This Democrats Against Jim Matheson bumper sticker comes not just out of a sense of abstract opposition, but with a clear alternative in mind: Claudia Wright, who is running a progressive Democratic challenge to Utah’s 2nd district Congressman Jim Matheson as a “citizen’s candidate”.
Here’s what it means for Wright to be running as a “citizen’s candidate”: Instead of the standard procedure for the selection of a congressional candidate, in which a self-centered politician gathers resources for the power to orchestrate a top-down campaign, Claudia Wright was democratically chosen by a group of committed citizens who had organized around a selfless purpose: The replacement of Jim Matheson as Democratic congressional candidate with a progressive candidate.
As a Blue Dog, working with Republicans to block Democratic legislation, Jim Matheson has gained the strong opposition of his district’s progressive candidates. In spite of his claims that he doesn’t need liberal help to win re-election, Matheson looks vulnerable this time, and his campaign is struggling to figure out a good way to deal with the rebellion on the Left. So far, they haven’t come up with a reasonable response.
Win or lose, 2010 may well be remembered as he year of Claudia Wright. Utahn Democrats are tired of the Blue Dog nonsense.
Dare to imagine – the idea of a congressperson accountable strictly to those responsible for her election, instead of to corporations and money-wielding interest groups … it’s so obvious, yet, in our time, so radical!
There is a BOLD PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT in our midst. Claudia Wright [http://www.claudiawrightforutah.org] is running against Blue Dog Congressman Jim Matheson. Claudia is a strong woman with bold progressive positions. And, she is not afraid to state her positions. She does not hide them, like Representative Matheson does. She speaks them and writes them and blogs them and discusses them with real citizens. Claudia has taken a strong stand against corporate personhood and against the recent Supreme Court decision to allow corporations, both domestic and foreign, to spend as much as they want on campaigns; and will do so with virtually no restrictions. Get involved! Support Claudia Wright for Congress.