You know back in 2006 we had the fighting Dems series by the Daily Kos Front Page. This effort got a lot of eye balls and brought needed money and volunteers for those candidates.
This cycle we've had some attention paid to Donna Edwards, and to at least one other candidate. I heartily support this effort, and I think it makes sense for the netroots to show their muscle against the party DINOs. But, we really need to expand this effort and expose more great progressives to the Orange limelight.
From my observation, there are three defining features of the candidates supported by the A-list bloggers and the the Daily Kos front page. John Laesch meets all three.
(follow me after the fold)
These seem to be the three characteristics to these candidates:
- They are progressive
- They aren't part of the party establishment (i.e. they don't get "the love" from the Emmanuel/Pelosi/Hoyer/Reid/Schumer do-nothing wing)
- They have a chance
John meets all three of these criteria to a T:
- He is way more progressive than his opponents. He is for single payer health care (via Medicare expansion), and an advocate moving out of Iraq ASAP, and a commitment to not preemptively attack Iran (before this point became moot when the CIA assessment that Iran isn't building nukes). His progressive credentials are CERTIFIED by boots-on-the-ground Illinois progressives like Pat Quinn, and Chicago luminaries like Dr. Quentin Young and Studs Terkel. Who is the most progressive in IL-14? John Laesch
- His main opponent is being supported by Rahm Emmanuel -- as in getting money from him (in addition to the millions this opponent already has from his own personal bank account). I don't think I need to say anymore. OK, I will -- The 2nd in command in the senate -- Dick Durbin -- has endorsed John's main opponent. So who is outside the establishment? John Laesch
- John grew up in the district and is a vet. He got the closest anyone has ever gotten to beating Dennis Hastert in 2006 -- Yes, that would be the (then) SITTING HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER! You might say that John scared off ol' Denny Hastert (who is retiring). Because of this, John has the best name recognition in the district for a democrat. Who is the most likely to beat a crazy republican (sorry for the redundancy) opponent? John Laesch
John is a bread-and-butter progressive democrat that deserves a front page endorsement.
I urge everyone to vote yes in poll below, so John has help in fighting his millionaire machine-backed opponents.