Darcy Burner hobnobs with the crowd at Netroots Nation 2011
Darcy Burner has been a Daily Kos all-star for how long? At least since 2006, when she first ran for Congress in a swingy Bellevue-area district. She came up just a couple of points shy, done in, in large part, by a vindictive local newspaper printing lies about her on election eve.
She gave that same district another shot in 2008, but again came up painfully short. (In fact, in an otherwise awesome night, her loss and the passage of Prop h8 in California were the two biggest downers.)
This is a whole new cycle, with whole new maps. Darcy now lives in WA-01, which is a solid (D) district (or will be, once the state's redistricting commission finalizes its draft plans). Whoever wins the Democratic primary should have smooth sailing in the general. And the primary will be crowded—a new district, no incumbent, and lots of ambitious Democrats (including several conservadems) eager for the promotion.
This site's unofficial motto used to be "more and better Democrats", but we've gradually evolved it to "better Democrats". The reasons why are obvious. And post-redistricting, there's no better place to have an impact electing better Democrats than in these open primaries—particularly when the seat is safe in the general.
And if there are better Democrats than Darcy, I don't know them.
As way of background, here's something I wrote back in 2008, in the wake of a terrible tragedy (the burning down of her home):
Darcy is a huge netroots sensation because she is truly one of us -- a former Microsoft exec who is a geek at heart, and someone who has been with us on the war and FISA since she first started running in 2005. Some politicians can put up a facade or say the right things for the right audience, but there's no faking it when you've just run out of your burning house, seeing all your worldly possessions go up in flames as you frantically try to ensure your family is safe.
Look at the shirt she was wearing:
(Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times)
For the non-technical among us, that's HTML for "end war".
Darcy is truly one of us. I could say she's a friend, but she's not. She's family. That's why I'm thrilled to see her fighting the good fight again, and why I'm proud to add her to our 2012 Orange to Blue fundraising list.
11:04 AM PT (David Nir): We've posted Darcy Burner's answers to our Orange to Blue questionnaire below the fold.
1. Do you support:
a) A public health insurance option, offered by the federal government and tied to Medicare reimbursement rates plus 5% (H.R. 3200, Subtitle B, including § 223(b)(1)(A), as introduced in the House, 111th Congress)?
Yes. The Congressional Progressive Caucus was right to fight for it, and it’s far better than the status quo.
b) The Medicare You Can Buy Into Act (H.R. 4789, 111th Congress), which would allow all citizens or permanent residents to buy into Medicare?
Yes – this is the most straightforward way to make real progress ensuring that all Americans have access to the healthcare they need.
2. Do you agree that any immigration reform bill should:
a) Contain a meaningful path to citizenship — one that does not include overly-punitive fines or a touchback requirement — for law-abiding undocumented immigrants currently in the United States;
Yes.
b) Ensure that expanded legal permanent immigration, rather than expansion of temporary worker programs, serves as the United States' primary external answer to workforce shortages; and
Yes. In general I oppose guest worker programs as they create a two-tiered society. My immigrant ancestors were offered the opportunity to become Americans; we should continue that proud tradition.
c) Ensure that any non-agricultural temporary worker programs maintain current caps on the total number of non-agricultural temporary worker visas issued, and also include a meaningful prevailing wage requirement keyed to the Service Contract Act and the Davis-Bacon Act?
Yes.
3. Do you oppose each of the following changes to Social Security and Medicare:
a) Raising the retirement age;
Yes, I oppose.
b) Eliminating or reducing the cost of living adjustment;
Yes, I oppose.
c) Directly reducing benefits;
Yes, I oppose.
d) Means-testing recipients; and
Yes, I oppose.
e) Privatization, so-called "personal accounts," and vouchers?
Yes. I oppose.
Americans have paid for the benefits they’ve earned. I will oppose any attempt to shortchange them.
4. Do you support the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 1409/S. 560, 111th Congress), including the provision known as “card check”?
Yes. It should be as easy to organize a union as it is to create a corporation.
5. Do you pledge to vote against any efforts to extend the temporary tax cuts for income over $250,000 (Public Law 111-312)?
Yes. Americans who have benefitted the most from investments made by previous generations have an obligation to make comparable investments in our future.
6. If elected to the House, do you pledge not to join the Blue Dog Coalition?
Yes. Having worked closely with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, I’d be proud to become a member of the CPC.
7. If elected to the Senate, do you pledge to restore majority rule to the Senate and work/vote to end the filibuster?
Not applicable – though I’ll work to fix it even from the House.