A few years ago, outrage over segregated Benton Harbor, Michigan was atop the Daily Kos wreck list and even the Rachel Maddow show. We were fascinated by the little twin cities separated only by a bridge, one 92% black with a median income under $9,000, the other 90% white with a median income of $24,949. Benton Harbor and its white counterpart, St. Joseph, have both been represented by Fred Upton since 1986.
Upton is used to cruising to reelection victories. He's chair of the powerful House Energy & Commerce Committee, affiliated with the Whirlpool brand still active in southwest Michigan, and has a genial "Uncle Fred" demeanor. But his long history has meant nothing to Benton Harbor. Upton's idea of job creation, as described in a local story: a golf course. Really. Because black people in Benton Harbor with a median income of $9,000 play golf all the time. And two segments of a highway extension - one completed in 2003, the other still on the drawing board. Michigan's wind energy industry is soaring, but not in his district - apparently the chair of the Energy Committee can't bring energy jobs to his district.
Instead of cruising, Upton is acting like someone running scared. A couple of weeks ago Upton ducked his prescheduled debate on the flimsiest of pretexts. He'd scheduled an Ebola hearing some time ago, which was supposed to end at 3 PM, leaving him ample time to travel to Benton Harbor his Michigan district for an 8 PM debate. It was to be his only debate with his Democratic challenger, Paul Clements. But Upton suddenly decided that fearmongering on Ebola conflicted with the only debate with Clements. And gosh, he's just too busy to reschedule.
Turns out that a poll has Upton's support dropping ten points in a month, and Clements within four points of a major upset.
Climate Hawks Vote endorsed Paul Clements, a true climate hawk, and has been registering voters, phonebanking, and canvassing. Meanwhile, Upton makes our case that his lack of scientific knowledge disqualifies him from public office: "Climate is always changing," he told a newspaper editorial board a couple of weeks ago.
Now that Lawrence Lessig's SuperPAC, MayDayUS, has joined Climate Hawks Vote on the ground, reporters are asking: Is Michigan's most powerful Republican in political danger? (Apparently the Mayday money ticked off Upton. He's said to have personally called tech CEOs who'd contributed to Mayday. If he threatened them with retribution, it would be a huge ethics scandal.)
Climate Hawks Vote teamed up with the local NAACP chapter for a candidates' forum Wednesday night. The local Democratic Party will hold a #TurnOutForWhat? voter rally today (sorry, no treats for dressing up as a big spill in the Kalamazoo River). And now we're going all in, with a canvassing/GOTV program to reach African American/ midterm dropoff voters in Benton Harbor and throughout the district.
Because Benton Harbor needs to not be forgotten.