Oh Please Be Right — Again
Stuart Rothenberg nailed the 2009 Republican wave in 2009 and I hope he’s right again.
I have argued repeatedly that while the House is up for grabs — and indeed likely to flip to the Democrats in November — the Senate is not in play. I now believe that it is, so I must revise and extend my remarks.
He outlines, race by race, how the Democrats could do it but admits that Democrats “need everything to go right” to net two seats.
He still gives Ted Cruz the Texas win. If the election were held right now today, I would disagree. However, we all know that Cruz’s adoration of all things juvenile and petty might turn into dirty tricks.
Bubba got a polling call last night. It’s the first time we’ve ever gotten one so the Texas senate seat must have put us in play.
I got a polling call this week, too. My first ever.
1I hope desperately that the Democrats to take races everywhere. However, my second greatest fear is that even if the D’s get majorities in Congress and take back state and national offices, how long will it take for America’s selective amnesia to give the right-wingers their offices back. It never seems to take more than four years for things to shift the wrong way again.
2I live not far from the Hill. I can smell the flop sweat from the Rs all the way to my house!
3After I finished reading Stu’s news, I read this: https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/dem-rep-cuellar-asks-supporters-donate-vulnerable-republican
I can’t help but wonder what the tarnation–and damnation–this is all about.
4Turn into? Somebody’s not paying attention.
5Teh Gerg says: “…how long will it take for America’s selective amnesia to give the right-wingers their offices back. ”
This is the direct result of the abject failure of Democratic messaging skills. We had eight years of a failure to sufficiently communicate the good efforts of Team D.
And here we are, with Rethugs in power from top to bottom, after millions of people that could have been favorable to voting for Democrats, went over to the dark side.
Not the millions of the completely unreachable MAGAoty core Republican base, but those who fell for the steady, unanswered drumbeat of Reptilian messaging over years of unanswered bullshit.
The Reptaliban have now gone completely negative in campaign ads in two Texas races that most here are aware of: Beto O’Rourke v. Cruz, and Gina Ortiz-Jones v. Will Hurd.
The Rethugs have shifted to extremely vicious TV ads (most of which seem sponsored by OoS PACs) slamming the Dems everywhichway, which are now in heavy rotation on the airwaves. (have other areas shifted (more) negative recently?)
Sure, it’s what the R’s do, what are we going to do about it?
Meanwhile the Democrats are still running vague, poorly produced ‘touchy-feely’ pablum spots.
I’d like to get some opinions here on what y’all might think the Dems response mode should be? An alternating ‘positive-negative’ ad mode, all the same ‘positive’ (as is largely the case now), or mostly negative– fight fire with fire?
In any case the Dems had better shift some gears and get ahead of this Rethug crap, one way or another. I don’t know where Karl Rove is, but these bastards are masters of the art.
This is full-on combat in a war for the raw power that will shape your lives for a very long time. We had better get the tactics and strategies right this time.
6If I remember correctly the Carolina’s are among the states that allow a private citizen to “challenge” a voters registration by sending a non forwardable post card where if the voter doesn’t respond within a set time period they are stricken from the voters list. I beleive this is called Caging
Any one want to bet that some thuglican group is working this angle by dropping a batch of post cards in the mail yesterday and today to challenge democratic constituencies in the Carolinas so as to further suppress the vote to ensure the continued misgoverance of by those who revel in the description of those states as hotbeds of treason and sedition.
At the very least this would sow greater confusion on election day.
7Charles R Phillips,
Hispanic Henry Cuellar, (D-TX-28) is basically a DINO, he has a rock-solid base in and around Laredo that blindly gives him 65-75% margins, whether he’s in a Democratic primary (which seldom happens), or up against a Rethug.
His monolithic base of Laredo, as the only major city, outvotes and dominates all the rest of his huge South Texas (fajita) district (it’s almost 300 miles long, compare to many entire states).
I know damn well because I’m in this district, I vote against him in the primaries, and hold my nose and vote for him in the generals. It has been redrawn several times (I haven’t always been in it).
His position is so solid that he often has neither a primary challenge, or even a Rethug against him.
Read the Wiki page below, some often expect him to flip R, he says he is solid D forever. I have no idea why he’s so chummy with the Rethugs (he was a GWB appointee even), but a DINO is better than one of them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Cuellar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas%27s_28th_congressional_district
8@Sandridge
“but a DINO is better than one of them.”
Only in districts where the d’s are endangered. In solidly d districts dump him even if that means letting a thuglican in.
Why?
1) Show this sort of liar that there will be repercussions for their bad behavior.
2) If he is supporting thuglican agenda and helping elect thuglicans he is no longer a d so accept reality and move on by dumping him into the electoral trash can.
3) incumbancy by thuglicrats block real d’s from winning in district that should be held by hard core progressives. Look at lipinski in Il 11 as an example
4) Question is whether having someone who is pursueing an active agenda of subversion and “wrecking” on the inside, who gives bi-partisan cover for thugs is worse then having an avowed opponent that can be targeted.
5) Remember the story of the scorpion and the frog. He will inflict as much damage as possible because, like the scorpion, that is his nature.
6) Have seen situations where politicians cling to D affliation while pursueing R agenda for vatiety of reasons, In example brad owens in Washington legislature had a district where there were a large contigent of older voters who remember the New Deal and because of that would never vote for a thuglican so by keeping a d after his name kept him in office.
Local and state party should strip him of party designation, any party support or access to any mailing lists, fundraisers etc. national party should ensure his district knows that he will NOT be allowed to caucaus with the d’s and any seat on any committee he might get will have to be from the thuglicans.
9Why keep rewarding bad behavior?
I’ve posted this before, and likely I will post it again. And again.
“In November we have an opportunity to vote locally. Voting for at least liberal leaning candidates, if not outright liberals, in every race has never been more important. This isn’t about defeating evangelical conservatism, this is about vanquishing them from the body politic. And it most go on in 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024, etc. every two years until no evangelical conservatives survive. See Darwin and natural selection.”
DINO’s have a role in the Dem Party in Texas, but not when they support a nacilbupeR potus over 50% of the time. Cuellar is a nacilbupeR, plain and simple. A rose by any other name, etc etc. Billy Shakespeare was oh so right.
10@K,
I don’t think that you read the Wiki pages I provided.
Hispanic Henry Cuellar is absolutely bulletproof in a district that is 80%+ Hispanic and leans Dem at least +10.
He, and his family, totally dominate Laredo and Webb County politics, Laredo dominates the rest of the giant district. Webb itself is bigger than some states, I worked in Laredo off and on for years, one of the dustiest, hottest places imaginable.
Cuellar will be there as long as he wants to. (Cuellar is pronounced ‘Khawayar’ FYI)
Like I said, better a D of any stripe, if it helps win a House majority in any case. Blue Dogs like Cuellar can be ‘persuaded’ later, if necessary (LBJ style if needed). If the Dems should win overwhelmingly, as an opportunist, he would sing a different tune.
IIRC, after 2010, the Austin Rep gerrymandering continued with the most Republican county in TX-28, Guadalupe, moved out of the district, which caged even more Dems into it.
11Micr,
Cuellar has a bulletproof lock on TX-28, rock-solid, no Democrat primary candidate or Republican is going to dislodge him (unless he makes a major FU of some kind– not likely, since as he brags- he’s the most academically degreed Congresscritter).
Would you prefer a Rethuglican to hold that seat, or a nominal Democrat (even if a bit wobbly at times)?
Each election, in TX-28 where I am, I have to just mark “Cuellar” because the alternative is far worse.
I know you’re up in N TX, and like most in TX and other states, you likely have little knowledge of the realities of South Texas, a ‘different world’. Trust me, there are major cultural differences, among many other things.
Everybody keeps harping on how ‘Hispanics’ are going to swing Texas Blue, that’s pure bullshit (it might work in Houston or somewhere, but not in the rest of TX), unless the Democrats really understand and craft the correct messages to the soon to be dominate TX Hispanic bloc.
They are not the almost completely Dem ‘blacks’, they’re far closer to the R’s than most realize, it’s a fine needle that must be threaded.
Like farm/ranch work, you just have to get dirty.
12This damned ‘purity’ bullshit has got to stop, IMO. Otherwise this is going to be a fascist nation led by the (presently totally dominate) Republicans forever.
At least until the Russkis and Chinese obliterate us.
@Sandridge
While I have spent recreational time in several S Texas areas, Sinton, Alice, K’ville, I remain oblivious to the politics.
My point was and is to afflict the evangelical conservatives out of existence. Their worship of racism, thinly veiled racist commentary, and their support for patently right-wing positions enrages and distresses me. I’m done with ’em.
13@Sandridge
14Just as lipinski is entrenched in a solid d district ( il 11) and as such continues to block a real D from taking his place.
At the very least make him run as a thuglican. If the d’s keep propping up the charade that he isn’t a thuglican they will continue to to be associated with his bad behavior.
In a district that has a r tilt I can accept some waffleing as a tactical excercise but those who represent R districts should never be given any position of power, authority or influence in the D caucaus or the party. Tell them to go sit in the back and when their opinion is needed it will be given to them.
As for the purity issue well do you think FDR made a mistake in taking on the kkk in ’32, or Humphery taking on strom thurmond in ’48 or even seating Black delegates in ’68? All of these actions could be described, and were, as a drive for “purity”.
Also drive for “purity” hasn’t seemed to hurt the thuglicans since they now control a the branches of government and have ensconced control of the judiciary for partisan political hacks for at least a generation.
I am of the opinion that voters want candinates that stand for something and a party that stands for something.
The arguement against “purity” is the same that lead to the wipe out in 2010 and 2014 as wimpish d candinates, recruited by thuglicrat rahm, ran away from Obama and health care law during campaign.
Stand for something or go home.
Somebody was doing heavy duty push polling in the Texas 07
race. Called me 4 or 5 times. I always answered differently trying to figure out who was doing it.
I get a calls from a polling outfit. They ask about relative’s places of work. They don’t want talk to me
15Hubby & I are helping out with Beto’s campaign and we are making phone calls and personal visits to as many voters as we can, trying like hell to get Dems off their couches and into the polls in October and November. We will not win this unless people will VOTE. It was blase Dems than brought us Trump. How awful does it have to get before people will get out and cast a vote? Please, Lord, I hope it doesn’t have to get any more awful. Beto is as good as they come.
16Forgive my verbosity but another point on so called “purity”
17One cannot help but notice that the R’s have no real issue with elected officials undermining their agenda and voting with the d’s.
Where as the d’s are faced with a plethora of candinates and races where, in reality, their are 2 thuglicans on the ballot.
cuellar in texas, lipinski in Il., case in Hi, rahm in Chicago and the list goes on.
Yet it is the d’s who are out of power who should not try to protect their agenda for fear of offending some mythlogical swing voter who welcomes r extremism but cannot stomach D sanity.
This constant drive to nueter the d party in the name of “moderation” has been proven to be a call for surrender and defeat.
If we are going to lose lets at least lose with dignity and an agenda. If we win we will have a caucaus pulling together as a team rather then an ineffectual majority because of the vipers we have clutched to our bosom.
Micr,
The Talibangelicals have been poisonous snakes forever. The worst are the Dominionists like ‘Pastor’ John Hagee and his ilk.
Remember that they’re very active proselytizers, both religio and political. If the IRS would have jerked their golden chains from day 1 things wouldn’t be so bad now.
The Democrats should have recognized the threats long ago, now the hypocritical jeezusfreaks are in the catbird seat. Even RAT45 goes through the motions of placating them, in a big way, for example: Kavanaugh (heard about the preyer meetings in the effen WH now?).
How the H does one spend “recreational time”in Sinton, Alice, K’ville? I’ve worked and/or spent time in all of them, and except for some good BBQ and Tex-Mex food, there ain’t much there. Only thing I can think of would be hunting around Ali or Kingsville, but Sinton??
I was dang glad when they built a N/SE bypass around Sinton, on my way back and forth to Rockport, etc., it is a notorious speedtrap town Long, long ago one had to go through Sinton to get to Houston from CC or the Valley, then they built the 77 bypass going NE/SW outside town.
You should see the huge windfarms all over down here now, one of the bigger is S/SE of Sinton, almost to Gregory-Portland ( Papalote Creek Wind Farm).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papalote_Creek_Wind_Farm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Texas
18@k,
There is no comparison of Cuellar with your Lipinski beyond Blue Doggedness.
Il is Anglo territory, S TX is 80-99% Hispanic, a world of differences, cultural and others.
Cuellar comes as close to a “Caudillo” as we get around here, like I said, he is bulletproof in this district.
One just has to go along with it, there is absolutely 0% chance of replacing him with your fanciful purity ideal of a liberal progressive, those labels mean little down here.
If the Democrats had solid majorities (and the cojones to play rough) Cuellar would go along.
This purity crap is like that ‘take the high road bullshit’, it leads one way when you’re up against a ferocious enemy like the Rethugs, to utter defeat.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caudillo
19@Sandridge
“This purity crap is like that ‘take the high road bullshit’, it leads one way when you’re up against a ferocious enemy like the Rethugs, to utter defeat.”
But no principles at all lead to utter defeat as well. Rahm helped build the thuglicrat party that has gone from defeat to defeat. Even the last two D Presidents have admitted that they were really Rockefeller Rethuglicans.
As for “fanciful purity ideal of a liberal” I would just be happy with some one who dances with them that brought them. Or some one who supports the d agenda versus someone who is actively working against it. cuellar sounds like texas d’s miss phil graham and are working to nurture his replacement.
If you run as a d be a d not a quisling.
As for “There is no comparison of Cuellar with your Lipinski beyond Blue Doggedness.” that like asking Mrs. Lincoln how she enjoyed the play other then her husband getting shot.
And if “purity” is such a negative for candinates why do the thuglicans have control of the government? Ever since newtie pushed for purity in the thuglican party they have gone from a long termed political minority to a long term political majority.
20What gave the D’s their strength in those days of yore? Could it be the purity that came from FDR purging the kkk. or Humphry chasing thurmond out of the party?
Both actions showing d’s stood for something other then the chase after raw power.
Both actions showed that the D’s were willing to stand for something other then “we aren’t the other guys”.
Both actions showed that the D’s were not willing to keep coddlein racist for exclusively political gains for a party with no real agenda.
If the d’s keep coddleing this sort of candinate they will never be able to stand and deliver on anything.
@k,
The likes of Cuellar and Lipinski are a very small number of all D’s, we just have to tolerate them, at least Cuellar (who isn’t going anywhere, he’s probably the most solidly seated D around), who would be malleable with a solid Democratic majority. Later on, after D majs, some of them can be dealt with.
You have brought out the purity thing though.
21The concept of Democratic ‘purity’ is like those fluffy wimpy dandelion seeds that float all over in every direction at the slightest puff of wind, seems to grow best in soft soil, and the dandelion can be pulled up with ease.
Republican ‘purity’ is like a weed we have down here that looks somewhat like a giant dandelion, up to 2+ feet tall, with a stem that gets almost an inch in diameter and is a bear to cut with a machete (and might take a couple passes with a lawn tractor). It’s leaves are tough as steel, covered with vicious spines and hairs ready to stab you (while you’re macheteing it). It too has similar wind dispersed seeds that will root anywhere, and it seems to spread by rhizomes too. It grows in the toughest dirt, caliche and rock you can find.
In other words, Dems are soft, unguarded, often don’t vote, and flitter all over the political spectrum, distracted by every whiff of wind.
Republicons are armored against any foe, always vote, for the meanest SOB available, and stick to their nefarious plans, which are always laid out and ready, and let nothing distract them (beyond what their masters tell them) from growing into monsters.
@Sandridge
1) You brought up mythical purity issue Not I. I just pointed out the weakness in having no principles or issues to stand on leads to defeat and you assumed I was speaking of some sort of “purity” test.
2) “In other words, Dems are soft, unguarded, often don’t vote, and flitter all over the political spectrum, distracted by every whiff of wind.”
22Just as rot starts at the head so is it with soft wishy washy D’s.
Why should the voters show more back bone then those with power and authority? If the d legislatures are not willing to fight they send that example right down the line. If elected D’s “..flitter all over the political spectrum, distracted by every whiff of wind.” Why should they expect any thing else from their constituents.
Harry Truman was never seen as a soft wishy washy leader and he inspired a backbone in the D’s. cuellar and other elected d’s of that ilk show no backbone or principles so why should d’s fight for them?
The legislative D’s rolled over and played dead during the Lamont v. Lierman race in Conn. and they ended up coddling a surrender thuglicrat in their party. At the time I suggested that the legislative D’s should have made it clear that Lierman would lose all seniority and influence if he won and would not be accepted into the D caucus then see whether he could have won then. Instead they rolled over and asked to lierman to abuse them.
Start with leadership that has some backbone and stands for something and then see how soft and wishy washy d’s truly are?
Who knows one might even inspire those who don’t vote to come out and vote if they saw someone who was speaking to and about them instead cardboard cutouts behaving like political wind vanes.
With d party acquiescence to having r’s, who ran as d’s as a matter of convenience ( flag of convenience this is ed case in Hawaii) because they knew that an avowed R would lose. Or in the case of rahms disciples would actually prefer to have thuglicans or thuglicrats, especially in solid D districts, then – heaven forbid- a real d progressive.
I want to add a bit to the purity argument/discussion.
I’ve tried to break myself of labeling Dems, Libertarians, Greens, Republicans, etc. I’m saying, as much as I can break old habits, liberal or conservative.
Which gets us to this guy Henry Cuellar. TO ME, He’s a conservative first and a Democrat for whatever local reason, second. That assessment was easy for me. Does it deal with purity in some way? Yes. But not purely toeing a Democrat line, rather being liberal as opposed to being an eat up with hate scared bed wetting dumb-assed chicken-shit conservative. See Grover Norquist. And many many others.
On a personal level, I want to see EVERY conservative continuum elected official in every office nationwide defeated over the next three election cycles. Their lack of heart, of empathy, disqualifies them from holding a public trust. And just so K, PKM, and Sandridge don’t think I suffer from brain softening, I would add Re: conservative continuum elected officials: f’em and the donkeys the rode in on.
23@Sandridge
I had a deer lease near Sinton from the late sixties until the ranch sold to a conglomerate in the mid oughts. My sainted mother’s family has ranchland near Carrizo Springs, but they only allow local family to hunt there. I haven’t hunted deer since 2004 or 5 as a result.
24Well in cuellar’s case instead of the d’s giving him funds and support so he can host a fundraiser for a thuglican why not just cut out the middleman and have the dnc and dccc just cut a check payable to the RNC and the RCCC.
25After all thats what the d’s are doing in this situation subsidizeing the thuglican party.
Either that or cut cuellar off ( preferably at his political knees) but to continue to ask money from D’s to give to the r’s is unacceptable.
The Senate is – is not – in play in the midterms is turning out to be one helluva tug of war between talking heads on the electric TV. Its as if the rest of the entire world has disappeared. As for the hurricane(s), present and to come . . . well, they might lend a fraction of an ear. When I say hurricanes, I have my fingers crossed. We are on one of the outer bands. And we have had so much rain that my yard has turned into a rain forest/tropical jungle. I would turn on the TV for diversion but damn there is no such thing in sight! Best of all luck to anyone within Florence’s range in GA, SC and NC, the bulls-eye area.
26To all,
RE: Cuellar. Y’all still don’t get it. He is my Rep in TX-28, I don’t agree with a lot of his positions. I, like most of you would prefer a clear progressive liberal, but this district is 80%+ Hispanic and they have a different outlook and behavior on many things (trust me on this…).
@k: TX-28 is a world away from Illinois, would be far easier to replace Lipinski w/lib D than Cuellar..
@K: AFAIK, he has not put any money towards an R candidate, only some kind of verbal assent.
But he is supposedly a Democrat for life.
He is a S TX Hispanic Catholic moneyed (now) semi-conservative Democrat. He isn’t going to follow all our (Anglo) liberal policies, but is better than nothing (or an R).
He has a solid D-Hispanic seat, if y’all resurrected JFK or LBJ and ran them in a primary they probably couldn’t dislodge him. Many of the liberal issues y’all favor just.do.not.compute here.
@Micr, gave up hunting in the ’70’s, prefer a camera now. It is a big business down here though. Wouldn’t have thought the area around Sinton to be very good deer country though, it’s mostly intensive ag (sorghum and cotton), rarely see any on 181/188/I-37 anyway (good thing at 80+mph :] ). I have a tale of yore about baiting a real speeder south of Sinton on 181 at 0’dark thirty (I pretty well knew where the traps were). Used to be a twisty two lane, there was a RR underpass. I was going along pretty good, but some dude came up behind and HAD to get by me, the road was curvey. OK, finally had a break and let him by, he rocketed off. A mile ahead the lights went off and the fuzz had him pulled over as I went by on the approach to Sinton, heheh.
27@K: AFAIK, he has not put any money towards an R candidate, only some kind of verbal assent.
1) He is actively fundraiseing for thuglican. The act of fund raiseing costs money. So where is he getting his money to host fundraisers for thuglicans? From D’s contributing to his campaign. Also remember that money is completely fungible so no claim that he got funds from elsewhere is legitimate.
If he was give funds specifically earmarked to host fundraiser wouldn’t that be in violation of campaign laws? See article
https://www.texastribune.org/2018/09/11/democrat-henry-cuellar-fundraising-republican-john-carter/
2) “But he is supposedly a Democrat for life.”
Yeah so was Phil Graham and didn’t Bob Bullock endorse the twit in 2000 giving him claim of bipartisan support?
28Don’t forget strom thurmond before 1948 or any number of turncoats.
And I guess with apolagist’s covering for his misdeeds he, like lipinski, will continue to bring discredit upon the D caucus.
@K,
From your own link, Cuellar –attended– a breakfast fundraiser for the Rethug and invited his own ‘supporters’ to also attend.
It does NOT say that he donated to the Rethug (we can examine the SEC forms later). Per his explanation, that’s just S TX polity. I +- agree, that he sees it that way (personally, I avoid Rethugs if possible).
I will be donating to MJ Hegar.
Just noticed that TX-31 is around Round Rock, I’ve worked there too (RR, Leander, Jollyville, etc), a very Red area.
In Nov I still have no choice but to vote for Cuellar, or vote for no one as TX-28 Representative. Cuellar has an absolutely impregnable lock on the seat. We -have- to live with that.
Go the purity route and we have another 2016 HRC defeat (they know who they are).
Will he become a turncoat? Who knows, I doubt it. But if he did, IMO, his Hispanic ‘base’ would probably follow him (go ahead, think about that, and other things I have tried to explain here about Texas Hispanics).
Just as they would pick him over JFK or whoever. This is South TX, AKA “Lapland”, as some of my peers called it (where MX laps across the river). No slight intended, it’s just different than most of the US, even other S border places. Almost everyone I’ve ever known has kin ‘across’, as I and my kids do. The mindset is different. Snowbirds are birds of a different feather (snowbird = anyone from north of Raymondville/Lynn-San Manuel, or Sarita/Falfurrias).
It’s “Phil Gramm”, don’t even get me started on that sonofabitch (PS: I know where his ranch is).
I certainly don’t like this stuff, and I long ago gave up on maintaining any kind of “bipartisanship” with sworn enemies (IMO). Just look around here for some of my more strenuous comments against the bipartisanship of Obama, giving my opinion of it. But everyone still reveres him, I don’t.
From the Texas Tribune link:
“Politico reported Tuesday that Cuellar had “invited supporters to a breakfast fundraiser” Tuesday morning for U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock. The invitation was “sent from a Cuellar political staffer,” according to the report.
“Although I was not a host of the event, I was honored to attend as I typically do for colleagues who visit my district,” Cuellar said in a statement. “Judge Carter is a dear friend and trusted colleague with whom I work on Appropriations. He is knowledgeable and supportive of issues important to South Texas. In today’s climate, more than ever, friendship is more powerful than partisanship.””
29Just show me a single thuglican going out of his/her way to endorse a D?
Just as wasserman schutlz protected her thuglican “friends” when she was head of red to blue committe ( ros-? and ?) using same excuse.
Both showing that they would rather have thuglicans in office rather then D’s so they can pretend to care about constituents.
Just a NJ leg. sold out to thuglicans an tax bill after they got a D gov. so will turncoats such as cuellar, lipinski and dws sell out the d’s if they are put in a similar position.
Other question is when he decides to give up his seat who will he endorse for it? A thuglican “friend” who helped him feather his nest or a D?
As for situation being unique. Well their are a lot of “unique” districts in the country. Are the d’s to surrender to thuglicrats and out and out thiglicans just because the district is “unique” and it would just be to much work to bring it around.
Lets wait and see on campaign reports as to whether he actually cut a check to his good thuglicrat “freind”.
I am betting he did.
As for the story I do not know of any politician “attending” a fundraiser without contributing.
Not to mention cuellars obvious effort to torpedo D MJ Hegers campaign by showing how his “freind” can reach across the aisle to cuellar and, near as I can tell, not offering the same or greater support for her rather then his “freind”.
ps
30I wonder how much cuellars “freindship” costs?