This past weekend, the people of the Second Congressional District of Louisiana elected Anh “Joseph” Cao to replace disgraced Democrat William Jefferson as their representative in Congress. While his election is, of course, important because he is the first Vietnamese-American to sit in Congress, it is also indicative of the direction the Party should be taking into the future.
Integrity as one of our core issues:
Members of Congress, from both sides of the aisle, have fallen into corruption scandal after corruption scandal over the past few years. Democrats, for the most part, have tended to either stay silent about them, or in some cases even defended their corrupt members. From Mark Foley to Duke Cunnignham, Republicans, with few exceptions, have immediately called for the explusion of their corrupt members.
It should be the position of the Progressive Republicans that we can never have a truly just system; a system that gives everyone equal access to the opportunities of America without first electing representatives whose personal integrity is above reproach. We cannot have an elite in Washington thriving because they supplement their incomes with kickbacks and bribes from lobbyists and supporters, while everyday people across America have struggle to make end meet because they play by the rules. It’s our position that all Republican candidates should sign a n integrity pledge, affirming that they will not seek office if they have acted in a corrupt manner, and that they promptly be expelled if they do. The only way we can win is by proving that our candidates are better than the Democratic ones. A Pledge of Integrity enforced by the Party leaders, as well as Congressional leadership, would be a clear indicator that we are serious about integrity.
The Right Candidate for the Right Districts
The 2nd District of Louisiana is , according to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, the third most Democratic District in Louisiana. Cao’s victory was not a sign that the people of that District had suddenly become more conservative. It was a sign that a Republican candidate who was more aligned with the values of his district could win in a District that was a Democratic stronghold. By Cao’s own admission he is a moderate. He even lauds the people of Louisiana as “Progressive!”
The only sure way to ensure our Party elects the right people for the right districts is to ensure that candidates for EVERY Congressional seat, House and Senate, are determined by open primaries, not by conventions or caucuses. Conventions and caucuses are always dominated by the Party activists, who, tend overwhelmingly to be part of the far right wing who have historically ignored Progressive candidates, even for races where the consituency leans in that direction.
We must demand our State Parties, as well as the RNC to adopt rules mandating that all nominations be awarded to the winners of open primaries. We will not last as a Party if we ignore the needs of a majority of our constituency in favor of minority ideology.
So, once again, congratulations to Representative-elect Anh “Joseph” Cao of the 2nd District of Lousiana! Progressive Republicans look forward to working with you!
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