|
Looking for a Democrat who voted for Trump?
……Richard Ojeda https://voteojeda.com/ is one. Not unusual in West Virginia. Almost 80% of the voters where Richard Ojedalives voted for Trump.
……Richard Ojeda is unusual. He is a Democrat who has a pretty good chance of getting elected in West Virginia. Analysts rate the district Lean Republican. If Richard Ojeda weren’t running, the district would probably be Solid Republican. With Richard Ojeda running, some suggest this election is a Toss up. Richard Ojeda has been leading in polls.
……Richard Ojeda‘s grandfather was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. His father was born in the US, a US citizen, and a nurse. Richard Ojeda spent his early years in Mexico. He empathizes with immigrants, Not empathetic linguistically though. He pronounces the “j” in his name like an American consonant.
……A Politico article by Michael Kruse notes that the choices for Richard Ojeda coming out of high school were the mines, selling drugs, or the military. Richard Ojedachose college and then the military. He came out a captain with a Master’s Degree. These days, the mines would not be one of the choices. No jobs there.
……Richard Ojeda has little money. He has few endorsements. Richard Ojeda is not on Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton’s list of veterans to support. Richard Ojeda is not on the DCCC’s Red to Blue list. Two lists he is on are Kruse’s and mine.
……With a buzz cut and a lot of tattoos, he looks tough. On his campaign video, doing bench presses and pull ups, he looks tougher. When he talks — “I’m kicking the shit out of the Republicans” — he sounds like he has gone over the edge to bravado. In March, he had internal polls showing him behind undecided, but beating Republicans.
……He was tough in Iraq. He earned a clutch of medals — among them two bronze stars and two medals for meritorious service. After a mission, he would set up a boxing ring. After fighting Iraqis, his soldiers would fight each other. He says he was nearly killed five times in Iraq. Add a sixth in West Virginia.
……Out of the army Ojeda taught school and started a Junior ROTC. He started a non-profit to support community cleanup and poor children. Two days before the primary for state senate — putting a bumper sticker on a school acquaintance’s car, with permission, he thought — he was attacked from behind by the acquaintance. Richard Ojeda won the primary. The attacker went to prison.
……As a state senator, Richard Ojeda was a terror. He kicked the energy companies lobbyist out of his office. Not for show. He led a fight to legalize medical marijuana, declaring victory against big pharma. He denounced inadequate teacher pay, initiating West Virginia’s version of the teacher strikes that have marked states which cut education funds. The strike took on a West Virginia flavor. It reminded Kruse of labor unrest in the coal fields. Richard Ojeda is a stridently pro-labor Democrat.
……Ojeda has a platform:
- Heinvites people to petition the FCC in favor of net neutrality.
- Hefavors the legalization of medical marijuana.
- Heis believably committed to making sure the Veteran’s Administration will do better.
- Heis committed to a West Virginia that produces energy from coal and from biofuels and from the sun, and from the wind.
- Hesupports the DACA program and a path to citizenship for all immigrants.
- Hewould keep us safe by allowing the military to do their job free from political agendas, by ensuring that an up to date terrorist watch list prevents potential terrorists from flying and owning guns.
- He is committed to protecting social security and Medicare.
- Hecommits himself to be tough on budgets, tough on spending.
- Hewould ease the college debt burden and increase aid to middle class college students.
- Hewould overturn Citizens United, ensure that PACs disclose donors, and move toward publicly funded elections.
- Hewould strengthen the economy through research, technology, and infrastructure. He would help coal miners throughout the country while providing alternative kinds of jobs.
- Husfight is for public education, to prevent the use of public funds for private education.
- Hewould provide a public option for the Affordable Care Act and tax credits for those who cannot afford health insurance premiums.
- Hesays funding first responders is his first priority.
- He says he is personally pro-life, but does not want to tell women what to do with their bodies
Richard Ojeda is doing this without money, though he has suddenly drawn the interest of Silicon Valley funders. That money could make the run continue to November. He would expand his campaign, not change it.
……Richard Ojeda is campaigning with a campaign manager who is a long haul trucker and a communication director whose last job was at a cash register.
……One West Virginia academic says it is the messenger, not the message. Richard Ojeda has a message. Democratic politics and Democratic goals belong to the people of West Virginia. Over fifty percent of the people in the Third Congressional District of West Virginia are classified by the census as poor. Those are the people Richard Ojeda is targeting. He shares their culture, their needs, and their goals.
……Richard Ojeda https://voteojeda.com/ is both an old fashioned Democrat and a brand new phenomenon. If elected, he could have an enormous impact on who runs as a Democrat and on how Democrats get themselves elected. He could have an impact on how Democrats govern, too. Give him a hand. He needs it. We need it. If he wins, we will feel the consequences.
…
|
