Non-Republicans: Should Henry Cuellar be primaried?

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Obviously Yes.

[Roblox]

Hell yes. By far the worst "democrat" in congress

[Greedo punched first]

No. I like Henry Cuellar.

[Virginiá]

Yes. Justice Dems please make yourselves useful here.

You would think JDs would go after seats like this like rabid dogs, as they are safe Democratic seats that can afford more stringent purity tests, but instead they obsess over these centrist Democrats in places where Democrats are on very shaky ground. It shows pretty decently how devoid of strategy some factions on the left are.

[Greedo punched first]

How popular is Cuellar?

[GlobeSoc]

yes

[Vega]

From the standpoint of the Justice Dems, I would think any member of the Blue Dog Democrats in an over Cook PVI D+5 should be targeted to be primaried, including Henry Cuellar.

[Cactus Jack]

In an ideal world, we'd bounce him and Lipinski both. Like Vega said, no Democrat in a district better than D+5 has any business voting like a conservadem. Cuellar is especially egregious.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Yes, but ideally we'd run him statewide for Senate or Governor.

[PragmaticPopulist]

If he's popular in his district, than its no use primarying him, but I think someone should challenge him considering he's in a safe D district. I could list a ton of votes that don't appear to be in-step with his district, and some of them are blatant third-way policies.

[SATW]

I pick the GOP option, just so everyone knows.

But, no he shouldn't be primaried.

[Kingpoleon]

Yes, but ideally we'd run him statewide for Senate or Governor.

This. You can't primary your strongest person on the bench in a seat.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

No. I like Henry Cuellar.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

No. I like Henry Cuellar.

[SWE]

Every incumbent should have to face a primary challenge (likes democracy)

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

Every incumbent should have to face a primary challenge (likes democracy)

please explain how not facing a primary challenge is "inherently anti-democracy".
I agree that Henry Cuellar should be primaried though because he is not liberal enough, considering the PVI of his district.

[BuckeyeNut]

Yes, but ideally we'd run him statewide for Senate or Governor.

Now here's an idea.

[NewYorkExpress]

If these voters like Democrats that vote like Republicans, like Lipinski and Cuellar, then why aren't these voters voting for actual Republicans (and I know I said this on the Lipinski thread, but it needs to be said twice).

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

If these voters like Democrats that vote like Republicans, like Lipinski and Cuellar, then why aren't these voters voting for actual Republicans (and I know I said this on the Lipinski thread, but it needs to be said twice).

Because Republicans are generally too harsh, and sometimes I do occasionally support a Republican here or there, like Cecil Underwood and Lincoln GodLord Chaffee while he was one. That's just my perspective though.

[smoltchanov]

No. I like Henry Cuellar.

+1. I always like mavericks in all parties))) Relatively conservative Democrats and relatively liberal Republicans are my favorites.  Otherwise elections would be so boring and predictable game (and for me, who lives abroad, most likely - no return, it's a game), unworthy even to observe, even less - to participate.. In fact - it's exactly what happens now - i can't compare my present interest, when almost everything is, usually, predictable, with late 70th, with Jacob Javits in Republican party and Larry McDonald - in Democratic)))). And now - would a soccer game between Germany and Rwanda be a blockbuster? Or hockey game bertween Canada and Fiji? 80, if not 90, percent of present day congressional races fall approximately in the same cathegory - result is predictable months before "game" itself...

[Zioneer]

Yes, because he votes with Trump a lot of the time, and is just generally kind of awful otherwise.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

No. I like Henry Cuellar.

+1. I always like mavericks in all parties))) Relatively conservative Democrats and relatively liberal Republicans are my favorites.  Otherwise elections would be so boring and predictable game (and for me, who lives abroad, most likely - no return, it's a game), unworthy even to observe, even less - to participate.. In fact - it's exactly what happens now - i can't compare my present interest, when almost everything is, usually, predictable, with late 70th, with Jacob Javits in Republican party and Larry McDonald - in Democratic)))). And now - would a soccer game between Germany and Rwanda be a blockbuster? Or hockey game bertween Canada and Fiji? 80, if not 90, percent of present day congressional races fall approximately in the same cathegory - result is predictable months before "game" itself...

What happened to "districts should only have representatives who are a good ideological fit?"

[smoltchanov]

No. I like Henry Cuellar.

+1. I always like mavericks in all parties))) Relatively conservative Democrats and relatively liberal Republicans are my favorites.  Otherwise elections would be so boring and predictable game (and for me, who lives abroad, most likely - no return, it's a game), unworthy even to observe, even less - to participate.. In fact - it's exactly what happens now - i can't compare my present interest, when almost everything is, usually, predictable, with late 70th, with Jacob Javits in Republican party and Larry McDonald - in Democratic)))). And now - would a soccer game between Germany and Rwanda be a blockbuster? Or hockey game bertween Canada and Fiji? 80, if not 90, percent of present day congressional races fall approximately in the same cathegory - result is predictable months before "game" itself...

What happened to "districts should only have representatives who are a good ideological fit?"

Nothing. This district is generally Democratic and anti-Trump, because Trump's hatred of immigrants, but not San Francisco, Seattle or Manhattan... So - it may (not must, but - may) have moderate Democrat (and Cuellar is a centrist, only in present day Democratic party he may be called a conservative) as a representative. I don't see Cuellar as much more conservative then Sinema, Crist, Gottheimer or some other more moderate Democrats. He is slightly to the right of his district, but not by so much. Would he represent a really liberal district (like those in Bay Area or Austin, for example) - i would be first to call for a primary...

[SWE]

Every incumbent should have to face a primary challenge (likes democracy)

please explain how not facing a primary challenge is "inherently anti-democracy".

Do you actually need an explanation as to why uncontested elections are bad for democracy?

(Also, what's with the square quotes? Who are you quoting?)

[Indy Texas 🇺🇦🇵🇸]

Yes, he should be.

However, there should not be an abortion litmus test, and the person who primaries him should not be some full-blown SJW because that's just not what that district is like.