Elizabeth Warren Clears The Field, As Last Major Primary Competitor Drops Bid

[onehandle]

WASHINGTON -- Flush with money, media attention and national support for her Senate primary bid in Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren had perhaps the biggest breakthrough in her campaign so far on Wednesday. She cleared the primary field.

Alan Khazei, the only major primary candidate still competing with Warren for the Democratic nomination to take on Sen. Scott Brown (R), announced that he was withdrawing from the race, according to the Boston Globe.

Khazei, a well-known social entrepreneur, had an uphill battle ahead of him. He trailed Warren in terms of campaign donations. And with the base of the party fascinated by Warren's candidacy and national Democrats privately cheering on the longtime consumer advocate, Khazei had little to no hope of breaking through.

By departing the race before it really got started, he followed in the footsteps of other one-time primary candidates, including Newton Mayor Setti Warren and Somerville activist Bob Massie.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/26/elizabeth-warren-senate-massachusetts-alan-khazei_n_1033509.html

Good. Now to defeat Senator Pink Leather Shorts, then onto becoming President in 2016.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Imagine that. A fire-breathing FDR Democrat runs for office

And The People go wild for her. I thought that triangulation was the only way forward, I guess I'll have to rethink.

[tavalon]

2. She is amazing.

That said, my heart is still with OWS, but if I lived in her state, I'd be a fool not to vote for her.

[ClarkUSA]

15. No, she's an Obama Democrat who worked for the Obama administration & helped support their policies.

She's been a great friend of Barack Obama's since university days and has nothing but good things to say about him.

Oh, and she's against marijuana legalization, too.

[MannyGoldstein]

17. We can agree: one of us is in a fugue state. nt

[Mass]

3. Not good. Why would we be happy a good progressive Democrat gets out of the race.

But he was in there to win, and must have seen the writing on the wall.

And fighting a contested primary would have helped her, not hurt her.

[LiberalFighter]

11. He needs to find another office to seek that will be useful to the voters.

[Mass]

14. WHat was wrong with having a primary? Particularly when the choice was between

progressives.

And frankly, this is MA. The only office occupied by a Republican is Scott Brown's seat. Kjazei is young, he will have other opportunity to run. But I would have preferred voters had their say.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. Now Brown must actually run against someone

That will be something new for him.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Even if she loses, she will win

Her candidacy is going to cause the Republicans a lot of money defending that seat.

[onehandle]

6. Money is meaningless to them.

They have an unlimited amount.

Elizabeth must win.

[polichick]

7. "Now to defeat Senator Pink Leather Shorts, then onto becoming President in 2016."

I can get behind that!

k&r

[Mass]

8. Khazei's email. I hope he will run again.

And now, Ms Warren, you need to win this one.

Dear Friend,


I am writing to thank you for your extraordinary support and friendship during my Senate campaign and to let you hear directly from me that I am leaving this race.


Six months ago I had the honor of beginning a dialogue with the people of Massachusetts and it has been a tremendous experience and an incredible privilege. The citizens of our Commonwealth have been amazing hosts and inspiring thought-partners throughout this campaign.


I’m blessed to have so many wonderful friends and such a loving family – my wife Vanessa, daughter Mirabelle and son Reece. And I’m deeply grateful to my incredible campaign team and volunteers. Truly, as scripture says, my cup runneth over.


I had the opportunity to champion issues that matter, and I continue to believe that we need a new politics that embraces 21st century solutions and a spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship, and results to address our biggest challenges.


And we need to be honest about the scale of our problems and speak directly to our fellow citizens about what it will take to solve them.


We desperately need to focus on our 26 million fellow Americans who are unemployed or underemployed; our 46 million fellow citizens who live in poverty; the 50% of kids in inner-city and low-income schools who drop out of high school each year, as well as those who fall victim to violence.


We need to reclaim, in short, our citizen-led democracy: we need a dramatic expansion of national service, and we need fundamental political reform. We have way too many lobbyists; too much partisan extremism and obstructionism; and way too much money in our politics that is corrupting our system.


And I continue to believe there is a better way.


I believe in public service of all different kinds, and have staked my career on that belief. In this campaign, I’ve sought the privilege of serving as a United States Senator. I’ve looked up to that chamber as the greatest deliberative body in the world, and I still do.


However, in the past few weeks, it has become clear to me while talking with my family and friends, that the best way for me to be of service now is to bring this campaign to a close.


Elizabeth Warren has struck a chord with citizens across our state and across our country, at all levels of the political process, and I congratulate her doing that so quickly.


I’ve said throughout this campaign that Scott Brown does not deserve to be re-elected because he has failed to lead when our country is crying out for game-changing leadership. I don’t want to do anything that could prevent the defeat of Scott Brown in 2012. And so I believe the best way to be of service is to exit the race at this time.


Today is a difficult day for me, yes; but it is much more important to remember that every day is a difficult day for far too many of our fellow citizens in our commonwealth and in this country.


We need to dedicate ourselves to them. And so, even as I step aside in this campaign, I promise I will not retreat to the sidelines, and I ask that none of you do either.


Twenty five years ago, my friends and I were convinced our country needed a national service movement that would bind our generation and our country together, reminding us that our similarities are always greater than our differences – uniting us in service for the good of all.


Today, I stand firm in that belief, but I also believe we need a new political movement. And I hope the quiet majority of Americans who know we have to put the country first and end the division and dysfunction in Washington will get off the sidelines, using the democratic process to take charge of our country once again.


I promise that I will be standing right beside you. And I promise that I will continue to dedicate myself to our fellow citizens who lack opportunity, to the causes that we championed, and to the ideals that unite us as Americans.


Thank you for your tremendous support and friendship. I will be forever grateful.


With deep thanks and appreciation,


Alan

[Hutzpa]

9. 2016

:dem:

:patriot:

[Thrill]

10. What happened to the Iraq vet that was a mayor?

I thought he was running?

[Mass]

12. He was the first to drop out of the race.

At this point, those left are Tom Conroy, a state rep, Marissa di Franco, an immigration attorney (both solid progressives), Herb Robinson (an engineer), and James King (a lawyer who just entered the race)

[Arkana]

13. I was really hoping Khazei would stay in to keep her honest.

I was going to vote for Warren, but I might have cast my vote for Khazei without her in the race.

[Sancho]

16. I really wish we could get more like Warren to run for office...

I sent her a donation.

:dem: