To Clarify

I wasn't calling for every incumbent to get primaried in yesterday's post.  I was just trying to point out there are lots of good options out there- so no more of this "We have no bench, let's get someone from the Republican Committee to run as a Democrat" crap needs to go on.

That having been said, I offered this list in the comment section of who needed to be primaried and who didn't (with some changes after a good discussion).  This is Fairfax County Democrats only:

Needs a Primary
David Bulova
Vivian Watts
Dave Marsden
Bob Hull
Jim Scott

No Primary Now
Mark Sickles
Kris Amundson
Steve Shannon
Chuck Caputo
Ken Plum

I could go through and explain my rationale for each one of them, but we can save that for another time.  The key in my opinion are three questions.  1)  When they disagree with the party are they doing it for their own gain, or to represent their constituents?  (i.e. Do they say "That was a tough vote for me to win with, or is it "My district needed that vote for this reason...").   2)  Are they going around like party thugs in other primaries, and specifically are they attacking other Democrats in primaries? and 3)  If safe are they doing all they can for other candidates?

Anyway, those are my criteria, and if anyone has any specific questions about who is on what list, you can email me, or ask in the comment section (I'm not afraid to answer publicly).

I would like to also promote this comment from "Sam" who had some good thoughts about this last night, which I have a lot of common ground with:

" NLS, sounds good. Now, I don't live in any other district, obviously, so I'll leave it to the residents there to say if they think their delegate needs to be primaried, but in general, I don't like hte idea of a primary against an incumbent unless a) we're near-certain the seat will remain with us regardless of candidate, and b) the incumbent did something so aggregious, outside of just voting record, whether it be personal misconduct or statements, both politican and non-political, he/she has has made, such that the incumbent's remaining in office harms the party.

so, basically, Democratic challenges of incumbents I support over the years was like the primary against Gary Condit years ago, and Democratic challenges that I think were foolish were something like Ned Lamont's challenge of Lieberman.

so, that being said, personally, the only one on your list I agree with is Hull (I would also say Marsden, but I'm not sure enough the D's would hold the seat without him)... that being said, I don't know enough about the local dynamics or any potential other reasons to say that for sure, however."

Comments

[Not Jack Herrity]

What did Jim Scott do to raise your ire?

NJH

[Not Larry Sabato]

Linda Smyth, and this obsession with beating everyone down in Providence who doesn't go along with him 100%.

[Not Jack Herrity]

But wait, don't you beat down everyone who doesn't agree with you 100%?

:)

NJH

[Not Larry Sabato]

That's a funny joke, but I really don't. For all the stuff I put on here, you would be surprised what I don't use. :-)

[CTC]

There is VERY STRONG Republican alternaitve in HD 39 . . . as we saw around the turn of the Century . . .

[Not Larry Sabato]

Ha. Will that strong Republican alternative be around again this century?

[Church Hill Dem]

You need to put Amundson on the "needs a primary" list... she's awful.

[CTC]

Yessir. And getting closer.

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

Hey Church Hill,

Do you live in Kris's district? Even so, how exactly is she "awful"?

I've known Kris for a few years now, and even if I don't always entirely agree with every position (eg estate tax), over all Kris is a great listener, a pragmatic result-getter, and I am proud to have her as my delegate.

Not to mention, she believes in equal treatment for all under the law--something close to my heart.