“Give your opponent the choice between two bad options”
“When your foe gives you two targets, strike for a third”
This is a lose-lose. In my opinion, the only remotely viable non-losing path into the future is to solidify around a progressive candidate who should file a declaration to run as a write-in candidate for governor and build as huge of a grassroots campaign as quickly as possible.
I’m also curious how Amy Acton was chosen as the Dem candidate and how long she and her team have been planning this move.
On the other hand, if they manage to get enough votes to impact the result without establishment support, the party is forced to adapt, while continuing to vote for them while they slide further and further to the right just tells them that they can continue doing so.
When have you seen this work? Did the DNC support DSA progressives on 2018 mid-terms after losing to Trump? In 2020 after the Squad was making waves? Or in 2024 after Biden dropped and Trump was leading in the polls? Did they support Mamdani in 2025 after losing to Trump?
Did the RNC change after Perot won 19% of the national vote (and still managed to not earn a single EC vote)?
The parties aren’t going to react and improve. Don’t wait for the parties to do shit. The better candidates have to run in the primaries and the people have to show up and vote for them. It’s been refreshing to see this becoming more prevalent this year, I hope the momentum keeps growing.
I don’t think so. I think there are more progressive votes to be gained than conservative votes lost. I also think this move by her team effectively neutralizes the progressive vote for her as well as any energy her campaign might have had, so the split has already happened by her action. What’s left is to decide how to respond, and I think the Pride Caucus should take this anger and energy to file a write-in and organize a grassroots campaign that actually gets people excited. I think that would guarantee a progressive win honestly, the time is right.
I checked and there are no options to recall the governor. The best option might be to ensure as many progressive, state legislators as possible are elected to keep her in check.
There isn’t a sea of progressives who usually never vote waiting for just the right candidate. Most progressives vote Democrat just to keep the Republicans out of office as the least worst option. All you will be doing is splitting the vote. This happens again and again, but every time someone thinks “my candidate is different” and makes the same mistake again.
I agree it’s a shit situation but the only solution is changing the first past the post voting system. That is slowly happening at the state level but only when Democrats get a significant enough majority to overcome both the centrists and Republicans.
The idea that there is another option besides the Democrat and the Republican candidates is an illusion in all but the smallest races (I.e. water reclamation district boar seats). Splitting the Dem vote is functionally exactly the same as a vote for the Republican candidate.
I think there are more progressive votes to be gained than conservative votes lost
I wouldn’t bet on it. This is Ohio we’re talking about after all. Plus too many progressives would rather sit it out and wait for their perfect candidate down the road, after they’ve already lost.
“Give your opponent the choice between two bad options”
“When your foe gives you two targets, strike for a third”
This is a lose-lose. In my opinion, the only remotely viable non-losing path into the future is to solidify around a progressive candidate who should file a declaration to run as a write-in candidate for governor and build as huge of a grassroots campaign as quickly as possible.
I’m also curious how Amy Acton was chosen as the Dem candidate and how long she and her team have been planning this move.
This splits the vote and guarantees the Republican candidate wins.
On the other hand, if they manage to get enough votes to impact the result without establishment support, the party is forced to adapt, while continuing to vote for them while they slide further and further to the right just tells them that they can continue doing so.
When have you seen this work? Did the DNC support DSA progressives on 2018 mid-terms after losing to Trump? In 2020 after the Squad was making waves? Or in 2024 after Biden dropped and Trump was leading in the polls? Did they support Mamdani in 2025 after losing to Trump?
Did the RNC change after Perot won 19% of the national vote (and still managed to not earn a single EC vote)?
The parties aren’t going to react and improve. Don’t wait for the parties to do shit. The better candidates have to run in the primaries and the people have to show up and vote for them. It’s been refreshing to see this becoming more prevalent this year, I hope the momentum keeps growing.
I don’t think so. I think there are more progressive votes to be gained than conservative votes lost. I also think this move by her team effectively neutralizes the progressive vote for her as well as any energy her campaign might have had, so the split has already happened by her action. What’s left is to decide how to respond, and I think the Pride Caucus should take this anger and energy to file a write-in and organize a grassroots campaign that actually gets people excited. I think that would guarantee a progressive win honestly, the time is right.
I checked and there are no options to recall the governor. The best option might be to ensure as many progressive, state legislators as possible are elected to keep her in check.
There isn’t a sea of progressives who usually never vote waiting for just the right candidate. Most progressives vote Democrat just to keep the Republicans out of office as the least worst option. All you will be doing is splitting the vote. This happens again and again, but every time someone thinks “my candidate is different” and makes the same mistake again.
And how has this worked out so far? This tactic pushes the entire country further right every election cycle until you end up with literal fascism.
I agree it’s a shit situation but the only solution is changing the first past the post voting system. That is slowly happening at the state level but only when Democrats get a significant enough majority to overcome both the centrists and Republicans.
The idea that there is another option besides the Democrat and the Republican candidates is an illusion in all but the smallest races (I.e. water reclamation district boar seats). Splitting the Dem vote is functionally exactly the same as a vote for the Republican candidate.
I wouldn’t bet on it. This is Ohio we’re talking about after all. Plus too many progressives would rather sit it out and wait for their perfect candidate down the road, after they’ve already lost.
Vote is already split with what Acton just did. Gotta have a strong foundation to build on. Voting Acton is playing to lose in the long-game.