This is a lady you ought to get to know. Her name is Senator Joyce Elliott, and she's running for Congress in Arkansas's second district. A lot of people have got a nice little narrative set up in their heads on this race-somehow a liberal black woman got through the primary and now Democrats are doomed in this district. Thing is, a lot of us didn't get that memo...
When Joyce Elliott first announced she would run for Congress there were a lot of people who's hearts started fluttering. There's just something about this lady that excites people. Part of it's her natural charm and sense of humor. Some of it's her willingness to take a tough stand and not back down. Charisma she's got, and she has a unique way of making progressive positions seem unthreatening to others.
During the primary, there were a lot of folks who said Elliott couldn't win. They said we needed to back the "electable" option, House Speaker Robbie Wills. Not only is the "electable" Mr. Wills now having to explain the abuse of his state car privileges but in that primary he was dumb enough to send a mailer attacking Elliott for being a progressive into the most liberal neighborhoods in Little Rock. Elliott's response destroyed Wills' campaign, not with slanderous attacks but with the truth and a little humor.
In the general election Elliott's opponent is Tim Griffin, the Karl Rove stooge that lost his job after the Attorney Firing Scandal over his vote caging efforts at the RNC. If he makes it to Congress, Griffin isn't going to just be another rubberstamp, he'll be the worst of the worst. Think about the worst scandals of the Bush Administration. Think about the corruption that made Watergate pale in comparison. Now think of it all rolled into one man and you have Mr. Griffin. Don't take my word for it though, take CREW's. Personally, I can't wait to see her give him the Wills treatment.
Senator Elliott is a true progressive and she doesn't shy away from that label. She's championed public education, stood up for the health care reform bill when it wasn't popular to do so, has an excellent record on labor and the environment, and she has consistently stood up for the rights of women and minorities. And she's pledged not to join the Blue Dogs!
There are a lot of people out there tempted to write Senator Elliott off, either because of her race or her progressive values, but she's not giving them that chance. The last time I talked to her she had just gotten back from the little town of Havanna, a place with a population of about two hundred people that I didn't know existed. Apparently it's way out in Yell County somewhere. In other words, Senator Elliott is working her butt off in little towns and communities to win this thing while Griffin is expecting to take it in a walk. She's not avoiding communities and counties that are tough because of racism or ideology-she's taking the bull by the horns. What's more she's got the base excited. African Americans are going to turn out in strong numbers to get her elected and she has broad appeal among women. There's an energy surrounding this campaign that is amazing, and yes, she CAN win this thing.
I keep hearing about how the Republicans are going to clean our clocks this November. Yeah, we got that memo and we chose to tear it up and throw it away. We're not letting Tim Griffin waltz into Congress without one hell of a fight. So, think you can spare an amazing candidate a small donation on ActBlue?
Need more incentive? You can check out her interview with Blue Arkansas and see for yourself where she stands on the issues. Still not enough? Okay, let me put it this way...imagine how stunned the Republicans, the media, and the Blue Dogs will be if we can get her elected.
Oh, P.S.: Senator Elliott will be taking one day off in October from her campaign. Know what she'll be doing? Racing for the cure.