Heart of the Primaries, Democrats-Issue 32 (September 10, 2018)
This week: Previewing New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York, and recapping highlights from Massachusetts and Delaware. Once again, there is no Republican newsletter this week. Click here to follow future developments on the Republican side. Have a tip or see something we missed? Email us at editor@ballotpedia.org. And please share this newsletter with your colleagues!
Upcoming filing deadlines: None
Passed filing deadlines: 51 (including Washington, D.C.)
Upcoming elections: Sept. 11 (New Hampshire), Sept. 13 (New York)
Declared U.S. Senate and U.S. House candidates: 1,186 Democrats, 1,034 Republicans
Democratic pundits on the news
Where do Democratic and progressive pundits disagree? Each week in Heart of the Primaries we bring you excerpts that highlight differing views.
“The core of Pressley’s campaign message in ousting Rep. Mike Capuano — that, in a majority-minority district, the promise of a younger woman of color was worth dumping a reliably liberal, older white male incumbent — represented a serious departure from past party practice. But it made perfect sense to a younger and more radicalized Trump-era Democratic electorate in Capuano’s liberal, Boston-area district.”
- David Siders, Politico, Sept. 5, 2018
“Indeed, if I were a betting man, I would say it wasn't minority voters, but rather young, college-educated progressive whites who drove this Pressley win. You can see that in the fact that Pressley almost won Somerville, Capuano's rapidly gentrifying hometown.
Finally, be precise about choosing your words. This wasn't a case of a progressive beating a moderate. Capuano is MA's most liberal congressman—definitely moreso than Crowley—and has been part of the House's progressive wing since before "progressive" became a thing.”
- Nathaniel Rakich, Twitter, Sept. 4, 2018
Election previews
New Hampshire
11 vie for NH-1 Democratic nomination
Eleven candidates are running in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District Democratic primary. The swing district has changed partisan hands five times in the last six elections, and the general election is expected to be competitive.
The current incumbent, Carol Shea-Porter (D), is retiring.
Among the candidates are veteran and former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs Maura Sullivan, Executive Councilor Chris Pappas, state Rep. Mindi Messmer, and Shea-Porter's former chief of staff Naomi Andrews.
Campaign finance and healthcare have been prominent topics in the race.
Sullivan has raised $1.8 million -- more than twice as much as any other candidate. Pappas has raised $820,000.
Sullivan and Pappas have faced criticism about the sources and amounts of those contributions. Pappas said most of his donors are from New Hampshire, unlike Sullivan's. Sullivan said she gained supporters through her work in the Marines and as assistant secretary of Veterans Affairs under Obama.
Sullivan, Pappas, and Andrews all support allowing people to buy into Medicare, while Messmer and several other challengers support Medicare for all.
Rhode Island
Brown challenges Raimondo from the left
Incumbent Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) faces a progressive primary challenge in her re-election bid from former Secretary of State Matt Brown.
At the end of August, Raimondo's campaign released a television ad accusing Brown of "apparent laundering of campaign contributions" during his 2006 Senate bid. Brown’s campaign responded with a cease-and-desist letter, calling the ad defamatory. Raimondo's campaign stands by the ad.
Progressive groups such as Our Revolution RI and Justice Democrats are backing Brown’s effort, while several local unions and Democratic committees have endorsed Raimondo.
Raimondo has raised $7.4 million through Aug. 22 to Brown’s $320,000.
Raimondo has campaigned on economic improvements during her tenure, which she attributes to business tax credits and job training programs implemented. Brown said Raimondo's approach is corporate socialism and supports increasing taxes on large corporations.
Former state Rep. Spencer Dickinson is also running in the Sept. 12 primary.
RI Democratic Party backs challenges to state legislators supporting abortion access
The Democratic Party of Rhode Island and some local Democratic committees have endorsed challenges against several incumbent state legislators, including state Rep. Moira Walsh and state Sen. Jeanne Calkin.
The party also endorsed former state Sen. Gregory Acciardo over Bridget Valverde in an open primary for Senate District 35.
The party later withdrew its endorsements of Acciardo and Walsh challenger Michael Earnhart due to Acciardo’s criminal record and Earnhart’s support for Donald Trump.
A local Democratic committee endorsed a challenge to state Rep. Marcia Ranglin-Vassell, who defeated House Majority Leader John DeSimone in the 2016 primaries.
Social issues, particularly abortion, divide Rhode Island Democrats. Some state House Democratic leaders, including Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, oppose abortion, while the female incumbents who drew challenges support abortion access.
In the 2018 session, a group of female legislators introduced legislation that would legalize abortion in the state should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade. Mattiello said he did not let the bill out of committee because he saw "no effort nationally to change the Roe v. Wade standard."
New York
Cuomo faces progressive challenge from Nixon in gubernatorial primary
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is seeking a third term in 2018 but faces a challenge in the Sept. 13 Democratic primary from actress Cynthia Nixon, who has cast herself as a progressive alternative to Cuomo.
Cuomo, who has been frequently described as a possible 2020 presidential candidate, pledged in an Aug. 29 debate he would not run for president if re-elected.
Both the state and national Democratic establishment have lined up behind Cuomo, who has endorsements from Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and DNC Chairman Tom Perez.
Nixon accused Cuomo of allowing Republicans to control the state Senate by empowering the Independent Democratic Conference (which generally supports fiscally conservative policies), and of failing to address corruption in Albany. Nixon has endorsements from the New York chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, The Working Families Party, and Our Revolution.
Cuomo is running on his record, including raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and a promise to sue Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents if they make arrests without identifying themselves and without a warrant.
Nixon supporters say Cuomo began to adopt more liberal policies on marijuana, voting rights for felons, and immigration after she challenged him, calling it “the Cynthia Effect.” Nixon was among the first Democrats to call for abolishing ICE. Nixon supports single-payer health care and says increasing education funding is her top priority.
Cuomo has a significant fundraising advantage over Nixon. On Sept. 7, Cuomo reported more than $24 million cash on hand, while Nixon had less than $450,000. Public polls have shown Cuomo with 50 to 66 percent support, while Nixon has received between 19 and 28 percent.
James, Teachout, and Maloney square off in NY AG primary
The New York Attorney General Democratic primary pits New York City Public Advocate Tish James, the state party’s endorsed candidate, against law professor Zephyr Teachout and U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, both of whom have positioned themselves as outsiders.
Incumbent Eric Schneiderman (D) resigned in May over allegations he had choked and struck several women without their consent. Schneiderman said all the activities were consensual.
After Schneiderman’s resignation, James entered the race with support from Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and the state Democratic Party. However, James angered progressive groups when she turned down an endorsement from the Working Families Party. James said she did so at the state party’s request.
Teachout is running to James’ left and has called for greater oversight over the Cuomo administration to combat public corruption. Her campaign gained momentum in late August when the New York Times and the New York Daily News endorsed her.
Maloney is simultaneously running for attorney general and for re-election to New York’s 18th Congressional District, which Donald Trump won in 2016. If Maloney wins the AG primary he will have to drop out of the House race. Maloney highlights that he was the first openly gay man elected to Congress from New York and has criticized James for her state party endorsements.
Hochul, Williams in lieutenant gubernatorial primary
New York Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul faces a challenge from New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.
The race has similarities to the gubernatorial primary and Williams, like Nixon, casts himself as a progressive alternative.
Hochul is running on the administration’s record and has criticized Williams' personal opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage as well as his personal finances. Hochul stressed her experience in the Aug. 30 debate, saying, “The role of lieutenant governor is to be experienced and prepared to step in as governor should the need arise.”
Williams repeated what has become a slogan of his campaign at the debate: "Any blue just won't do."
Cuomo, the state Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood, and a number of labor unions endorsed Hochul.
Nixon, the Working Families Party, Our Revolution, and the New York Progressive Action Network endorsed Williams.
The winner will run on a joint ticket with the winner of the gubernatorial primary in the general election.
Former IDC members face tough primaries from progressive challengers
Eight state senators who are former members of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) are facing challenges from candidates who blame the IDC for blocking progressive legislation.
The challengers criticize the former IDC members for caucusing with Senate Republicans from 2013 until April 2018, when Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) brokered a deal that reunified the Democratic caucus. The IDC-Republican coalition controlled the Senate even when Democrats won a majority of seats in the 2012 and 2016 elections.
The five most serious challenges are in New York City:
- Former NYC Comptroller John Liu versus Sen. Tony Avella (Queens)
- Former mayoral staffer Jessica Ramos versus Sen. Jose Peralta (Queens)
- Attorney Zellnor Myrie versus Sen. Jesse Hamilton (Brooklyn)
- Former NYC Councilman Robert Jackson versus Sen. Marisol Alcantara (Manhattan)
- 2016 Clinton campaign alum Alessandra Biaggi versus Sen. Jeff Klein (The Bronx)
The other primaries with former IDC members are Sen. Diane Savino versus Jasmine Robinson, Sen. David Carlucci versus Julie Goldberg, and Sen. David Valesky versus Rachel May.
Even after the Democratic reunification, Republicans maintained an effective 32-31 Senate majority because Democratic Sen. Simcha Felder continued to caucus with the GOP. Felder faces a primary challenge from Blake Morris.
Primary review
Massachusetts
- Massachusetts' 7th: Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley (D) defeated longtime incumbent Rep. Michael Capuano (D) in Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District. The race was Capuano’s first contested primary in two decades. While Capuano had consolidated support from state party leaders and the endorsement of the Congressional Black Caucus, Pressley ran as a change candidate. She criticized Capuano for compromising too much on key progressive issues, including immigration and abortion. Capuano is the fourth House incumbent to lose a primary in 2018.
- Massachusetts' 3rd: With 100 percent of precincts reporting in Massachusetts' 3rd Congressional District, Lori Trahan (D) led Dan Koh (D) by 52 votes in the 10-candidate Democratic primary. Koh did not concede the race and said in a statement his campaign "will be reviewing the process for a recount to ensure everyone who voted is properly counted." Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin ordered all counted ballots to be sealed as a precautionary measure. A recount could delay the final result until mid-September.
- Massachusetts' 8th: Incumbent Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) won his first contested primary since 2010 in Massachusetts' 8th Congressional District, defeating video game developer Brianna Wu (D) and Air Force veteran Christopher Voehl (D). With no Republican running for the seat, Lynch is expected to easily win re-election in November.
- Secretary of the Commonwealth: Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin (D) defeated Boston City Councillor Josh Zakim (D) 67.6 percent to 32.4 percent. It was Galvin’s first primary challenge since 2006. Zakim had endorsements from Boston Mayor Marty Walsh (D) and the Democratic Party of Massachusetts—its first endorsement of a primary challenger to an incumbent since 1982.
- State legislature: There were eight contested Democratic primaries in the state Senate and 35 in the state House. Three incumbents were defeated, including two members of House leadership—Assistant Majority Leader Byron Rushing (D) and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jeffrey Sanchez (D). The two were among seven races Ballotpedia designated as battlegrounds ahead of the primary.
Delaware
* U.S. Senate: Incumbent Sen. Tom Carper (D) defeated progressive community organizer Kerri Evelyn Harris Thursday 65 percent to 35 percent. Carper is seeking his fourth term in the Senate. He touted his "reputation as a results-oriented centrist" and campaigned on his legislative record on health care and the environment. Harris said Carper had not gone far enough on either issue.
Candidate survey reply of the week
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What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
"People often forget that elected officials are employees of citizens. I'm running to be your employee, to listen to your needs and your concerns, to solve your problems, to champion your causes, and to work for you. This is a job interview, a long one at that, but one of the most important parts of this job is being able to listen to people so you can truly address their concern. Too many politicians have forgotten that they're elected officials and serve their constituents, not the other way around."
- Diane Mitsch Bush, candidate for Colorado's 3rd Congressional District
Read all of Diane Mitsch Bush's responses →
Power Players
A weekly feature on an influencer shaping the direction of the party.
The Arena
Former Obama campaign staffer Ravi Gupta said he helped found The Arena, a 501(c)(4) organization, after the 2016 presidential election “because we felt like the barriers to entry in politics were too high.”
The group has provided a range of services to endorsed Democratic candidates during the 2018 primaries, including media and campaign development trainings for political newcomers, field organizing, and spotlights on its podcasts.
Four of the group's endorsees are running in New York's state Senate primaries Sept. 13. Alessandra Biaggi, Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie, and Robert Jackson each launched progressive challenges against former members of the state Senate's Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), which caucused with Senate Republicans from 2013 until April 2018. Biaggi faces IDC founder Jeffrey Klein in District 34.
The Arena also contributes to campaigns through its affiliated political action committee, Arena Candidate PAC Victory Fund. The PAC has contributed over $380,000 to federal candidate committees including that of Dan McCready, who defeated Christian Cano in North Carolina's 9th District Democratic primary in May.
In addition to the Victory Fund, The Arena has an affiliated super PAC called Arena PAC, which has spent over $550,000, mostly on media and contributions to groups including The Arena and the Working Families Party.
Through another committee called Arena NY PAC, the group contributed about $12,000 to New York Senate primary candidate committees as of late August. The PAC’s involvement in these races has primarily centered on the group's training and organizing services.
What we're reading
- ‘Any old blue just won’t do’: Insurgents seek to topple more Democratic veterans in September primaries Washington Post
- Is the left building its own Tea Party or something else entirely? Politico
- The 4 House GOP scandals that could tip the 2018 midterms, explained Vox
- 2 States Had Primary Elections This Week. Here’s What We Learned New York Times
