Maine Democratic Party breaks with DCCC, says primaries can be healthy

Taking a stand for what they called a “healthy democracy,” the Maine Democratic Party State Committee voted last week to oppose a new Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) rule that blacklists consultants who work for candidates running against incumbent Democrats.

The new policy, announced in March, has drawn widespread criticism.

“In any healthy democracy, there is room for disagreement,” said Maine Democratic Party chair Kathleen Mara in a statement after the vote. “We look forward to starting this constructive dialogue with the DCCC and coming up with ways to make the Democratic Party better and more inclusive.”

National progressives like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), who ousted Democratic incumbents in the 2018 midterms, have said the new rule is “divisive,” describing it as another institutional barrier that makes it harder for women and people of color to run for office.

Read more: https://mainebeacon.com/maine-democratic-party-breaks-with-dccc-says-primaries-can-be-healthy/