Former Rep. Brad Ashford (D-NE) fell short in the primary for his comeback bid to a more progressive challenger Tuesday, a stunning disappointment to national Democrats that could be a blow to the party’s chances of winning the GOP-leaning seat.
Liberal nonprofit executive Kara Eastman (D) won the Democratic nomination by a scant 1126-vote margin, a number outside the window which would trigger an automatic recount under Nebraska law. The gap is wide enough that Ashford will have a tough time overcoming it even if there is a recount.
That’s a major disappointment for national Democrats, who had banked on him making a comeback run this election.
They had gone all-in for Ashford in recent months — the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee tacitly endorsed him over Eastman early this year by putting him on their “red-to-blue” program, and a number of members helped Ashford raise money for the race.
But while Ashford basically started his general election campaign early, running ads touting his accomplishments bringing a VA medical center back to the district, Eastman ran hard to Ashford’s left on a number of issues. She declared in one campaign ad that she’s “the only candidate for Congress who stands for universal health care and ending massive tax breaks for millionaires that threaten the middle class.”
And while the primary remained quite civil — his niece is close friends with her daughter — an Eastman win would set up a far different general election campaign, one national Democrats feel far less confident about.
President Trump won the Omaha-based district by two percentage points, and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), a former Air Force general, proved to be a solid campaigner last election cycle.
Democrats were excited that Ashford, a moderate Republican-turned-Democrat who lost by just one point last fall, would give Bacon a tough challenge. But they worry that Eastman’s support of single-payer healthcare could prove an especially tough sell in the swing district given the high number of jobs dependent on the healthcare and health insurance industries that are based in Omaha.
"…and ending massive tax breaks for millionaires that threaten the middle class.”
The Sanders’ message, strong as ever. National Dems losing their grip on power. Finally.
National Democrats supporting an R-turned-D (when it’s convenient) candidate over one who actually vocally espouses progressive ideals? They don’t want “red to blue” - they’re pushing “red to pink”, at best, and a “Republican versus Republican” general election at worst.
All politics is local. Forget the Sanders malarky. Brad Ashford was never a democrat. Yeah, he ran as a democrat and beat Lee Terry who could not give up his salary during a shut down. District was Gerrymandered and Ashford still won. Until then he was a Republican. His voting record was not liberal, or strong democrat. He lost to obnoxious Don Bacon.
Kara was a formidable candidate and someone who achieved success on her own merits. Brad came off uppity and Republican. It was a pleasant race. Brad is friendly and congeniel touting his work as a compromiser first in the state legislature. He seemed out of step in this race. Eastman did not align herslf with B. Sanders or as a progressive, sticking to the issues-health and women. A slight blue wave could take this seat. Local democtic party is working on rural NE where Trump tariffs and health insurance are causing pain.
Keeping my Kara Eastman sign up.
The message I take from this is that there are a good number of dems that don’t want (barely) left of center candidates. I’m in that camp. It sure didn’t work out well for Hillary. Nor did it work for Kerry.
I’d like to see candidates that aren’t afraid of proclaiming their liberalness. Explain why the rich are too rich. Proclaim that everyone is entitled to health insurance. Encourage the unions and show people how important they are and that they need to be strengthened. Protect social security for now and the future.
I wouldn’t count out any of the progressives running against the incumbent conservatives in Nebraska. Lots of people went to those town halls last summer and left feeling as though they weren’t listened to, and many are pissed off. I think Kara will do well, as will Jane Raybould against Deb Fischer.