This is like next door to where I used to live!

(FYI, I used to live in what's currently FL-20.)

Is Ted Deutch at all related to Peter Deutch (I'm not sure about spelling)?

Bill Posey is not half-alligator...and is outclassed by Davy Crockett anyway: http://www.washingtonmonthly.c...

---

by: Glenn Magus Harvey @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 17:58:48 PM CDT

Would Peter Deutsch be interested in a comeback?

He's only 52.

---

by: davybaby @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 18:18:51 PM CDT

I hope not. Deutch's voting record was much too conservative

for this district.

National Journal Ratings 1993:
Economic 61% Liberal, 37% Conservative
Social:  71% Liberal, 28% Conservative
Foreign: 51% Liberal, 42% Conservative

National Journal Ratings 1994:
Economic 59% Liberal, 37% Conservative
Social:  57% Liberal, 43% Conservative
Foreign: 80% Liberal, 17% Conservative

Deutch was always eying statewide office and his votes reflected that.

---

by: DCal @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 10:05:46 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

NJ Ratings

don't mean, in the case of the first one you cited (Economic 1993), that he took the liberal position 61% of the time and the conservative position 37%. They are a ranking measure, indicating that he was more liberal than 61% of the House.

BTW, he was in Congress from 1992-2004. Why did you choose his first two years rather than his more recent record?

---

by: davybaby @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 16:52:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Anyone who votes more Conservatively

than one-third of the House is too conservative for this district.

Here are the most recent ratings that I could find:

National Journal Ratings 2002:
Economic 67% Liberal, 32% Conservative
Social:  73% Liberal, 27% Conservative
Foreign: 58% Liberal, 42% Conservative

As you can see, Deutch's voting record did not improve over time.

---

by: DCal @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 19:58:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I really like Wexler

so I'm sorry to hear this news. My brother lives in his district.

---

by: desmoinesdem @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 18:34:07 PM CDT

yeah

Same here, I thought he was a good guy. Loved him on Colbert Report. haha

---

by: Venslor @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 19:26:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

"WAS a good guy"?

He's just quitting Congress; he's not dead.

---

by: davybaby @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 16:53:44 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Looks like Ring will probably be in

http://miamiherald.typepad.com...

He says that Wexler told him before hand, and that he would have a pretty strong base.

Ring is also young, at only 39. Don't know how progressive he is. Trying to find information.

---

by: xcave @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 20:19:15 PM CDT

Frankel is obviously very progressive

and probably the safe choice, as far as liberals go. She's one of the six that introduced the single payer resolution to the US Conference of Mayors, and has been a strong advocate of LGBT issues. Graber is also very liberal (he actually tried challenging Wexler from the left a couple years ago, if you remember).

I don't know enough about Ring or Deutch to state an opinion, but the field being described looks fine so far.

---

by: xcave @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 20:30:09 PM CDT

Lois Frankel

Ran in 1992 in the 23rd district against Alcee Hastings, who called he a "racist b***h". Hopefully this primary will be more civil than that...

---

by: possumtracker1991 @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 21:35:11 PM CDT

I know little about Ben Graber but he really doesn't sound that great

He ran as an independent in 2008 after he decided he couldn't primary Wexler.  Seems like a fairly stupid thing to do considering his campaign, from what I heard, was basically "Wexler was an idiot on Colbert".  

But I can't completely blame him for running: it is a fun thing to do.  (Sorry)

---

by: Darth Jeff @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 21:39:29 PM CDT

Few districts in the country

will produce a more liberal Representative.  

---

by: andgarden @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 21:47:40 PM CDT

Director of Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation

http://www.politico.com/blogs/...

---

by: JeremiahTheMessiah @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 22:22:37 PM CDT

Slogan

Wexler will "become director of Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation founded by Slim Fast Foods Chair Dan Abraham," Reinhard writes.

I can see it now. Their slogan will be:

Lose the weight! Lose the hate! :-P

---

by: Pan @ Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 22:45:55 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Chris Christie wasn't available

---

by: conspiracy @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 07:21:56 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

SUSAN BUCHER 4 CONGRESS

current palm beach county supervisor of elections and local liberal leader, former state rep... we could simply do no better than sending her to DC.

From the Palm Beach Post...

Susan Bucher keeps fighting until the end
By THOMAS R. COLLINS

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Rep. Susan Bucher peers at her Republican quarry with bespectacled eyes through a mane of black, curly hair.

It's parted perfectly straight on the right and held back with a barrette, keeping it out of her eyes - all the better for referring to her trusty documents piled high on her desk - critical at debate time. She has asked a question, and is waiting.

The answers, almost always, aren't good enough for her, judging by the tight-pressed lips and those raised eyebrows, which seem to say, What is WITH these people?

But Bucher, the indefatigable inquisitor and the state GOP's biggest pain-in-the-rear, is almost out of time for questions. The liberal Democrat from West Palm Beach has only seven days left in her last legislative session. She's term-limited out.

She delivered her farewell speech on the House floor on Tuesday.

Bucher gave a nod to those who came before her, especially Rep. Ed Healey, for whom she worked as an aide for six years and whom she replaced when he died in office in 2000.

"I learned that as a member, I not only have a right, I have a responsibility to ask questions in debate in order to represent my constituents who sent me here," said Bucher, who is running for Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections.

An hour before the day's session started, she said she was too busy to think about the speech, still dissecting "all these crazy bills" proposed by Republicans.

Besides, she said, "If I said what I really thought I'd probably be kicked out."

Her questions often come after late nights - but more often, very early mornings - of research and color-coded highlighting of documents: yellow for important passages, pink for things that "make me mad."

Bucher came to the House after Healey died in the middle of the session in 2000 and was recruited to debate the Republicans on the budget a half-hour after being sworn in.

"And so my place started to become established," she said.

Even House Speaker Marco Rubio, whose policies Bucher has railed against, praised her determination on Tuesday.

"After nine years of working hard, and then knowing every single piece of legislation that comes up on the floor, knowing you're going to lose virtually every vote and every motion that you make and every measure that you take, I think it takes a special person with a special amount of dedication to public service to do that," Rubio said.

"I don't think there's a more prepared member of the legislature than Susan, nor one more dogged in pursuing her principles," House Minority Leader Dan Gelber said.

Rep. Shelley Vana, Bucher's Tallahassee roommate for six years, said she'll be missed.

"There will always be somebody like Susan," Vana said. "I don't know who that will be right now."

In her farewell remarks, a time when members often get emotional, Bucher bragged to Democratic Rep. Jack Seiler that she stayed a bulldog to the end.

"He lost the bet," Bucher said. "Unless he's going to hit me, I don't cry on the floor."

---

by: inhoc75 @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 01:50:02 AM CDT

She sounds incredible

She has a backbone and I like it.  It would be great to see her and Alan Grayson teaming up and taking it to the GOP for years to come in the House.  

---

by: TheGame08 @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 11:04:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Say It Ain't So!

Not Wexler! He knows of such fun things to do, such as:

"I enjoy cocaine because it's a fun thing to do. I enjoy the company of prostitutes because it's a fun thing to do. And if you compare those two things, it makes it even more fun."

I'm gonna miss that kind of brash openness....

---

by: Don't Tase Me, Bro! @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 07:28:45 AM CDT

Huh?

n/t

---

by: Pan @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 11:54:48 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

It was on Colbert's show

It was a comedy-type routine when he was running unopposed, and Colbert was humorously making the point that Wexler could "say anything" and still get elected.  As far as I know, the good congressman isn't a hooker-banging crackhead!

---

by: IndianaProgressive @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 12:15:52 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Great bit

(Wexler was challenged to complete the sentences "I enjoy cocaine because..." and "I enjoy the company of prostitutes because...") Colbert later broke kayfabe and went off on some morning shows that aired the clip out of context, saying that obviously Wexler had a sense of humor and encouraging people to vote for him.

---

by: boojumsnark @ Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 12:31:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]