Archive for the ‘Democrats’ Category

Maine, Niles Township Democrats Holding Campaign, Petition … – Journal & Topics Newspapers Online

Candidates may begin circulating nominating petitions for the Tuesday, March 19, 2024 Primary Election on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

State Sen. Laura Murphy (D-28th), who serves as Maine Township Democratic committeeperson, will host a petition and campaign kickoff at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9 at Kappys American Grill, 7200 W. Dempster St., Morton Grove. The restaurant is owned by Niles Mayor George Alpogianis.

Murphy is expected to be joined at the kickoff by candidates running in Maine Township including U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-9th), State Reps. Marty Moylan (D-55th) and Michelle Mussman (*D-56th) along with judicial candidates and others.

Niles Township Democrats United will hold a petition launch event at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10 at Laramie Park in Skokie off Touhy Avenue, hosted by Niles Township Democratic Committeeperson Josina Morita, and Skokie School Dist. 73.5 board member Bushra Amiwala. Schakowsky is also expected to attend.

The 2024 election will include the race for president. Although the Republican field is packed, only three Democrats have announced their runs: President Joe Biden, Robert Kennedy, Jr., and Marianne Williamson. Kennedy and Williamson are seen as longshots to secure the Democratic nomination.

Murphy said the Biden campaign is expected to work with local congressional representatives to name delegates to the Democratic National Convention for Biden in October. Murphy said she hopes to see Park Ridge resident Aurora Austriaco on the ballot as a Biden delegate. Austriaco is an attorney and former member of the Maine High School Dist. 207 Board of Education.

The Cook County Democratic Party has released its list of endorsed candidates, including Biden for president along with Clayton Harris for Cook County states attorney (Kim Foxx is not seeking reelection), and Mariyana Spyropoulos for clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, along with numerous supreme, appellate and circuit court judge candidates.

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Maine, Niles Township Democrats Holding Campaign, Petition ... - Journal & Topics Newspapers Online

Democrats to host harvest dinner in Jefferson Oct. 1 – Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel

The Lincoln County Democratic Committee plans to host its annual harvest dinner from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, at Jeffersons Le Barn event center, the restored gambrel-roofed barn at 132 Waldoboro Road.

The event includes a menu of locally sourced stews and soups, and local elected officials will deliver updates on legislative initiatives.

The simple bill of fare will include a selection of soups and stews with vegan options prepared by volunteer chefs, bread, butter, locally pressed apple cider, and a selection of pies accompanied by coffee in an informal, all-you-care-to-eat, family style format.

The committee uses the money it raises through this and other fundraising initiatives to support its local efforts in Lincoln County.

There is a limited seating of 120. Reservations are available for $25 per person for the meal, with a $50 option to be listed as a host. Hosts offer additional support and are recognized at the event for their generosity.

The committee welcomes nonmembers, out-of-county visitors, or others who want to support the organization to attend. For event details, sponsorship information, and the link to make reservations before Sunday, Sept. 24, visit lincolncountydemocrats.com. Contact event organizer Valarie Johnson at 207-549-3358 with questions.

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Democrats to host harvest dinner in Jefferson Oct. 1 - Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel

As Republicans Thirst for War With Mexico, Democrats Push for Vote … – The Intercept

As invading Mexico becomes a mainstream Republican Party position, a group of Democratic lawmakers introduced a measure on Thursday that would bar a U.S. president from unilaterally taking military action against the country.

The response to the war powers resolution from the office of Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. who has led recent efforts to reduce the U.S. militarys foreign entanglements highlights populist Republicans growing pains in their emerging anti-war coalition with progressive Democrats.

At first, Gaetzs office told The Intercept that he would oppose the amendment. In a follow-up statement attributed to the lawmaker, a spokesperson wrote: Mexico is a captive narco state. I support the amendment and support passing an Authorized Use of Military Force against Mexico.

The measure was introduced by Democratic Reps. Jess Chuy Garca of Illinois; Joaquin Castro of Texas; and Nydia Velzquez of New York as an amendment to the 2024 Department of Defense appropriations bill.

The amendment draws on the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which was established to limit the presidents authority to wage war. It would bar the use of the military budget with respect to Mexico without congressional authorization, including for the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities in Mexico, into situations in Mexico where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, or into Mexican territory, airspace, or waters while equipped for combat.

Garca told The Intercept that the amendment was spurred in part by the escalating chorus of Republican calls to invade Mexico.

Armed interventions and the humanitarian crises they inevitably engender are central reasons why people leave their home countries in the first place, Garca said. Invading Mexico would endanger a key partner, increase the chaos in which cartels thrive, and force large numbers of people to come to our border fleeing violence far from addressing the challenges that Republicans purport to care about.

Donald Trump has led the calls for war, enlisting advisers to come up with ways to attack Mexican drug cartels with or without Mexicos permission. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis promised he would send military forces to Mexico on day one if he is elected president. Vivek Ramaswamy, the businessman-turned-presidential-hopeful, said he would use military force to decimate the cartels, Osama bin Laden-style, Soleimani-style in the first six months of his presidency. Former CIA agent Will Hurd who at one point was the only Black Republican in the House said this week that he wants to dismantle cartel and human smuggling networks by treating them the same way we treated the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Meanwhile in Congress, 21 Republicans led by Reps. Dan Crenshaw and Michael Waltz introduced legislation in January to authorize the use of military force against Mexican cartels. In March, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., announced he would introduce legislation to set the stage for military force in Mexico. And House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said it was a mistake that then-President Trump didnt move forward with his reported hopes to shoot missiles into Mexico to destroy the drug labs, and then lie and pretend the U.S. was not behind the attack.

Velzquez said in a statement that military operations in Mexico would be an unmitigated disaster. Before the idea goes any further, she added, we need levelheaded policymakers to speak up and clarify that Congress will not support this. This amendment will ensure that no funding is allocated to these extreme policies.

Over the last several years, congressional progressives have brought forward a number of war powers resolutions to force lawmakers to contend with U.S. entanglements abroad. In 2019, Congress passed a bipartisan resolution to stop U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, only for Trump to veto it. (Last year, Sen. Bernie Sanders unsuccessfully tried to revive the effort.)

Earlier this year, Gaetz introduced two separate war powers resolutions, both of which garnered significant GOP support but ultimately failed. Fifty-two Republicans voted in favor of his resolution directing the president to remove all forces from Somalia, and 47 did the same with regard to Syria. The concern with the haphazard use of military force, however, may not extend to Mexico.

The Intercept contacted 18 House Republicans who have previously supported war powers resolutions. Most did not respond to questions whether Congress would need to authorize war with Mexico.

Many Trump-aligned Republicans have rightly been adamant that only Congress can authorize war and military action. Dozens of them have voted to withdraw U.S. troops from unauthorized wars in Syria, Somalia, and Yemen, said Erik Sperling, executive director of the advocacy organization Just Foreign Policy. It would be a scandal if those who want a war in Mexico would now allow a future President to violate the Constitution and wage unauthorized war. They should support this important Garcia-Castro amendment and make clear that any future president will have to come to Congress before taking us to war in Mexico or anywhere else.

Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar was among the only members to respond to The Intercepts inquiry. Instead of addressing the necessity of congressional authorization for use of military force in Mexico, he attacked the Biden administration. Joe Biden and the incompetent Secretary Mayorkas are complicit in their failure to protect Americans from the invasion along the southern border. Ive repeatedly said that we must defend our border by any and all legal means necessary, including deploying our military, said Gosar, who voted in favor of the war powers resolutions for Somalia and Syria. Every member of congress should vote and be on record of supporting efforts to secure our border or continue to support this invasion.

Crenshaws office pointed to his bill from January about authorizing force against Mexican cartels and did not respond to a question about the Democrats amendment.

Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchetts office did not speak to his stance on the amendment. Since it would currently require Congressional authorization, Congressman Burchett would not support changing the status quo to give the current president more unilateral decision-making authority in this area.

New York Rep. George Santos was more cautious than his Republican colleagues. Of course we want congressional authorization for any military action, said Santos, who also voted in favor of the war powers resolutions for Somalia and Syria. However militarization of the immigration crisis should be an absolute last resort.

Congress is set to debate the appropriations bill when lawmakers return to Washington in September.

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As Republicans Thirst for War With Mexico, Democrats Push for Vote ... - The Intercept

If Joe Biden Falters, Democrats Have Prepped the Bench – Vanity Fair

Inside the Hive host Brian Stelter takes the pulse of the Democratic Party with Vanity Fair contributing editors Chris Smith and Jennifer Palmieri. I think we have a great bench, says Palmieri, who served as communications director for Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign and the Obama White House, and is currently a cohost on Showtimes The Circus. While President Joe Bidens going to be the nominee for the Democrats in 2024, she says, the party has a bench of possible presidential candidates that are in waiting for 2028.

I have a theory that the Trump years made Democrats great, she continues. Just really good candidates, because there was so much on the line. I think both the caliber, quality of candidates, the issues that governors had to deal withso existential. I think that it just produced a whole generation of talent that might not have coalesced if there had not been so much on the line.

Still, they discuss possible scenarios if the 80-year-old Biden were to exit the race before Election Dayfrom a governor like J.B. Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, or Gavin Newsom getting in the ring, to Vice President Kamala Harris moving to the top of the ticket. Theres no development in the presidents health thats making [Bidens people] more worried than not, says Smith. But theyre realists and, you know, they know the actuarial facts as well as the rest of us. So they are very much keeping their fingers crossed and wondering how this is going to play out.

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If Joe Biden Falters, Democrats Have Prepped the Bench - Vanity Fair

Democrats Road Test ’24 Themes in Rhode Island Special Election … – Bloomberg Government

Rhode Island has become a temporary Democratic Party laboratory testing which messages and messengers motivate the base.

The candidates running in the special Sept. 5 primary to replace ex-Rep. David Cicilline offer something for just about every variety of Democrat. Their pitches, policy stances, political styles, and personal backgrounds vary enough to provide insight into which of the partys power centers might have a leg up as they try to regain control of the House next year.

Its a microcosm of the Democratic dilemma nationally, said Wendy Schiller, a political science professor at Brown University.

This race can give us hints about the persistent battle in the Democratic Party between White very liberal progressives and candidates of color, she said. Both types of candidates have been successful at attracting outside PAC money, which shows how interest groups can reinforce divisions within the party.

Key groups on Capitol Hill have weighed in.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus BOLD PAC, EMILYs List and the New Democrat Coalition Action Fund endorsed Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos.

Former Biden and Obama administration aide Gabe Amo has the backing of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Bernie Sanders headlined a rally for former state lawmaker, Aaron Regunberg, who has the endorsement of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Regunbergs uncle, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), is a member of the New Democrat Coalition.

Photographer: Kate Ackley

Aaron Regunberg shown in August 2023 while campaigning for the Democratic nomination in a special congressional election.

Theres a lot the party can learn from this economically and ethnically diverse urban-suburban district, said Schiller.

The district, home to waterfront mansions, giant jazz and folk festivals, the CVS corporate headquarters, and significant immigrant communities, has a population thats about 63% non-Hispanic White, according to the Census Bureaus 2021 American Community Survey, which found that languages other than English are spoken in about 27% of the districts homes.

About a quarter of the households were living on less than $35,000 a year, and another quarter had income exceeding $100,000, the survey estimated.

First-Generation Americans Vie to Fill Cicillines House Seat

Its a crowded primary, with a dozen names on the ballot in a district so dominated by the Democratic Party that the primary is the key contest in choosing a successor to Cicilline (D), who resigned to run the Rhode Island Foundation. Several of the candidates including Matos, Amo, and state Sen. Sandra Cano, who is originally from Colombia have the chance to be ground-breakers as the first person of color or female Democrat to represent the state in Congress.

As they make their case to voters via TV, radio, and online ads, the candidates have focused on personal biographies, support for abortion rights, stricter gun laws and climate legislation.

Matos campaign has tried to emphasize her journey as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic who learned English on the job at a jewelry factory, but its also been on the defensive because of a controversy related to fraudulent signatures to get her on the ballot.

Matos said a vendor had produced the fraudulent signatures, including from deceased people. I feel awful to know that this may have created any type of mistrust in the democratic process, she said during an interview in her Providence campaign headquarters.

Photographer: Kate Ackley

Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos discusses her campaign for a vacant seat in Congress

An opponent who had been aggressively criticizing Matos, meanwhile, says hes no longer in the race after drawing his own unwelcome attention over text messages sent to a student while teaching college.

Don Carlson, a wealthy investor attempting his first run for office, announced the suspension of his campaign after extraordinary stress on my family and close friends. Early voting had already been underway for 11 days before he made that declaration, and Carlsons name remains on the ballot.

Among the other candidates, frequent themes include the importance of defending democracy and taking on MAGA Republicans consistent with talking points put out by the national party committees.

Regunberg, in a debate this week, was the only candidate who said he would have voted no on this years debt ceiling deal, so long as his wasnt the deciding vote (in which case he said he would have voted yes). Numerous candidates, including Matos and Amo, said Regunbergs position amounted to playing politics. A new super PAC, Committee for a Better Rhode Island, swiftly launched an ad attacking Regunberg on that topic.

Photographer: Kate Ackley

Rhode Island congressional candidate Gabe Amo talks with residents on their porches while campaigning door-to-door in Newport with Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong.

Amo, who hasnt held elective office, has been telling voters that his experience in Washington, combined with his upbringing in Pawtucket and work for state officials, would help make him effective in the House.

I have been at the heights of government, working for President Biden, he said, while going to voters homes in the Point neighborhood of Newport with Mayor Xaykham Xay Khamsyvoravong, who has endorsed Amo. My experience working for two presidents and working for the governor here equips me with the ability to get things done, like, faster than the normal junior member of Congress.

Even as a late-summer, off-year, low-turnout contest, the race has showcased Democrats internal strife over the role of money in politics, as rhetoric about wanting to banish special interest dollars hits the reality of needing to gin up enough cash and TV ads to have a viable campaign.

Matos and Regunberg, a former state lawmaker who is white and Jewish, have attracted the most outside funding. The two have tangled over political money, super PACs and lobbyists donations.

BOLD PAC and a super PAC tied to EMILYs List have helped fuel nearly $800,000 in outside support of Matos, while the Working Families Party PAC and others have invested more than $360,000 in support of Regunberg, so far, according to federal disclosures.

Progress Rhode Island, a super PAC supporting Regunberg, drew donations from his family members, including $125,000 from his father-in-law, and is the subject of a Federal Election Commission complaint from Matos campaign. Regunbergs campaign, in response, has criticized the Matos campaigns donations from D.C. lobbyists whose firms represent banking and pharmaceutical clients.

(Keep up with congressional election trends and more with BGOVs Ballots & Boundaries newsletter.)

Regunberg used some of his debate time to criticize Amo for receiving donations from lobbyists, while Amo countered that Regunbergs six-figure family support through the super PAC was a red flag.

We need to get money out of our political system, Regunberg, who has degrees from Brown University and Harvard Law School, said to a crowd from whom he was soliciting campaign donations at a campaign event at the Ragged Island Brewing Co.

It is obscene the way it works, but the fact is right now there is nothing that makes a bigger difference than making sure that we have the resources to pay these wonderful people who are doing this work, said Regunberg, whos running on an anticorporate platform that includes support for Medicare for all legislation.

In special elections like this theres often a bit of a national magnifying glass on them, Regunberg said in an interview at the Portsmouth brewery. Its an opportunity to show that Democrats understand that we face big problems right now, and big problems require big solutions.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kate Ackley at kackley@bloombergindustry.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: George Cahlink at gcahlink@bloombergindustry.com; Katherine Rizzo at krizzo@bgov.com

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Democrats Road Test '24 Themes in Rhode Island Special Election ... - Bloomberg Government