Do not sit this one out! Senator Whitehouse has an opponent. How will you feel if you wake up Wednesday morning and the other guy is RI’s Democratic nominee for the Senate? And how do you think Clarence Thomas would greet that news?
Spoiler alert, literally. I do not know whether unaffiliated Republicans are planning to overwhelm the Democratic primary with votes for the candidate who has not written any books about the Supreme Court, but it seems possible. Let’s not take the chance that spoilers will be choosing our next candidate.
Turnouts for primaries can be very low — it would not take many bad faith actors to mess this up.
Go to Sheldon Whitehouse Senator for Rhode Island to see what he has accomplished as our senator. Here is what he stands for: Protecting Social Security and Medicare; fighting Climate Change; Defending Reproductive Freedom; and Safeguarding Justice and Democracy by working for Supreme Court reform.
This is his opponent. Interesting that under ‘Questions and Answers’ the very first question is:
Question: If someone is registered Independent, can they vote in Rhode Island’s Democratic Primary election?
Answer: Yes. Independents — “Unaffiliated” is the official RI term — are allowed to vote in either the Democratic Primary or Republican Primary.
This should make you nervous.
************************************
Common Cause Rhode Island (who are in no way associated with this endorsement) sent out this useful voting reference earlier today :
If you plan to vote early, you have until 4pm today, September 9th. Voters can visit their city or town’s designated early voting location to cast their ballot.
Did you choose to vote by mail but haven’t returned your mail ballot yet? It is too late to mail it, but you can still cast your mail ballot by putting it in the signed mail ballot certificate envelope and placing it in an official elections drop box.
Voters can also visit any polling location tomorrow and place their mail ballot, secured in the signed mail ballot certificate envelope, into a designated mail ballot receptacle. All mail ballots must be deposited into an official elections drop box or polling place receptacle by 8:00 PM Tuesday.
Finally, voters who want to vote tomorrow, Tuesday, September 10th can find their polling location and preview a sample ballot by visiting the Secretary of State’s website.
*********************************************
I do not have anything in particular against Mr. Costa, but Senator Whitehouse has proven himself time and again over the past decade, under the most trying of circumstances, and this is no time for switching horses.
[Update: From The Patch: Whitehouse defeated Democratic primary challenger Michael Costa with a lead of 48,358-9,323 votes, according to unofficial election results.]