“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”
Sun Tzu “The Art of War”
Some Democrats are claiming that house races were not as positive for Democrats because they were dragged down by association with the liberal (or Democrat) wing of the party. I believe that there is ample evidence that such characterization can be overcome. I live in the 4th congressional district of Oregon, represented by Peter DeFazio since 1987. His opponent this election was Alek Skarlatos. Skarlatos became famous after he and others bravely thwarted a terrorist attack on a French train in 2015. He played himself in the Clint Eastwood directed film “The 15:17 to Paris”. Skarlatos had a well-financed campaign that featured TV ads attacking DeFazio as radical and out of touch with the district. Claims such as DeFazio supports defunding the police and giving taxpayer funded loans to China were on a seemingly continuous loop during prime time TV. DeFazio countered by saying “If I believed the ads, I wouldn’t recognize me” and then went on to show himself as living in the same house he had for years, cleaning his own gutters. DeFazio had an advantage as he is known in the district but he also countered as if he knew what the attacks would be. To parry Skarlatos’ depiction of himself as hero (often shown in uniform) DeFazio referred to his and his family’s military service plus his successful efforts to bring VA facilities to the district. Here is a good summary of the race.
The DeFazio campaign illustrates the maxim quoted above. Knowing what the likely attack will be enables one to prepare to counter it. It is no surprise that Republicans will accuse Democrats of being “socialists”. They have been doing it for at least sixty years.
Don’t take my word for it. Here is the B movie actor and corporate shill who many believe started the Republicans on the path that led to Trump claiming that Medicare will lead to -wait for it- socialism.