MA-05: Ogonowski Going to the Left of Tsongas?

by: Matt Stoller

Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 18:01


I'm hearing rumors that Ogonowski is closer than 10 points to Tsongas in the MA-05 special election set for 10/16, and there's some worry in the commonwealth among Democrats.  Bill Clinton was in town for Tsongas, drawing huge crowds, which suggests this isn't the gimme contest it should be.  Tsongas's opponent, Ogonowski, is very effectively going after her with a message that the problem with government is excessive partisanship while rhetorically tacking to the left of her on Iraq, health care, and Social Security.

Here he is on Social Security.

Jim Ogonowski said, "Niki Tsongas is another Washington insider who will say anything to get elected. With the polls saying she is losing with seniors, Niki Tsongas now says she opposes increasing the retirement age. This is very different than what she said in June. I will never vote to raise the retirement age for social security."

Here he is on health care:

When polling shows that voters don't agree with Niki Tsongas on a position, she does what all Washington politicians do - she changes her position. This is just politics Washington style, another political trick designed to hide the fact that Niki Tsongas doesn't hold any real convictions. She thinks that Washington values are a winning play in the 5th Congressional District. Her pandering coupled with her partisan rhetoric make it crystal clear who Niki Tsongas really is: yet another Washington D.C. insider who will put Washington values and special interests over the people's interests.

While Niki Tsongas calls her friends in Washington for more partisan attacks, Jim Ogonowski will continue to look for bi-partisan solutions to the problems America faces. Government is too big, too corrupt, and too partisan. The people of the 5th Congressional District looking for leaders who are hardworking, down-to-earth, and willing to work across the aisle to find bi-partisan solutions for America. They don't want another career politician who thinks a broken Washington works. Niki Tsongas is part of the problem. Jim Ogonowski is the solution for fundamentally changing the way Washington does business.

If Democrats continue to make arguments, as Mark Warner, Steny Hoyer, and Jeanne Shaheen do on excessive partisanship in Washington, they will continue to empower people like Ogonowksi.  The guy would vote against SCHIP, and he's closing in the district.

Tsongas will be a capable Democrat in Congress.  She's going to be a reliable vote for mainstream Democratic values, though she is not particularly great on TV.  Her centrist credentials (inherited from her husband) are hurting her in this race, allowing Ogonowski to paint her as an elitist insider even as she is much more populist than he would be in policy terms.

It's something to watch out for, and if you live in MA-05, go to Niki's website and sign up to volunteer.

UPDATE:  I've done some calling around.  There is real concern here.
Matt Stoller :: MA-05: Ogonowski Going to the Left of Tsongas?

Tags: , , , (All Tags)
Print Friendly View Send As Email
MA-05: Ogonowski Going to the Left of Tsongas? | 9 comments
Don't Forget OBAMA! (0.00 / 0)
If Democrats continue to make arguments, as Mark Warner, Steny Hoyer, and Jeanne Shaheen do on excessive partisanship in Washington, they will continue to empower people like Ogonowksi.

He's the king of post-partisanship.  How could you fail to mention him???

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

The best counter to post-partisanship: partisanship (0.00 / 0)
This is serious. But there is a simple solution.

That is to continually tie Jim Ogonowski to Roy Blunt and John Boehner. It's very easy. Ogonowski isn't in the Republican mainstream. You just contrast his views with those of the House leadership, then ask why he'd vote for them for Majority Leader. And do this over and over and over again, until it's clear that he'll just enable the bastards, no matter how attractive his words are. It worked for Chafee, it'll work for him.

Although this does raise an interesting question: If Jim Ogonowski wants to run a campaign to the left of Niki Tsongas, why the hell didn't he endorse Eldridge?

Forgotten Countries - a foreign policy-focused blog

Who the hell does she have running her campaign? (4.00 / 2)

[ Parent ]
Agree, Calvin, Ogonowski is a coward... (4.00 / 1)
...who won't post any of his positions on issues on his own web site, and won't even link to his long rambling document on Iraq and GWOT.  I can tell you why:  that rambling piece, which I found linked to his Wikipedia page, makes clear his support for the war in Iraq, and that he thinks we should be committed to "winning" and support everything Dubya is doing.  It's easy to attack Ogonowski as a Bushbot.  Whatever is going wrong in this race is solely Tsongas' campaign management.
[ Parent ]
She or her campaign manager .. (0.00 / 0)
have to know how to combat this ...  that's the job of a campaign manager
[ Parent ]
re: Tsongas (0.00 / 0)
"she is much more populist than he would be in policy terms."

What, please, is your evidence for this assertion? 

Conventional wisdom says you have to be a centrist (0.00 / 0)
to win.  My question is why do we keep not doing what people want us to do?  People are so hungry for a liberal or progressive agenda that if they don't get it from a Democrat they may hope for it from Republican even if it doesn't make sense.  Amazing that the party keeps choosing nominees that end up having a harder time winning because they don't run on the progressive agenda that Democrats should embrace.

I hope Tsongas wins, but I keep wishing Democrats would choose their nominees based on the issues and not name recognition.  We need BETTER Democrats nominated.  Clinton may draw crowds but is his agenda what people want to elect?  I guess we will see.  The saying goes, if people have a choice between a fake Republican and a real Republican they will choose the real thing.  The other possibility is that if people have a choice between a fake Republican and a fake Democrat they may choose the fake Democrat(Repub running left) because they are hoping those ideas will be addressed.

Join other progressives at EENRblog

why are you surprised Matt? (0.00 / 0)
You've highlighted this race for months and have accurately pinpointed it's weaknesses each and every time.  I'm glad the institutional dems have caught on.  I'm sure the GOP will try to parlay a win there as a repudiation of Pelosi and the Democrats in general. Season it with a little bit of children of illegal immigrants getting free health care, a little dose of where'e the money for the troops crap, and you may or may not have a toxic soup.
I prefer that Tsongas wins by far.  But if she loses, maybe it'll finally send a shockwave, that will break through the DC bubble and get it through the thick skulls of Hoyer and the rest of the Bush Dogs of how politically stupid, enabling and crippling they have been over the past few months.
Raise the Social Security retirement age? (0.00 / 0)
Is this the new Democratic mantra?  Duckworth in IL-06 came out with that as well.  Imagine my surprise when the Far Right Republican is promising to save our "Social Security" by not voting to increase the retirement age.
I felt like I went through the looking glass.
MA-05: Ogonowski Going to the Left of Tsongas? | 9 comments
Donate to Open Left







QUICK HITS

Friends of the Earth thanks the OpenLeft community for the ideas you generate and your contributions to the progressive movement.
As an anti-spam measure, there is a 24-hour waiting period after registering before new users can comment.
blog advertising is good for you
blog advertising is good for you
LIBERAL INSTITUTIONS
STATE BLOGS
SEARCH

   

Advanced Search

Home | RSS/XML Feed | Register | Contact

  © OpenLeft 2007-2009, Powered by SoapBlox