Mass. stunner – what does it mean for us?
All Democrats are surprised and saddened by the loss of Martha Coakley to Scott Brown in Massachusetts. While the pundits point to this, along with recent governor’s elections in Virginia and New Jersey, as an indication that Democrats are on the decline, there may be another explanation. Brown ran as an outsider, minimizing his Republican credentials. As an outsider, he was able to exploit the public angst about unemployment, the huge sums spent to bail out financial institutions, and fears about health reform. He was able to claim the change agenda.
This can be accomplished by local Democrats, as well, in the effort to unseat incumbent Congressman Brian Bilbray. The Democratic candidate will be an outsider, trying to achieve change in a system many voters believe is broken. It worked in Massachusetts, where everyone thought the Senate seat was safe. It can work in California.
Amy Walter offers a particularly on-point essay on NationalJournal.com. In it she reports that voters want to change the way Washington works, and they want candidates who will fight, with President Obama, for that change. Independents are not too concerned which party those fighters come from. She notes that in Massachusetts, negative ads were not the answer for Martha Coakley. The bottom line is, stay positive for changing the system.
A Massachusetts poll conducted by Progressive Change Campaign, Democracy for America and MoveOn.org asks Obama voters who voted for Brown or who stayed home several questions about Democratic positions. Their conclusion? Voters want MORE change, not less. They wanted the public option and they want Democrats to be bolder. See the poll results. The three organizations ask progressives to sign a petition “telling Democrats: Don’t learn the wrong lesson from Massachusetts.”
Some additional commentary on the situation:
Democrats shouldn’t panic by Jonathan Chiat
The New Republic, January 19, 2010
The lesson of Massachusetts? Anger by Tim Rutten
Los Angeles Times, January 20, 2010
GOP win doesn’t mean health reform is dead by Steven Pearlstein
The Washington Post, January 20, 2010
Lessons from the Massachusetts Defeat by Robert Creamer
The Huffington Post, January 20, 2010