The DNC is “Feeling the Bern” – Debbie Wasserman Schultz Faces Serious Primary Challenge

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Debbie Wasserman Schultz has not had a great last couple of months. The Florida Congress member and embattled Democratic National Committee Chair has been repeatedly criticized for leading the committee both ineffectively and with a heavy hand, and for an alleged bias toward Hillary Clinton that has made the party’s presidential debates few and far between—one reason why the Republican candidates have dominated the political discussion. The progressive wing of the party base is volubly getting fed up with her.

Now, if the increased calls for her to step down from her post as party head weren’t enough, Wasserman Schultz is also facing the prospect of a tough primary challenge from the left. Liberal economist and longtime Wall Street–reform advocate Tim Canova announced last week that he will challenge Wasserman Schultz in the August 30 primary in Florida’s 23rd Congressional District. Touting a platform that closely mirrors Bernie Sanders’s, Canova hopes that the energy Sanders has roused nationally could work to his advantage in the South Florida district. Given Wasserman Schultz’s prominence, the primary could turn into a referendum pitting the progressive wing of the Democratic Party against its establishment wing, in much the way the (successful) primary challenge by another economist, Dave Brat, against then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was a test of strength between the Republicans’ factions.

Over the years, says Canova, Wasserman Schultz has become less accountable to her district and more responsive to Wall Street. “She’s become such a corporate Democrat; she takes so much corporate money,” Canova says. “The way she talks the talk isn’t the way she walks the walk. That kind of unaccountable power needs to be challenged.”

– From the American Prospect article: Can a Sanders ‘Proxy’ Oust Debbie Wasserman Schultz?

The times they are a-changin’. It’s not often that that most interesting Congressional race in an election year proves to be a primary challenge, but that’s exactly how its beginning to look in 2016.

On August 30th, the head of the Democratic National Committee, and sleazy corporate politician extraordinaire, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, will face a serious primary challenge courtesy of Tim Canova in Florida’s 23rd Congressional District. Haven’t heard of Mr. Canova yet? You will soon.

From The Hill:

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