General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDFA is on the job! What Cantor's defeat means to Democrats.
What goes around comes around.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor spent years catering to his extremist base. Last night, conservatives decided Cantor wasnt extreme enough, and defeated him in Virginia's congressional primary, throwing Cantor overboard in favor of an even more radical Tea Party Republican.
Cantors defeat is causing panic on the right. Just turn on FOX News to see the chaos. But it also has important lessons for progressives as we head into November's election:
Americans are fed up with congressional Republicans and ready for change. Eric Cantor and John Boehner have spent the last four years running this country into the ground. They keep giving the billionaires whatever they want, while the economy stagnates and the middle class suffers. Voters are sick of it and are ready to fire Republican incumbents.
The Tea Party is becoming even more extreme. Eric Cantor helped implement one of the most radical political agendas in American history and it wasn't enough for the Republican base. If we don't take Congress back from the Republicans, Eric Cantor and John Boehner will be replaced in the House leadership by people even further to their right.
The 50 State Strategy matters. Eric Cantor's defeat is a reminder that Howard Dean was right: Democrats have to contest every race. You never know when an opportunity will arise to pull off an unexpected victory. DFA members are working hard to support good progressive candidates in races across America, in campaigns up and down the ballot. That gives us a good chance to win -- but only if we step it up.
Anything can happen in 2014. None of the pundits saw this coming. They thought Eric Cantor was invincible and that Republicans were sure to win big in November. But voters have a mind of their own. Our base is larger than the Tea Party. If we mobilize them to fight against income inequality, we can rack up some big wins in 2014.
With Republicans in disarray, 2014 can be a year in which Democrats shock the country. That's why now is the time to go all in. Together.
Click here now to donate $3 to DFA. Your urgent contribution will help us go BIG to defeat the Tea Party and help elect progressive Democrats across America this November.
Thanks for helping fight back against the Tea Party,
- Charles
Charles Chamberlain
Executive Director, Democracy for America
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