In the first election to national office since Newtown, Robin Kelly has defeated Debbie Halvorson in the Dem primary for Jessie Jackson, Jr.’s House seat. Winning the Dem primary in Chicago means you will win the general, so Kelly is going to Congress.
Kelly had been graded “F” by the NRA, while Debbie Halvorson had an “A” rating.
Mike Bloomberg’s super PAC Independence USA ran over $2 million in ads supporting Kelly, and gun control was really the only issue in the race.
This is the most hopeful political news that I have heard in years.
All Bloomberg’s $ can’t change the very conservative, gerrymandered GOP seats in the House. Those folks aren’t budging because they’re afraid of a primary from the right, although to find people to the right of the Tea Party Class of 2010 is not easy.
But I would have been upset and disappointed if Helvorson won.
I still choose to be hopeful! I am feeling a most definite swing to the left these days. “For the times, they are a changin'”