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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat challenge? Feinstein romps ahead in California primary with turns to the left.
By David Weigel
June 3 at 6:32 PM
SACRAMENTO It was supposed to be a defining battle for the Democratic Partys future, Californias Sen. Dianne Feinstein against her partys fired-up activist left. Amid predictions of a Democratic civil war, one of the states largest labor unions endorsed her opponent and urged voters to reject establishment politics.
Yet days before Tuesdays top-two primary, Feinstein is cruising toward what even her field of opponents acknowledge will be a giant victory. Her best-known opponent, state Sen. Kevin de León (D), who charged into the race last year on a message of generational change, has found himself challenged by a little-known Republican for the second spot in the November runoff, as lesser-known liberals fracture the anti-Feinstein vote.
Feinstein has bent the race her way by portraying herself as a reliable liberal in the Senate minority and by moving further left and co-opting issues key to the states Democrats. And as she prepares to turn 85, she has allied herself with the partys young activists.
In the campaigns final stretch, Feinstein has run as an opponent of the death penalty and a defender of the states marijuana industry, new stances that have cut off lines of attack by de León, while drawing no perceptible backlash for their timing.
I dont want to not grow. I dont want to not learn, Feinstein told reporters last week at a roundtable on the Trump administrations proposal to block federal funding of Planned Parenthood. The world changes. We change. I think thats what should make me an attractive senator, particularly to young people.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/what-challenge-feinstein-romps-ahead-in-california-primary-with-turns-to-the-left/2018/06/03/046323fc-65bf-11e8-99d2-0d678ec08c2f_story.html
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)Anyone who thought a primary challenge to her would have even a slight chance is simply delusional. Total waste of time.
still_one
(92,228 posts)present opposing views to hers, and on the issues, those that try to characterize her as "a republican", are ignorant of her history and or are from the same mindset that professes no difference between republicans and Democrats
http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Dianne_Feinstein.htm
Brother Buzz
(36,444 posts)Where she's gotten into trouble, and laid down some clunker votes over the years, is her propensity to favor corporations over us plebeians.
That's a fact, Jack, and I'm still voting for her.
MrsCoffee
(5,803 posts)Wounded Bear
(58,670 posts)Not surprising that she is doing well. Sure, we'd like a new generation to take over, but she's still pretty sharp and has always been a good Democrat.