Over in Pennsylvania, the primary saw two Blue Dog “Democrats” bite the dust… Reps. Tim Holden and Jason Altmire.
The Blue Dog “Democrat” caucus — conservative Dems who vote with Republicans as much as they do Dems, and rarely stand up on the important issues — already counted about two dozen after their numbers were slashed in the Midterms.
One of their lost members, Gabrielle Giffords, actually broke ranks with her fellow Blue Dogs, voting FOR Health Care Reform, FOR Wall Street Reform and FOR the expiration of the Bush tax cuts.
The same cannot be said of our own Blue Dog here in the 6th, Mr. Ben Chandler.
But getting back to Pennsylvania, Amande Terkel reports:
Holden lost to progressive candidate Matt Cartwright, an attorney who attacked the incumbent for voting against President Barack Obama’s health care reform. Holden is the second House member to lose to a newcomer in the 2012 primaries. The other lawmaker was Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio). Both were also targeted by the anti-incumbent super PAC, the Campaign for Primary Accountability.
….Altmire lost to Rep. Mark Critz (D-Pa.) in the state’s newly redrawn 12th Congressional District. Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled legislature combined the seats of the two incumbents in redistricting, after the state lost a seat in the recent reapportionment.
Altmire was initially seen as the frontrunner in the race, but Critz received more than $83,000 in support from organized labor. Altmire also angered many progressives because he voted against Obama’s health care reform; Critz did not take office until after the Affordable Care Act passed.
Oh, also… Chandler threw his support behind Altimre in that race. Whoops.
