In a peace activist strategy conference callwith Michael Lerner, Medea Benjamin, Tim Carpenter and others, Rep. Lynn Woolsey called for primary challenges to incumbent Democrats even at the possible expense of losing the majority.
Interestingly enough, Woolsey herself was among the top ten primaried House Democratic incumbents in 2006, defeating term-limited CA legislator Joe Nation.
Last cycle's Top Ten detailed below the fold. Reminisce, analyze, speculate.
Listed below, by severity of competition, are the top ten 2006 Democratic incumbent House members who face primary (or other Dem-vs-Dem) challenges, with district ID, Poole's O.C. # (ranking from most to least liberal among 204 Democrats voting in the 109th Congress), and primary results.
- Cynthia McKinney (GA-04, #7) faced two challengers and lost the run-off, with 44.2%.
- Edolphus Towns (NY-10, #61.5) prevailed in a 3-way primary, with 47.4%.
- Al Wynn (MD-04, #146) won a 3-way with 49.7%.
- Bob Filner (CA-51, #28) won a 3-way with 51.2%.
- Henry Cuellar (TX-28, #196) won a special general election, with 67.6% against a challenging D with 20.3%,resulting in no run-off. [In March 2006, prior to court-ordered re-redistricting, he survived a 3-way primary with 52%.]
- Dan Lipinski (IL-03, #162) won a 3-way with 54.5%.
- Jim Langevin (RI-02, #133) won with 61.8%.
- Jane Harman (CA-36, 141.5) won with 62.5%.
- Bennie Thompson (MS-02, #126) won a 3-way, with 64.4%.
- Lynn Woolsey (CA-06, #5) won with 66.2%.
Seven other D's survived primary challenges with vote shares in the range 75-80%;
another 9 in the 80-85% bracket;
8 in the 85-90% bracket;
10* in 90-93%; and
19** with 97% or better.
* Includes DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton.
** Includes Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo.
