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DSCC Chair: 'I Believe Blanche Lincoln Would Be Our Best Candidate' (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | March 3, 2010, 10:50AM

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

AR-SEN, Blanche Lincoln, Bob Menendez, DSCC

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The man responsible for electing Democrats to the Senate, DSCC chair Bob Menendez, told MSNBC this morning that he stands with Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Senate primary. Menendez wouldn't say whether the national party will spend money to defend Lincoln against Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, who's running against her for the Democratic nomination with the backing of national progressive and labor groups, saying only that the DSCC is supporting her as it does all incumbent Democrats.

Menendez said Lincoln remains the party's safest bet to keep the seat this fall. "I believe Blanche Lincoln would be our best candidate in the general election," he said. Yesterday, Christina reported that many in the national Democratic establishment feel the same way.

Check out the video after the jump.

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Progressive Party

March 3, 2010 11:06 AM

and this is exactly why I won't be giving the DSCC one penny of my money. I am giving directly to Progressives; including halter. Fuck these out of touch ass-wipes!

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psyclone

March 3, 2010 11:11 AM

Utterly meaningless bilge. Has the DSCC ever endorsed the non-incumbent in a primary? Would they ever?

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FreeRider

March 3, 2010 11:51 AM in reply to psyclone

Exactly right. I watched Menendez this morning on MSNBC and he gave the most minimal endorsement for Lincoln and wouldn't even commit to spending money on her behalf. When asked if he thought Halter could win, he said "I think Lincoln would be our best candidate." Ringing endorsement!

It is crystal clear that the DSCC is not all-in for Lincoln and is going through the requisite motions. They'd be stupid if they trumpeted the challenger over a sitting senator.

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Darrius

March 3, 2010 2:49 PM in reply to FreeRider

And now comes the part that we warned Democrats like Blanche about all along. Fighting against the Obama agenda is not only going to demoralize your Democratic voters and won't engender any support from Republicans. Now she is getting primary-ed. Blanche has one chance.

That is to vote for HCR and then run on the merits of the Democratic agenda; AND hope that so many people like the Democrats' desired direction that they change the emotional narrative.

Good luck with that in Arkansas. The people here can't seem to see past the Democratic President being a Black man.

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lousgirl84

March 3, 2010 2:50 PM in reply to FreeRider

Absolutely correct

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Barry Champlain

March 3, 2010 12:23 PM

This is the endemic problem with the Senate: the club-like cronyism of the membership vastly trumps any obligation any individual member might feel toward either his or her constituency or society at large.

A senator might pursue an agenda which runs counter to, e.g., the purported core beliefs of his or her own party, but in the end, any other senator's primary obligation is to protect his or her fellow senator (and it's nice if it's a nominal member of your own party like that... but not obligatory).

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