The mass email I received was brief and to the point. It began: “(W)e really need to step up for Lucy McBath.” The writer is Democratic U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and she was urging donations to U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Ga., who barely won the seat in 2018 from Republican former U.S. Rep. Karen Handel.
Even Pelosi admits in the email: “This might be the single hardest House seat for Democrats to hold on to in 2020. President Trump won Georgia’s 6th District by 1.5% in 2016.”
In fact, an email of support from the liberal Pelosi could turn off those moderate and independent voters in her suburban Atlanta district who were crucial to her initial victory. During her campaign McBath promised to “listen to all views” and hinted she would pursue a centrist course. But that was then, and this is now.
Pelosi is coming out swinging for McBath, who has come down solidly with her votes in the liberal camp. “Because of impeachment,” Pelosi writes, “some Democrats in swing districts like Lucy even switched parties to try and ensure re-election. Instead, Lucy chose to do what is right for the American people. Now, Republicans are going to try and make her pay.”
Pelosi concludes: “Georgia’s 6th District is a MUST win if we’re going to keep the Democratic House Majority in 2020. Unfortunately, Lucy’s opponent Karen Handel has already cleared the primary field and is focusing her well-funded efforts entirely on flipping this district back to Republican control.” That’s a pretty good analysis.
