading several swing states polls.
Rep. Suzan DelBene, Washington State’s Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair (DCCC), believes her party has a good chance of retaking the U.S. House in the fall. She notes that not all Democratic campaigns look the same.
Why We Wrote this
Suzan DelBene, a Washington State Democratic Representative, spoke at a Monitor Breakfast about the importance of different perspectives as well as her party’s chances of retaking the U.S. House in the fall.
DelBene said that there are places where the two races might overlap at a Monitor Breakfast on Friday. “But there are also a number of races where the focus is not as intense on the presidential side.”
DelBene stated that the Republicans have a four-seat advantage. She sees “a tremendous opportunity” to regain this majority in the districts where President Joe Biden will be elected in 2020. This includes seats in New York, California, and other states. The DCCC also has identified 29 “frontliners” (Democratic candidates in purple districts), and 20 “red to blue” candidates to support.
The upcoming U.S. House election offers a glimmer for the Democratic Party, despite a difficult Senate map and the former president Donald Trump leading several swing states polls.
Rep. Suzan delBene, a Washington State representative and chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which recruits candidates for competitive reelections and supports incumbents who are facing them, is confident about the chances of her party to retake control of the U.S. House in the fall. While she’s confident that Joe Biden will be reelected, Ms. DelBene admits that all Democratic campaigns are not the same.
DelBene said at the Monitor Breakfast on Friday that “our races are unique races.” “There are places where we may overlap, but there are also a number of races where the focus is not as intense on the presidential side.”
Why We Wrote this
Suzan DelBene, a Washington State Democratic Representative, spoke at a Monitor Breakfast about the importance of different perspectives as well as her party’s chances of retaking the U.S. House in the fall.
DelBene believes that the Republicans have an “incredible” opportunity to regain their four-seat majority. She sees this in the 16 Republican seats currently held in districts won by Mr. Biden in 2020 as well as in seats in blue states like New York and California. The DCCC map, which focuses on 65 races and 29 “front-liners”, or Democratic incumbents who are running in purple districts, as well as 20 “red to blue” candidates aiming to flip Republican seats is also a part of the DCCC’s map.
Hakeem Jeffreys, the House Minority leader, hand-picked Ms. DelBene to lead DCCC in 2022 after what was perceived as a mismanagement by many of the competitive races. Her colleagues describe her as a thoughtful and patient leader who takes time to listen before making decisions.
DelBene says, “I ran a number of organizations before becoming a member in Congress. I approached DCCC similarly.” “I came to Congress as a representative of a swing district. I understand how important it is that we have not only great candidates, but that people run the races in a way that’s authentic to them.
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The following are some more excerpts of the breakfast that have been lightly edited to clarify.
What advice do you give to candidates on how to handle the Israel-Gaza conflict? The party is clearly divided. Talk about your feelings and be authentic. People can tell when someone is scripted or not being honest about their feelings. Call out the Republican cynicism. The most recent legislation that they brought to the floor regarding Israel was not about addressing a problem. This was a purely political decision. It’s important to highlight that. Republicans continue to place their politics above all else.
How will you reach out to young voters? There will be a big shift towards digital media and social media because this is where many people get their news. It’s important to engage with people where they get their information. [that] People are engaging with young people to ensure that they understand the issues. Young people are concerned about similar issues. When we speak to people across the country, economic opportunity is the number one issue for all age groups.
How do you coach front-liners to show those former Republican voters who are homeless that the Democratic tent will be big enough to accommodate them? Marcy Kaptur is one of five Democrats who hold seats that Trump won in 2020. [of Ohio], Marie Glusenkamp Perez [of Washington]Mary Peltola, Matt Cartwright, Jared Golden, all of whom have been elected because they are authentic, trustworthy candidates, who represent their respective regions. They want someone they can trust and not necessarily one who will agree with them on everything.
Has the front-line been able take these viewpoints from districts and gain some traction within more diverse viewpoints in the Democratic caucus. I think you become a better politician when you are forced to listen to different points of views and come up with the best solution.
We would also benefit from healthy bipartisan discussions. It has been very disappointing to see moderate Republicans disappear. They are all gone from Congress. They lost in the primaries. They resigned and moved on. We have ended up at a point where the Republican Party and certainly the House has been taken over the most extremist members of the Republican caucus.
I would love to see both sides of the political spectrum have people who are willing and able to do this. We need to let the American people know that we don’t accept this. We won’t be represented by them. They won’t be in the House of Representatives.
Source: The Christian Science Monitor