MI-08: For your consideration, Elissa Slotkin for Congress.

[RandySF]

https://elissaforcongress.com

[GaryCnf]

1. If the opponent is Republican

Absolutely!

In a primary, though?

One of the Democrats’ candidates in a crucial battleground in the U.S.Congressional elections supports existing gun rights and opposes single payer healthcare.

Elissa Slotkin, 41, is running for Congress in Michigan’s eighth district and is fighting her campaign from what is seen as the right end of the political spectrum of her party.

http://www.newsweek.com/who-elissa-slotkin-gun-toting-obamacare-critic-whos-also-democrat-967946

[RandySF]

2. This district is more conservative than Detroit or the suburbs

and I don't think Our Revolution would play well in a general election. Elissa's mother died of breast cancers leaving a pile of bills. Don't think for a minute that she's insensitive to the issue.

I believe all Americans should have access to healthcare they can afford, regardless of pre-existing conditions. No one should ever go broke because they happen to get sick, and no family should have to decide whether they can afford to save the life of a loved one. To get there, I believe we need true bipartisan reform of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We should also consider options that would allow people the choice to buy into plans, such as Medicare, that have been proven to control costs for consumers. Healthcare reform must be accompanied by a serious effort to reform standards on the prescription drug industry in order to bring down prescription drug costs, something both Democrats and Republicans left out of the original ACA legislation, and Republicans have left out of all their recent proposals

[JNelson6563]

4. Lots of rural territory in that CD

Like much of Michigan.

[James48]

3. I live in Michigan-08.

In a very red township in Livingston County.

Elissa’s primary opponent is a very progressive University Professor from East Lansing.

Elissa, I think, would be a better candidate to win against the 1 term incumbent, Republican Mike Bishop.

Bishop is a reliable right-wing vote in DC who hasn’t had much contact with constituents. He’s avoided doing many town halls.

It is a very winnable race if Elissa wins her primary. It won’t be easy, but it definitely is competitive this year- within reach for the right qualified dem who runs the right race- competitive for the first time since 2000.

[RandySF]

6. How much traction is Chris Smith getting?

[James48]

12. Chris Smith

Smith has done some appearances, but he is really running a shoestring campaign so far. Elissa has sent me like four direct mails to smith’s 1 so far. And she’s gotten more local press.

And I think Smith may be too far to the left to win in November. He’s from the East Lansing big city part of the district, while Elissa is running as more of the “small town” center exburban part. I don’t hear as much about his campaign as I do hers.

It’s just too early to be sure that either has a clear majority for the August primary, but my “spider sense” tells me Slotkin is the better known candidate at this moment in time. Neither has previously held elective office that I know of, so neither has exiting name recognition.

[GaryCnf]

14. "From East Lansing"

Bishop ran as a centrist Republican. He endorsed Jeb and refused to talk about Trump after he won the nomination. We opposed him in 2016 with a prototypical centrist candidate . . . female, former prosecutor, opposed single payer, with a boatload of money and tons of endorsements, who took over for Melissa Gilbert when she pulled out in May.

Like our national campaign, her ads centered on Trump instead of what our party platform means for voters.

She failed to inspire turnout from key constituencies and got trounced.

I'm not sure cloning that strategy is the best way to win.

[James48]

15. Not at all how I see it.

I can’t even tell you the name of the 2016 candidate, and I am very involved.

When Melissa Gilbert dropped out, no one even knew who was running. If anybody spent any money, it’s news to me. I didn’t even see a single yard sign in 2016.

[GaryCnf]

16. Although the GOP poured big money into

MI-08, Shkreli outraised Bishop during basically the first month. She had plenty of money to get her message out. It just wasn't a message that resonated. Even though DCCC polling had it a 7 point race, she was slaughtered.

We can argue all day about what constitutes "well funded" but the fact remains that her centrist message, the same "I'm not one of those librul Democrats" message the current establishment candidate is touting, failed miserably.

If you want to see what happens when message faces off against money, look to candidates like Ocasio-Cortez.

[DURHAM D]

5. Is she running as an Independent? nt

[RandySF]

7. As a Democrat.

[DURHAM D]

8. Hard to tell.

I actually don't get a good vibe from that video. She works too hard to hide her affiliation.

Also, she reminds me of several family members who are career military and arrogant know-it-all Republicans.

[RandySF]

9. She was career CIA.

[DURHAM D]

10. Five years does not equal a career. nt

[RandySF]

11. Career is a designation

As in civil service.

[murielm99]

13. She has some very solid endorsements. n/t