I’ve been following the recent outpouring of support for Foster Campbell in his Senate run-off in Louisiana and have been wondering, where do we draw the line in our quest to stop Trump? Do we take anyone willing to put a “D” next to their name or do we use our energy and money to support candidates more likely to stand up to Trump when it actually counts?
Using Campbell as an illustration, he is a Democrat, and has some positions that are definitely worth supporting (like being against any privatization of social security, and saying he doesn’t deny climate change). On the other hand he is pro-life (and runs ads against his Republican appointment for being pro-choice), refused to support the Democratic nominee for President, is anti-gun control, and said in an interview about immigration that, “I might have a little bit of him [Donald Trump] in me.” He also said when asked about cutting the budget as a Democrat, “Just because I’m a Democrat, doesn’t mean I have to go along with everything they’re for… If they are busting the budget, I’ll vote against them”.
This has got me wondering about whether it is worth supporting such moderate Democrats in the Post-Trump world. Do we take what we can get, or do we stand on principal and use our money and effort to elect Democrats who will actually fight for what we believe in?
Now, maybe Campbell will fight for us, but I’m originally from the Georgia, and I still remember what it was like to have my moderate Democratic Senator go to the Republican National Convention and trash Kerry so severely that even Republicans distanced themselves from him. It was embarrassing and, in my opinion, it hurt the Democratic party severely. This is what I see when I see a moderate Democrat who refuses to support the national presidential candidate and compares themselves to Trump.
On the other hand, these are dire times and a Democrat that agrees with half my views is probably better than a Republican who agrees with none, but I wonder if it is worth the time, money, and risk of having him do something like Miller did when he sees it as his only path to re-election some day?
I’m undecided but would love to hear your thoughts.
Here is the video with the “little bit of him in me” comment. The longer interview with KEEL 710 is also on Youtube.
The other quote on voting against Democrats is at 6:00 in this interview: