Two Democratic Senators voted to confirm Scott Pruitt as head of the EPA; Manchin of WV and Heitkamp of ND. As far as I am concerned Manchin is a DINO and the state of WV is a lost cause at this point. I have serious doubts a real Democrat could win there. What about Heidi Heitkamp? Should progressives try to defeat her in the primary? She is up for re-election in 2018. We must retake the Senate so we can block any Supreme Court nominations. Are we willing to allow a Senator like Heitkamp, who represents a very conservative state break, with Democratic Senators from time to time? Even if both Heitkamp and Manchin voted no, Pruitt still would have won confirmation. It’s not like they were the deciding vote. Frankly I am more pissed that only one GOP Senator voted against his confirmation.
I imagine Heitkamp supported Pruitt to cater to the oil industry in ND. She probably needs to pick her battles and can’t be seen blocking all of Trump’s nominees. On the other hand, why have Democratic Senators that don’t vote to stop someone as terrible as Pruitt. Unfortunately 2018 doesn’t look good for taking back the Senate. Very few GOP are up for re-election and Heitkamp (D) ND and McGaskill (D) MO, are both vulnerable. Both represent states that voted overwhelmingly for Trump.
Personally I am pissed as hell that she voted to confirm that asshole and if I lived in ND I might be inclined to vote against her in the primary, but I would still back her against a Repuklican. Do we have any hope of running a true progressive Democrat and winning in ND? Any NoDak KOS care to comment? Would running a primary opponent damage her chances in the general election?