Taking on Cooper

by Jerome Armstrong, Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 05:09:42 AM EDT

Here's a PR put out by Accountability Now. Ben Tribbett and I went over to watch the Redskins with their hapless win this past Sunday, and he was filling me in on all the details here. He's heading over to Nashville this week, to scout out the potential primary challengers.

I don't always get behind these primary challenges. In fact, I've been pretty vocal with the other members that we need to go into competetive open primaries as well. Cooper is one though that stands out in his defiance toward being a voice of progress. While representing a very Democratic CD, he does next to nothing but carry the load given to him by lobbyists. I'll fill you in on the details as they come along. Sounds like there are a couple of State representatives looking at challenging Cooper.

Primary Opponent Being Recruited to Challenge Tennessee Representative Jim Cooper

Nashville Voters and Accountability Now Cite Cooper's Financial Ties to Big Insurance and Obstruction of "Public Option" in Healthcare Debate

Nashville, TN - Congressman Jim Cooper (D-TN) is being targeted for defeat in the 2010 Democratic Primary by citizens in Tennessee and Accountability Now, the Political Action Committee set up to challenge incumbents who fail to represent their Congressional Districts.

According to a Research 2000 poll from August 24, 2009, Cooper's approval rating has sunk to below 50 percent (47% favorable, 41% unfavorable). Even more telling, was that just 36% of likely voters stated they would vote to re-elect Congressman Cooper.

Ranking high among Nashville voters concerns was Cooper's perceived obstruction of the "public option" during the recent congressional debate on health care. According to the poll conducted in August, 80 percent of Democratic voters and 64 percent of independents support a public option. 77 percent of Democratic voters and 60 percent of independent voters disapprove of Congressman Cooper's actions on the health care issue.

"Cooper has spent so many years in Congress without being accountable, that he's forgotten how to represent his constituents," said Markos Moulitsas, owner of Daily Kos and the commissioner of the poll.. "He has a choice ahead of him -- continue representing the interests of his insurance company buddies, or those of the people who elect him."

Cooper, who has collected more than $1 million dollars from health care special interests and related political action committees, has come under fire in recent weeks for failing to represent Democrats in the 5th Congressional District.

"Representative Cooper's decisions to repeatedly vote with Big Insurance while accepting over $1 million from related special interests along with his decision to block the public option during the healthcare debate have caused his approval rating to plummet," said Ben Tribbett, Executive Director of Accountability Now.

"Nashville voters want someone who will represent them, not big health insurance companies."

A breakdown on Cooper's money, votes, and polling are available here:

Money:  http://cooperuncovered.com/money

Votes: http://cooperuncovered.com/healthcare,  http://cooperuncovered.com/military

Polling:  http://www.dailykos.com/statepoll/2009/8 19/TN/350,http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8/24/ 771526-TN-05:-Natives-arent-happy-with- Blue-Dog-Jim-Cooper

Tags: Jim Cooper (all tags)

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3 Comments

Shadow_head_small
count me in

Cooper represents a much more Democratic district now than he did when he torpedoed the Clinton health care plan, but here he is, still screwing us over on health care reform.

by desmoinesdem 2009-09-25 08:19AM | 0 recs
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Re: Taking on Cooper
I'm up for a Cooper challenger. It is clearly something that should be done. Should we set up a pledge drive to help with recruitment? On your broader point about primary challenges. I just don't see it as any kind of broad strategy. Not because it shouldn't be done, but because I don't see a large portion of the progressive community getting behind it. I'm afraid our basic empathic nature precludes much of what would be seen as "harsh" methods. We need a "hero" candidate or a defined "enemy" to generate the kind of effort needed.
by Judeling 2009-09-25 08:39AM | 0 recs
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Re: Taking on Cooper

Good point about the emphatic nature. I'm continually shocked at how progressives wilt in the face of exactly the type of non-progressive politician that we don't want while shying away from a more progressive one or the other in challenge. I don't have a particular race in mind-- just a general observation. It's almost a conflict avoidance situation. In contrast, look at how the Club For Growth works, or the DLC used too, and how much more powerful they are at setting the agenda for once the get elected. If you don't take a part in getting them elected in a way other than fundraising for the GE, how do you hold much sway with their voting? You don't.

by Jerome Armstrong 2009-09-26 01:25AM | 0 recs

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