This Week in News: May 18th Edition
Primary Results, Upcoming Contests, & Other Important Political Stories
To start, we have an event to promote on behalf of the Rhode Island Tenant’s Bill of Rights push (see the previous blog post on this). Join us at the Rhode Island State House this coming Tuesday:
While we’re on the subject, I also have some Rhode Island news to share:
Let’s start with the gift that keeps on giving. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo (as many of the readers of my blog know) fled her state high and dry, bailed for Washington DC, and left her administration’s baggage with other people. In the most recent example of that, the US Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, Zachary Cunha, is now threatening action against Rhode Island’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) for essentially warehousing children at a behavioral health clinic run by LifeSpan, a private healthcare company. From January 2017 to September 2022, DCYF sent children to Bradley Hospital for stays that lasted weeks, months, and even years. Even after such issues were spotlighted by Target 12 reporter Eli Sherman in 2020, the state continued to fail to provide proper care and education to at-risk youth, a violation of Olmstead guidelines and the Americans With Disabilities Act. If the state fails to comply with the new directives, the federal government will pursue legal action.
Wow. What a mess. Let’s hope Raimondo takes her job at the Commerce Department more seriously than her last one. But I highly doubt she will, going off of my previous takes.
That’s not all, though. Apparently, Raimondo appointee and universally unpopular RI Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green touted the Rhode Island Department of Education’s (RIDE) push for better attendance to the President himself. Did she mention to the White House that the state is going to shut down multiple city schools in Providence behind closed doors without community input? Or did she mention that hundreds of teachers are getting displacement and layoff notices? I guess she must have forgotten. Maybe she should get Raimondo to remind her.
What will students do in classes with no teachers? More importantly, what has been done in the past 5 years since Rhode Island first took over Providence Public Schools, when Raimondo was Governor? Well, like the Who once said, “meet the new boss.” Worse than the old boss.
Wait, there’s more. Rhode Island is for sale when it comes to its natural resources. Just skim the latest decision to expand a natural gas pipeline on Aquidneck Island, as reported by prime local muckraker Steve Ahlquist. Thanks again Gina.
Learn more in the archives with the recently released “Gina Raimondo Files.”
Meanwhile, Congressman Henry Cuellar’s legal liabilities continue to mount with 3 guilty pleas, including from 2 of his former campaign staffers. More legal trouble for him. More political trouble for his allies in South Texas and across the country.
But let us cover some big primaries for this month:
In Maryland’s Democratic primary for US Senate, money can’t buy you love (literally). Congressman David Trone loaned himself a total of $61 million, only to lose by around 11 points to Angela Alsobrooks, who he outspent 10-to-1. Granted Larry Hogan is no ordinary Maryland Republican, but he has quite a challenger to beat. Looking at the odds of past Governors who ran for Senate, like Linda Lingle, Jim Gilmore, Tony Knowles, Tommy Thompson, Phil Bredesen, and Steve Bullock, Alsobrooks has a much easier path to victory in November. Split-ticket voting is very hard to find in presidential cycles. But it will still be quite a headline-grabbing contest nonetheless.
I could be wrong pending the final results, but it also looks like Trone lost his home county, Montgomery County, in the primary by 2 points.
In an ominous sign for progressives, with vulnerabilities present from earlier in March, right-wing dark money and outside special interests are influencing primary contests in favor of corporate-backed Democrats. In MD-03, Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn lost almost single-handedly to the deluge of Republican donor contributions in the millions of dollars that boosted his opponent. AIPAC is effectively looking to buy candidates for a right-wing government agenda, and outright cancel the voices of those who dare to criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Trump Republicans in any way.
Democrats need to call out the bluff of these interests who are promoting a new form of cancel culture against critics of Netanyahu, and are interfering in our domestic politics. Make the ultimate push to ban GOP dark money in our primary contests.
But until then, progressives will need to get accustomed to such obstacles. In OR-03, Portland Councilwoman Susheela Jayapal is being maliciously attacked by special interests, who are now funneling money into a separate political action committee to boost her opponent. Some of the interests have formed entities that do not have to disclose its list of donors by law until the day of the primary this upcoming Tuesday.
For those concerned about the war in Gaza, congressional primaries are among the best ways to make your voices heard. Not being involved is a missed opportunity and disservice to the cause of the Palestinians and the Israelis.
Those who want to help out or can, donate to Susheela Jayapal’s campaign here.
In other news though, former Commerce Department official April McClain Delaney won the primary for the MD-06 Western Maryland House seat once occupied by her husband. Name recognition doesn’t hurt (her husband once held the same seat), though she and the runner-up spent a lot of money on this contest.
MD-02 was practically uncontested, with Johnny Olszewski winning his nomination decisively. He is the strong favorite to win in November.
Indiana had a competitive Senate primary, which GOP Senator Mike Braun won easily. He faces Democrat Jennifer McCormick, the former state Superintendent of Education in the general. Rep. Jim Banks (R) won his nomination for US Senate and has an opponent for November in Dr. Valerie McCray (D).
IN-08 was very interesting, because the area’s former Congressman was trounced by more than 20 points to a rather unknown GOP State Senator. Why? Most likely because Congressman John Hostettler earned the ire of AIPAC for his views on Israel.
Oddly, AIPAC has been very hands off on challenging Republican critics of Israel in Congress like Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie. Far unlike their approach to Democratic critics of Netanyahu.
GOP Governor Jim Justice is now the favorite to succeed Joe “Houseyacht” Manchin in November.
On a very positive note for West Virginia, incumbent Congresswoman Carol Miller crushed her opponent Derrick Evans, who was convicted for his role in the January 6th insurrection.
Louisiana has set its House map in place for November with two black-majority congressional districts finalized.
Also have a competitive primary in OR-05 to watch next week as well.
June will be a busy month with key primaries to cover in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, Montana, South Carolina, Maine, Utah, and Washington DC. Stay tuned for more.