A new poll in Maryland shows a tight race in the battle to succeed Sen. Barbara Mikulski. Donna Edwards and Chris Van Hollen are both Democratic Members of Congress and they both represent the Washington, DC suburbs.
According to today’s Washington Post
The survey, conducted by Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies over the past week, finds Van Hollen winning 38 percent of likely voters in the April 26 Democratic primary, and Edwards winning 36 percent, within the poll’s margin of error.
They got to Congress the same way; their voting records are nearly identical, both have had labor support, and both are 57 years old. How then can we distinguish between them? Some people are now describing the primary as the “real progressive” Edwards versus the “establishment pick” Van Hollen. Bernie v. Hillary. The narrative, while intriguing, is simply wrong.
Insurgent Campaigns
Both gained their seats in Congress by running insurgent campaigns and both have reliably progressive voting records. She gained her seat in Congress by taking on the incumbent Democrat by attacking him from the left in this safely blue Congressional District. She campaigned hard, without any establishment support, stressing her opposition to the Iraq war and workers’ rights. It took her two tries, but she turned a narrow loss the first time around into a convincing win on her second attempt.
Van Hollen has a similar history. Following 2002 redistricting that targeted moderate Republican Congresswoman Connie Morella, the Maryland Democratic Party lined up behind State Senator Mark Shriver (of the Kennedy clan). Van Hollen, a member of the General Assembly, ran an aggressive grassroots campaign and defeated Shriver in the Primary before going on to knock off Morella in the General.
Labor
Both candidates have had strong labor backing and earned high marks from the AFL-CIO. SEIU’s backing was key for Edwards’ first win. This time around, though, Van Hollen has managed to win most of the state-wide labor groups, although Edwards has grabbed some Union locals for her column.
Van Hollen Becomes the "Establishment"
Van Hollen rose quickly in the House, taking on the chairmanship of the DCCC and serving as a lieutenant for Speaker Pelosi. Edwards has continued her outsider status in the House. She has moved up a bit in seniority, but has never cracked the leadership team for the Dems.
Van Hollen has also gained key endorsements from elected Democrats in Maryland. In Maryland, County Executives are the most powerful local leaders. Ike Leggett heads Montogomery County (population of almost 1 million) and Rushern Baker heads Prince Georges’s County ( pop 850,000). Van Hollen has the backing of both. Importantly, both are African American and Baker heads Edward's home county. He has also lined up scores of other elected officials including almost all of the Baltimore City group. In addition, he added the Sierra Club and a large number of environmental activists in Maryland to his endorsement haul.
Edwards the Outsider
Ever since she knocked off establishment-backed incumbent Congressman Albert Wynn, Edwards has positioned herself as an outsider. She has been a beacon of progressive values in the House, serving as an articulate spokesperson for the disadvantaged. Unlike Van Hollen, she has never served in the majority. Perhaps because of that, she has focused on highlighting policy differences with the Republicans rather than legislative accomplishments.
Fundraising
Van Hollen, relying on the national contacts he made as DCCC head and from wealthy donors in his home base of Montgomery County, has raised an impressive haul of more than $4 million. Edwards raised $640,000 during the last quarter, but Van Hollen outpaces her 10:1 in cash on hand. Edwards was able to garner $1 million from Emily’s List. That cash is largely gone now, however, as she used it in the vote-rich Baltimore media market in order to stay competitive with Van Hollen.
Two Progressives
By almost all measures of voting records and positions on policy matters, Edwards and Van Hollen are nearly indistinguishable. So what’s a progressive to do?
Van Hollen has a reputation as an effective legislator. He has authored key environmental laws in a state where the Chesapeake Bay is a religion for many. He has run an excellent campaign, raising money, securing endorsements, and developing an impressive electronic media presence. He is doing all the things we want in order to get strong progressives elected to the Senate.
Edwards has used her time in the House to serve as a vocal proponent of progressive ideals. She is well-spoken and a proven fighter. Although Van Hollen has won the endorsements of prominent African-American elected officials, Edwards is trouncing him among minority voters. All things being equal, some progressives tilt her way because they want to see more women and people of color in the Senate.
We still have months to go before the April 26 primary. For progressives, we will continue to have time to tease out the differences between these two fine candidates. Focusing on the finer points makes sense. Trying to make this a “true progressive” versus “the establishment” race doesn’t.