(Editor’s note: Hyphen inserted in title for those unfamiliar with the Latin term ‘persona non grata’ and for those who speak Portugese or who are unfamiliar with the DLC.)
How do you know when a Democrat is really not on your side? There are many ways, and the voting record is not always the best indicator. But I don’t know that I have ever seen a better indicator than the following:
In 1996, [Rep. Ellen] Tauscher [D-CA-10] ran for Congress as a pro-business, pro-environment, pro-military centrist against Bill Baker, a conservative Republican she portrayed as too far right for his suburban swing district. Pelosi supported her, and she won. But when Pelosi ran for whip, Tauscher supported moderate Hoyer, a close friend. And later in 2001, Tauscher accused Pelosi and her allies in the California Senate of redrawing her congressional district as payback. The new district was much more Democratic, which made it a safer seat for the party, but not necessarily for Tauscher — unless she followed Pelosi’s lead.
Let’s go over this slowly. Ellen Tauscher’s 10th district was redrawn in 2001 to make it much more Democratic, and Tauscher interpreted this as punishment for supporting Steny Hoyer over Nancy Pelosi for minority whip.
I don’t know how much clearer it could be that Ellen Tauscher does not have our best interests at heart. That’s why the netroots is mobilizing to defeat her.
Ellen Tauscher Weekly
Dump Ellen Tauscher
Working For Us PAC