Updates from Ballotpedia on the Democratic primaries in 2018. THE 2018 MIDTERM ELECTION IS ON TUESDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 18. GO TO ROCK THE VOTE or VOTE.ORG to make sure you are registered to vote or to register to vote as well as information about voting in your state. GO TO Ballotpedia for information on candidates for office and ballot issues in your state.
 |
Sponsored by Political Wire
This week: Conyers family feud in Michigan, Ervin bows out in Maryland, and a rough year for incumbent legislators. Click here to follow developments on the Republican side. Have a tip or see something we missed? Email us at geoff@ballotpedia.org. And please share this newsletter with your colleagues!
|
UPCOMING FILING DEADLINES |
UPCOMING PRIMARY ELECTIONS |
DECLARED CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES |
DEMOCRATIC PUNDITS ON THE NEWS
Where do Democratic and progressive pundits disagree?
Each week in Heart of the Primaries, we bring you excerpts that highlight differing views. |
|
|
 Conyers family line of succession battle meets end in Michigan Court of Appeals The resignation of longtime incumbent Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D) that set up a months-long family feud over which younger Conyers would carry the family name into Michigan’s 13th Congressional District Democratic primary may be nearing its end.
John Conyers III (D), son of the former incumbent and Monica Conyers, was removed from the ballot in May, John Conyers III was removed from the ballot in May after his cousin, state Sen. Ian Conyers (D), challenged the validity of his cousin’s nominating petition signatures.
After several court battles, the Michigan Court of Appeals upheld that decision Tuesday.
Conyers Jr. initially wanted his nephew, Ian Conyers, to replace him. But Monica encouraged him to endorse Conyers III instead.
Other leading candidates in the majority-minority district not named Conyers include former state Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D), Westland Mayor Bill Wild (D), and Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones.
2016 Democratic nominee for AZ-02 seeks to knock chief rival off ballot
Former state legislator Matt Heinz—who won the party’s nomination for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District in 2016—is seeking to knock his chief rival, former Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D), off the ballot.
Heinz is funding a legal challenge to nullify Kirkpatrick’s nominating petitions, arguing she falsely listed two Tucson addresses as her residence when she lives in Phoenix.
Kirkpatrick, who previously represented the neighboring 1st Congressional District, has raised more than $1 million, the highest total in the eight candidate field.
The 2nd Congressional District is a swing seat and a pickup opportunity for Democrats. In 2014, incumbent Rep. Martha McSally (R) was declared the winner after a mandatory recount resulted in her winning by 0.1 percent.
|
Special guest analysis: Trump returns to Minnesota
Barry Casselman has covered national politics and public policy issues since 1972. We invited him to share an update on Minnesota Congressional primaries. Click here for more from his blog, The Prairie Editor.
President Donald Trump will return to Minnesota, a state he almost won, when he comes to Duluth next week. He will be campaigning for likely Republican nominee Pete Stauber, who is rated the favorite to win the open 8th Congressional District seat now held by Democrat (DFL) Congressman Rick Nolan who is retiring.
Traditionally a heavily DFL district, President Trump carried the district by double digits in 2016. The popular Nolan has no natural successor, and four relatively unknown DFL candidates are competing in the upcoming August primary for their party nomination. This race is thought to be the most likely GOP congressional seat pick-up in the nation with Stauber, a strong supporter of the president, turning out so far to be a tireless campaigner.
A late, possibly complicating development was the last-minute entrance into the governor’s race by the state’s attorney general, Lori Swanson. She chose Nolan as her lieutenant governor running mate, and should they win the August primary, Nolan will appear on the statewide November ballot, including in the 8th district.
|
Candidate survey reply of the week
Ballotpedia is surveying candidates ahead of the primary and general elections. Are you a candidate for public office? Complete a survey, and you may be featured here.
|
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
|
|
Inquire at ads@ballotpedia.org to advertise here in next week’s edition.
|
 Ervin suspends Maryland gubernatorial campaign, endorses Baker Valerie Ervin (D) suspended her bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination Tuesday and endorsed Montgomery County Executive Rushern Baker (D).
Ervin joined the race in May following the death of Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz (D), who had picked Ervin as his running mate.
Ervin was not permitted access to the $1.4 million reportedly in Kamenetz's campaign account.
A lawsuit Ervin filed demanding the state Board of Elections print new ballots featuring Ervin's name rather than using the existing ballots featuring Kamenetz was rejected June 4.
Eight candidates are in June 26 primary, which is open only to registered Democrats.
Hawaii's largest union endorses Hanabusa The Hawaii Government Employees Association endorsed Rep. Colleen Hanabusa's (D) challenge to Gov. David Ige (D) in the Aug. 11 primary.
The union represents more than 42,000 members and is the largest in the state. Hanabusa also has the backing of the Hawaii Carpenters Union and the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers.
Ige is backed by the Hawaii State Teachers Association.
|
Democrats control 14 state legislatures heading into the November 2018 midterms. Democrats lost 968 state legislative seats during the Obama presidency. This chart showsthe number of candidates running, incumbents retiring, primary challenges to incumbents, and total primaries for Democrats in 2018 compared to the same point in the 2016 elections based on the states where filing deadlines have passed.
Takeaways: In Alabama*, Arkansas, California***, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland*, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico**, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina**, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington***, and West Virginia, where candidate lists are now final, the number of Democratic candidates running has increased 25.8 percent. The number of incumbents retiring has decreased 2.9 percent. The number of Democratic incumbents facing challenges has increased 27.4 percent and the number of Democratic primaries has increased 59.6 percent.
*Did not hold state legislative elections in 2016
**Not holding state Senate elections in 2018 ***Holds top-two primaries instead of Democratic and Republican primaries More Democratic incumbents are being challenged, and losing, in 2018 Primary challengers are defeating more incumbent state legislators this year than in past election cycles. And there could be more losses to come.
In the 22 states that have held primaries so far, 25 Democratic state legislative incumbents have been defeated -- well ahead of the 15 incumbent losses at this same point in 2016, and the 22 primary losses in 2014.*
Runoffs in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and South Carolina later this summer may add to the 2018 total.
The rising number of incumbent losses mirrors the rise in the number of incumbents facing challenges, which are up 27.4 percent compared to 2016.
Fewer incumbents are voluntarily leaving office this year, with 2.9 percent fewer retirements than in 2016.
*Alabama held elections in 2018 and 2014, but not 2016.
Progressive critics of Massachusetts House speaker to challenge his allies Longtime Massachusetts lawmakers allied with state House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D) are facing progressives challengers in the Sept. 4 primaries.
Although DeLeo faces no opponent, three members of his leadership team--Ways and Means Chairman Jeffrey Sanchez, Assistant Vice Chairwoman Angela Malia, and Majority Whip Byron Rushing-- do.
Their challengers say the current leadership is too conservative for a state Legislature dominated by Democrats.
According to the Bay State Banner, DeLeo “regularly opposes progressive reforms and new taxes.” Progressives have also pointed to his relationship with Gov. Charlie Baker (R) as proof that he is not an ideological fit for the party.
DeLeo reportedly has an “aversion to conflict,” and prefers “consensus” approach to policy.
|
A weekly feature on an influencer shaping the direction of the party.
Progressive Change Campaign Committee “We looked for candidates who’d use their platforms to turn states into models of progressive government...During a primary, everyone says they’re progressive — which, to be honest, is kind of a problem.” -Progressive Change Campaign Committee co-founder Stephanie Taylor
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) has made several endorsements ahead of Democratic gubernatorial primaries. The group endorsed Stacey Abrams, who won Georgia’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, and is also backing Cynthia Nixon in New York, David Garcia in Arizona, Andrew Gillum in Florida, and Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan.
The group has been involved in select congressional primaries as well, where it has taken on candidates endorsed by the moderate New Democratic Coalition (NDC).
In California’s 45th District, the group ran digital ads against NDC-endorsed David Min.
The ads called Min a “bad Dem” because he opposed universal health care. PCCC co-founder Adam Green said the ads were part of a "larger campaign to make the New Dem brand radioactive and make sure politicians don’t unwittingly sign up to be a tool of big insurance and Wall Street banks.”
According to its website, the PCCC “engages in electoral work and issue advocacy work on democracy issues and for economic populist priorities.” The group’s issues include expanding Social Security, debt-free college, Medicare for All, and paid family leave.
|
What we're reading |
Share this email:
  
Want to sponsor this newsletter? Reach donors, consultants, activists, and voters with your message. Contact ads@ballotpedia.org for more information about advertising.
|
Choose which emails you would like to receive from Ballotpedia:
|
After you vote, let the world know by sharing this image or updating your profile photo on social media!
