Rep. Tlaib’s Primary Win Could Signal Biden Victory in November

This year’s November presidential election might be the most anticipated election we’ve ever seen.

Counterintuitively, it’s also been overshadowed by a handful of high-profile local races. 

“The party has moved to the left, and it’s happened for a couple of reasons. The new Democratic majority is more liberal in general.” – Dave Weigel, Washington Post

Things really got into full swing this week with primary elections being held in many states including here in Michigan, where progressive Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) won her primary, setting her up for what’s predicted to be an easy path to reelection.

But we’ll soon be hearing more and more about the presidential race as Joe Biden gets ready to announce his running mate and conventions get underway. 

Listen: How big wins for progressives in August primaries affects the November election

Guests

Dave Weigel is a National Political Correspondent for the Washington Post and the author of The Trailer newsletter. He says part of the reason progressive candidates in Michigan and across the U.S. faired so well in the primary is because the makeup of the Democratic party is changing.

“The party has moved to the left, and it’s happened for a couple of reasons. The new Democratic majority is more liberal in general,” he says.

He says that high profile progressive candidates like New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Detroit Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib are also successful because they bring new ideas to the table.

“Both Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have been able to add amendments that I don’t think would have been thought up by anyone but them,” Weigel says. 

Although primary races have created big buzz, the Presidential election in November still looms large. Weigel says that although the Trump campaign has used Biden’s manner of speech as a means of attacking his debate skills, that won’t affect how debates play out in the coming months.

“”[Biden] sometimes gets stuck on words…but in terms of losing his place [when talking] he’s really not much different from the president,” Weigel says.

Jill Alper is a Democratic political strategist and media consultant based in Southeast Michigan. She says Biden has proven his debate skills before.

“It’s the lesser of two evils: Joe Biden and his past or Donald Trump and his present.” – Jill Alper, Democratic political strategist

“I was part of the team that helped Biden prepare for his debates against Palin, and everyone thought they would be disastrous but he did a great job,” she says.

Alper also says the trending hashtag #SettleForBiden on social media may be a stronger show of support than it seems at first glance.

“For the Warren/Sanders supporters to step up openly and recognize Biden isn’t everything they wanted but it’s important to elect him, is a way to channel the conversation toward a better place,” she says. “It’s the lesser of two evils: Joe Biden and his past or Donald Trump and his present.”