House Democrats’ Never Ending Primary Problems

Democrats have to win big in 2016 to disassemble the GOP’s historic House majority, but they’re off to a bad start. In must-win districts, Democrats are seeing their hopes severely threatened by contentious primaries throughout the country:

FL-18Democrats’ preferred choice to run in the open swing seat has gone disastrously wrong. Three candidates are now vying for the coveted seat.

IA-01Following Bruce Braley’s disastrous 2014 Senate bid, Democrats lost his vacant, Democratic-leaning seat. Now, in their battle to reclaim a seat they had held for nearly a decade, they are coping with a high-stakes primary with three Democratic contenders in an expensive top 2016 state.

IL-10Democrats efforts to clear the field for former Congressman Brad Schneider have failed as a local mayor has thrown her hat into the ring.

ME-02Democrats think they’ve got a lock on their choice candidate in Maine’s conservative 2nd Congressional district, but recent moves by well-known Joe Baldacci and a local politician could jeopardize their plans.

NV-04Democrats are fretting about the three candidates running for the same spot while leaving a neighboring swing seat devoid of a challenger to the proven powerhouse Congressman, Rep. Joe Heck (R, NV-03).

NY-01In a Long Island swing district, Democrats lost a seat they had held for 12 years. Taking it back may prove a more difficult task than they initially planned. Two candidates are now officially running for the Democratic nomination, with two other potential candidates still seriously mulling bids and meeting with Washington Democrats.

NY-24Following the heartbreaking news for Democrats that their top recruit, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, would not run for the seat, there have been rumblings about yet another crowded Democratic primary. An upstate New York-based Democratic consultant admitted, “I’m anticipating a two- or three-way Democratic primary.”

 

Washington Democrats sure do hope to limit the amount of primaries they’ll have to deal with, but at this rate it looks like they’re in for a whirlwind of an election cycle.