Conservatives are alarmed following the victory of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over Joe Crowley - the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House. Tom Carper is facing the first primary challenge of his Senate career from veteran and community activist Kerri Evelyn Harris. Ocasio-Cortez has sent a flood of volunteers to help Harris, and one of her top staffers is relocating to Delaware.
There are parallels between Carper and Crowley. Both voted to back the Iraq War and to roll back financial reforms put in place after the 2008 economic crash, and both have opposed "Medicare for All" which is now supported by 62 percent of Americans. Crowley had not faced a primary opponent in 14 years.
Ocasio-Cortez effectively cast Crowley as beholden to big money. Carper has collected more than $16 million in corporate and PAC contributions during his career, according the Center for Responsive Politics.
Carper argues that "none can seriously accuse a former governor, congressman and state treasurer of failing to deliver for his state." However, in 2017, he cosponsored the third-fewest bills and introduced the fifth-fewest bills compared to Senate Democrats according to his Govtrack Report Card.
While many Delawareans have been energized to resist Trump, Carper has voted with Trump over 35 percent of the time while Sens. Warren, Sanders, Booker and Kamala Harris all are in the 10 percent range.
The primary contest between Harris and Carper provides First State Democrats with a clear choice, and the outcome could have national significance.
Jack Guerin
Wilmington
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