Progress in the ‘World’s Greatest Deliberative Body’?

The prospects for Democrats in the Senate are looking better, but progressives’ gains will be modest in November.

by Theo Anderson, In These Times (Democratic Socialists of America publication)

There are three races that hold out the possibility of bringing strong and proven new progressive voices to the Senate next year.

The one that has received the most attention is Elizabeth Warren’s bid for Scott Brown’s seat in Massachusetts….

The second promising progressive is Tammy Baldwin….

A third potential new champion of progressivism is Mazie Hirono, who has represented Hawaii’s Second Congressional District since 2006. Progressive Punch ranks her lifetime voting record as the sixth most progressive in the House, and she is particularly strong on labor, healthcare and environmental issues. During the debate over healthcare reform, she supported the creation of a single-payer system. A major focus of her current Senate campaign has been the development of clean and renewable energy sources to help Hawaii become energy independent. In response to a survey by the Progressive Democrats of Hawaii, Hirono wrote that she would “continue to fight to increase research and development of alternative energy in Hawaii. By encouraging the development of biofuels and the use of Hawaii’s plentiful wind, solar, and ocean energy, Hawaii can lead the way in developing innovative solutions–as well as creating jobs in a new, clean-energy economy.”

Hirono’s opponent in the Democratic primary race, former U.S. Representative Ed Case, is widely viewed as a Democratic establishment centrist with a poor record of supporting progressive causes. Current polls show Hirono leading both Case and the likely GOP candidate by double-digit margins. The winner of the race will replace Democrat Daniel Akaka (retiring).

read … Progress in the ‘World’s Greatest Deliberative Body’?

Context: The DSA-allied Progressive Congressional Caucus in strong in the US House, but only a few US Senators are identified progressives and they have no caucus. These include self-identified socialist VT Senator Bernie Sanders and some guy named Barack Obama who got promoted out of the Senate in 2008. Now, ITT is looking toward Hirono and the other two for socialist progress in the US Senate.

Background: DSA -- Congressional Progressive Caucus (Note the similarities between CPC and the masthead of ITT)