New: Kara Eastman, a Democratic congressional candidate in Nebraska, embodied progressive hopes to prove their mettle in unfriendly territory. Her defeat is cause for soul-searching on the left. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kara-eastman-loss-progressives-republican-house-seat-nebraska_n_5fd507e5c5b663c37596ff87?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004 via @HuffPostPol
How Progressives Failed A Key Test In The Heartland

Nebraska Democrat Kara Eastman’s loss in a competitive House race offers lessons for the left.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kara-eastman-loss-progressives-republican-house-seat-nebraska_n_5fd507e5c5b663c37596ff87?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004
In my story, I acknowledge the involuntary headwinds that Eastman faced, including:
--Higher Republican turnout
--Former Rep. Brad Ashford endorsing the Republican
--Republicans who voted for Biden but would never have been able to stomach voting Dem down-ballot.
I focused on Eastman's race because she beat a DCCC candidate in 2018 and went on to defy expectations by coming within 2 points in the general with relatively little help from DCCC.

This time though, with $3.5M from DCCC, she lost by 4.5 and Biden won the district by 6.5.
I focused on Eastman's race because she beat a DCCC candidate in 2018 and went on to defy expectations by coming within 2 points in the general with relatively little help from DCCC.This time though, with $3.5M from DCCC, she lost by 4.5 and Biden won the district by 6.5.
I focused on Eastman's race because she beat a DCCC candidate in 2018 and went on to defy expectations by coming within 2 points in the general with relatively little help from DCCC.This time though, with $3.5M from DCCC, she lost by 4.5 and Biden won the district by 6.5.
The left-leaning, base-centric formula that did well for Eastman in a Dem wave created gotcha clips for the 2020 cycle.

Rather than a Biden Democrat that Rs and independents could stomach, Rs had plenty of material to paint Eastman as a Bernie-loving socialist they couldn't.
The left-leaning, base-centric formula that did well for Eastman in a Dem wave created gotcha clips for the 2020 cycle. Rather than a Biden Democrat that Rs and independents could stomach, Rs had plenty of material to paint Eastman as a Bernie-loving socialist they couldn't.
The left-leaning, base-centric formula that did well for Eastman in a Dem wave created gotcha clips for the 2020 cycle. Rather than a Biden Democrat that Rs and independents could stomach, Rs had plenty of material to paint Eastman as a Bernie-loving socialist they couldn't.
The left-leaning, base-centric formula that did well for Eastman in a Dem wave created gotcha clips for the 2020 cycle. Rather than a Biden Democrat that Rs and independents could stomach, Rs had plenty of material to paint Eastman as a Bernie-loving socialist they couldn't.
One way Republicans drove a wedge between Biden and Eastman is by airing clips of Biden ripping Medicare for All hundreds of times.

Two examples: https://mycmag.kantarmediana.com/kmicmagvidbin2/HOUSE_NE02_NRCC_THIRTY_TRILLION_DOLLARS.mp4

https://mycmag.kantarmediana.com/kmicmagvidbin2/HOUSE_NE02_NRCC_EXTREME_HEALTHCARE_PLAN.mp4
Some left-wing groups, which had been early backers of Eastman in 2018, spread relatively small amounts of money across multiple ads with themes that differed from the coordinated campaign -- a mistake according to some Democrats.
Some left-wing groups, which had been early backers of Eastman in 2018, spread relatively small amounts of money across multiple ads with themes that differed from the coordinated campaign -- a mistake according to some Democrats.
Some left-wing groups, which had been early backers of Eastman in 2018, spread relatively small amounts of money across multiple ads with themes that differed from the coordinated campaign -- a mistake according to some Democrats.
Eastman's campaign was also affected by the polarizing racial politics in Omaha after George Floyd's death.

A white Omaha bar owner killed a young Black man, an alleged looter, during a physical altercation.
Eastman called it "cold-blooded murder." But the county's Democratic prosecutor initially declined to press charges, ruling it self-defense, and ripped Eastman with comments that Republicans went on to use in ads.
Under pressure, the prosecutor, Don Kleine, opened a grand jury investigation led by a special counsel, which indicted Gardner, the white bar owner. (Gardner died by suicide before he was supposed to turn himself in.)

But Kleine spoke up against the indictment.
Under pressure, the prosecutor, Don Kleine, opened a grand jury investigation led by a special counsel, which indicted Gardner, the white bar owner. (Gardner died by suicide before he was supposed to turn himself in.)But Kleine spoke up against the indictment.
Under pressure, the prosecutor, Don Kleine, opened a grand jury investigation led by a special counsel, which indicted Gardner, the white bar owner. (Gardner died by suicide before he was supposed to turn himself in.)But Kleine spoke up against the indictment.
The Nebraska Democratic Party responded by condemning Kleine, saying his comments "perpetuated white supremacy." https://nebraskademocrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Nebraska-Democratic-Party-Resolution-Submission.pdf
In early October, Kleine defected to the Republican Party at a rally attended by the governor, Rep. Bacon, and the mayor of Omaha.

It complemented existing GOP ads painting Eastman as in bed with the "defund the police" crowd.

https://mycmag.kantarmediana.com/kmicmagvidbin2/HOUSE_NE02_BACON_PORTLAND_KENOSHA_OMAHA.mp4

https://mycmag.kantarmediana.com/kmicmagvidbin2/HOUSE_NE02_BACON_DEFUNDING_THE_POLICE.mp4
. @votebengray, Omaha's only Black city councilman, told me he thinks both Eastman's comments and the Nebraska party's response to Kleine were mistakes that cost Democrats politically.

“That should have never happened,” he said of the party's condemnation of Kleine.
Neither Eastman, nor Nebraska Dem chairwoman Jane Kleeb, regret their decisions though.

“Calling that murder to me doesn’t seem very bold,” Eastman told me. “It just seems commonsensical.”
You can follow @danielmarans.
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