On September 3, the Kansas Democratic Party’s nominee for U.S. Senate, Chad Taylor, withdrew his name from the November ballot. The Democratic Party will now support the independent candidate in the race, Greg Orman. See this story. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
This is the second instance this year in which a state Democratic Party has withdrawn a nominee for an important office; the first was the Alaska gubernatorial race.
I don’t agree with this political maneuver at all. I find it to be sleazy.
This is fantastic news. I’d made a contribution to Orman’s campaign yesterday and this news makes me think chances for a 3rd independent US senator are very good.
Mike, what specifically do you find sleazy about this turn of events?
This is the 2nd time the Democratic Party has endorsed an Independent for a major office in 2014. Seems like the Democrats just might have a little more common sense than the Republicans. We have definitely – for good or bad – entered into a new phase of 3rd party and Independent politics. I’m really getting a little excited about this 2014 election.
Just another case where the Democrats co-opt or absorb independent/3rd Party opposition. Not so disgusting as Republicans trying to destroy independent/3rd Party opposition but accomplishes the same end – reduce the opposition.
Gene: Can you tell me any other way that a 3rd partisan or Independent could have a voice in Washington – or even a statehouse? We 3rd partisans and Independents need to get it through our thick skulls that we cannot win outright the Presidency, a member of the U.S. Senate or the U.S. House – unless the candidate has billions of dollars to spend – when we don’t.
However, we can run 3rd party or Independent candidates on the local (city or county) level and have show some degree of success – especially in small constituencies where we know almost everyone who live there. It is a matter of being pragmatic – not selling out our principles.
I’ve preached this for years but very few seem to understand the truth in this fact. If I run for an office that serves say 1,000 voters, therer is a good chance I personally know most of them and they will vote for me regardless of what party I am running under. Again, we have to be pragmatic – something many 3rd partisans and Independents cannot bring themselves to accept.
I couldn’t agree with you more about the need to run in “local races.” As to governorships or US Senate, look at Senate Bernie Sanders of Vermont. A Socialist elected as an independent, he functions as one of the most stalwart of Democrats in the Senate. He has really done nothing to benefit the “leftist” 3rd parties.
Gee – lots of contempt for the Donkey voters in the primary ???
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Abolish the minority rule USA Senate – with its many Senators from below average States.
No primaries.
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
And unfortunately, that is the way most of them are. They are “insiders” who don’t give a crap about the real 3rd partisans or Independents. It’s okay for them to do the 3rd party or Independent thing, but don’t you true doctrinnaire 3rd partisans or Independents mess up our little scheme. We have an Independent State Senator here in Alabama and she won’t return my phone calls because she knows I want her to introduce legislation making it easier for 3rd parties and Independents to participate in the process. She’s popular among her constitutients and can quickly gather her signatures at each election time, she doesn’t care about those of us who are serious 3rd party advocates or Independents. As much as I like to see Independents elected, she might be defeated this time and if she is defeated, there won’t be any tears shed for her by me.