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"Senator Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, endorsed Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City on Saturday and called on his party’s leadership to do the same, criticizing them for a delay that he said had allowed President Trump to exploit Democratic divisions. Mr. Van Hollen said Mr. Mamdani, the party’s nominee, was focused on “ensuring that people can afford to live in the place where they work,” a goal that “Donald Trump and New York’s financial elites see that as a threat.” “Yet, many Democratic members of the Senate and the House representing New York have stayed on the sidelines,” Mr. Van Hollen told a cheering group of Democratic activists and officials gathered on Saturday afternoon in Des Moines. “That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of. They need to get behind him and get behind him now.”
In his remarks, Mr. Van Hollen cast the hesitancy of Democratic officials and strategists as a political mistake, particularly at a time when surveys show voters hold very unfavorable perceptions of the Democratic brand. “We’ve become a party that too often trims its sails. Too cautious, too rudderless. Too attached to poll-washed, pundit-rinsed, and donor-dried messages,” he said. “What comes out of the wash is all bleached and blow-dried.”
In his remarks, Mr. Van Hollen cited his involvement in fighting for the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was wrongfully deported by the Trump administration to El Salvador in the spring. Some in his party, he said, argued that getting embroiled in a fight over a deportation was a “distraction” and potentially politically unpopular, because Mr. Trump’s hard line on immigration had resonated with voters. Mr. Van Hollen saw a different lesson. “This finger in the wind stuff has got to end. We also need to stop deluding ourselves that the problem is all about messaging, or about volume, or style,” he said. “We don’t just need to fight. We need to fight for something.”"
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Hollen is obviously a great messenger. As the article points out, contrary to the advice of party experts, he stuck his neck out to help a constituent and do the right thing and bring her husband back from an unjust purgatory. And his reputation has just grown.
People opposing him complain about what Mamdani will do if elected, but since we thought electing to the presidency a man who tries to steal free and fair elections could result in good things happening, I suggest its a poor political strategy.
In his remarks, Mr. Van Hollen cast the hesitancy of Democratic officials and strategists as a political mistake, particularly at a time when surveys show voters hold very unfavorable perceptions of the Democratic brand. “We’ve become a party that too often trims its sails. Too cautious, too rudderless. Too attached to poll-washed, pundit-rinsed, and donor-dried messages,” he said. “What comes out of the wash is all bleached and blow-dried.”
In his remarks, Mr. Van Hollen cited his involvement in fighting for the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was wrongfully deported by the Trump administration to El Salvador in the spring. Some in his party, he said, argued that getting embroiled in a fight over a deportation was a “distraction” and potentially politically unpopular, because Mr. Trump’s hard line on immigration had resonated with voters. Mr. Van Hollen saw a different lesson. “This finger in the wind stuff has got to end. We also need to stop deluding ourselves that the problem is all about messaging, or about volume, or style,” he said. “We don’t just need to fight. We need to fight for something.”"
Link
Hollen is obviously a great messenger. As the article points out, contrary to the advice of party experts, he stuck his neck out to help a constituent and do the right thing and bring her husband back from an unjust purgatory. And his reputation has just grown.
People opposing him complain about what Mamdani will do if elected, but since we thought electing to the presidency a man who tries to steal free and fair elections could result in good things happening, I suggest its a poor political strategy.