Why I'm a Progressive Who Voted for Joe Biden

Vice President Joe Biden (D-DE)

Today is Super Tuesday, and for the first time ever, I got to vote in a presidential primary.  This is not because I'm suddenly drawn to a candidate or because I'm the kind of person who only votes in general elections.  I'm the opposite-I vote in judicial primaries, where you can be the sixth person who voted that day after work.  It's because Minnesota, my home state for every presidential election, is conducting its first ever presidential primary.  As a result, while I have trudged through three (possibly four-I can't remember if I voted in 2012, but I think I did) caucuses, today I had the great privilege of simply casting a ballot.  I am morally opposed to caucuses (they limit who can participate), and so getting to do this after years of writing letters and complaining to any DFL official who will listen about how undemocratic caucuses are felt like a big victory.

And after spending most of the last year undecided, I was undecided no longer, officially, this morning.  While I had toyed with a half dozen campaigns over the past year (Inslee, Gillibrand, Harris, Beto-we had fun, didn't we?), my vote ended up going to Joe Biden.  I don't think he's perfect, and I wish this was a reelection ballot I was casting for Joe, but he's the best of the bunch that's still running, and a suitable choice for me.  I think he is a progressive on key issues, will help down-ballot Democrats in a way no other candidate will, and I think he is best-prepared to defeat Donald Trump.

For that, I'd probably be labeled a conservative, or at least a moderate, on Twitter, which is not really the truth.  In pretty much every one of those "who should you vote for?" simulations, I end up getting someone like Sanders or Warren.  I support Medicare-4-All in principle, and I think some form of student loan relief is essential.  I am on the left on virtually every major political issue, in fact.  But I also am pragmatic, and I can see beyond what I want, and to what is achievable.

Some of this stems from witnessing the gay rights movement head on for the past twenty years.  I came out some fifteen years ago, and in that time I had to cast ballots for people who frequently undersold gay people.  John Kerry, I am convinced, probably was for gay marriage when he ran in 2004, but couldn't say so for fear of giving up his moderate flank, and I voted for him because I know that sometimes it's better to have some than all.  The same is true for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and it's true for Joe Biden.  I have lived in a state that resembles the swing states that Bernie Sanders would need to win in, and I feel in my bones that a "79-year-old Socialist who praises Fidel Castro" is not a winning argument on the Iron Range, in a state that Bernie Sanders needs to win.  Joe Biden is about as close as you can get to a Generic Democrat, and a Generic Democrat is going to beat Donald Trump.

Jessica Cisneros (D-TX)

But don't think that I always compromise.  Looking at today's ballot, one election stands out in particular-the battle for Texas's 28th congressional district.  Normally I'm against battling incumbents in primaries-there's too many opportunities to actually beat out Republicans, and taking out even a moderate Republican like Susan Collins moves the needle way more than trying to marginally beat someone like Dianne Feinstein (or to compare, say, Joe Biden to Bernie Sanders).  But Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has changed my mind somewhat here, and while I don't support change for change's sake (Ed Markey is a better candidate than Joe Kennedy), I think if a blue district has an incumbent that is further right than they should be, we should challenge that person.

This is the case in Texas's 28th.  Rep. Henry Cuellar has a failing grade from Planned Parenthood & a perfect score from the NRA.  He at one point endorsed George W. Bush.  And he represents a district that Hillary Clinton won by nearly 20-points.  His opponent (and former intern) Jessica Cisneros is considerably more liberal than him.  She's been endorsed by Julian Castro, Elizabeth Warren & Bernie Sanders.  She's also backed by Emily's List, NARAL, and DailyKos.  And while I can't vote for her, I did donate to her campaign.

Because it's important to ensure that we are sending the most progressive candidate to the ballot if we're on the left, but only if they are going to win.  Taking a risk with Donald Trump isn't worth it to me-that's why I'm backing Biden, who has consistently done the best in national and swing state polling against Trump.  But a House seat, with little downside (it's not going red regardless) and lots of upside-I'm all onboard.  Democrats need to pick their battles, and with Joe Biden at the top of the ticket, I think we'll see more, not less, Jessica Cisneros's in Congress.