Can we now say that there is a disturbing new trend of Democratic House candidates pulling the plug on their own campaigns? Recently, we had the termination of the candidacies of Todd Book (OH-02) and Dave Roberts (CA-50), and now we can add Paula Flowers to the mix:
Former Tennessee Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Paula Flowers is leaving the race for Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District, she said this morning.
Ms. Flowers, a Democrat, said she had been looking forward to serving the district, but the needs of her husband and three sons had to come first.
“It’s been a very difficult decision,” she said.
Ms. Flowers’ exit from the race leaves one Democrat, systems analyst Brent Benedict, and a crowded field of Republicans.
Flowers was viewed as a strong recruit to test this R+13 district that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the House since the early 1990s, but her fundraising never really hit the levels needed to bankroll a strong campaign. Still, unless Democrats can come up with a suitable replacement, this means that Republicans can put away the elbow-grease after their primary is settled.
RaceTracker Wiki: TN-03
She wasn’t rasing good money. Lots of examples of Dems dropping out the last two cycles.
Let us run a progressive in this district. One that will certainly lose, yes, but will defend our values and why we hold them. One that doesn’t hedge on health care, but explains to people in this hostile district why health care for all is a good idea. One that doesn’t hedge on the environment, but one that explains how a new energy economy will create jobs and protect the environment, and why that will help people in this district.
Yes such a candidate will lose and lose badly. Yes the result will be electing a teabagger. But such an effort might just change a few minds, and put the seeds for a new progressive movement in the rural South.
Bill Slaton also dropped out of the Democratic race against Dan Lungren today.
And I don’t think I need to explain why. Needless to say, there will be consequences, but I am too busy to attend to them at this moment.
The one thing that disappoints me the most is the feeling I’m getting lately that one of us admins needs to be constantly roaming the comments section like some junior high school hall monitor. SSP has a reputation as a place for civil, horserace-based discussion. Most users of this site are fully capable of respecting and sustaining that spirit of discussion on a day-to-day basis. But we’ve been getting way too many uncivil, off-topic derails lately by users who have trouble checking themselves. It’s not something we’re going to tolerate.
A couple of Republicans, in TX-17 and GA-8, have refused to take the plunge in the last couple of days. So, you can say it’s a trend among Republicans too. What would be a distrubing trend is if incumbents started retiring.