Thread by @leahmcelrath

The #TX07 Congressional race illustrates how the Democratic Party needs to change.

Let's start here:

Last July, @DCCC chair @repbenraylujan declared the party would endorse ANTI-choice candidates.

ONE of the current #TX07 candidates called him out for it: @lcmoser.

THREAD 1/x

Let me repeat:

The CHAIR of the DEMOCRATIC congressional campaign committee publicly stated the party WOULD BE OPEN TO ENDORSING CANDIDATES WHO OPPOSED A WOMAN'S HAVING CONTROL OVER HER OWN BODY.

Read that again and take it in.

thehill.com/homenews/campa…
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DCCC Chair @repbenraylujan couched the decision in the SAME MISGUIDED SO-CALLED "POPULIST" LANGUAGE we hear lately:

"We have to be a big family in order to win the House back."

Translation:
We have to pander to anti-choice WM to win, and we'll use WOMEN'S BODIES as a chit.

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Well, with all due respect @repbenraylujan, I need to revert to my Texan lexicon to characterize that mindset:

That's BULLSHIT. Complete and utter BULLSHIT.

Not only is it WRONG, it's STUPID. It's strategically stupid.

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Women - especially Black women – make up the BASE of the Dem Party in every respect, from voting to organizing on the front lines to serving as volunteer staffers behind the scenes.

As you should know, @repbenraylujan.

OUR control over OUR bodies is NOT YOURS give away.

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Bringing this back to Congressional race #TX07, ONE Democratic candidate called out @repbenraylujan like I just did: Laura Moser

Within 24 hours of his statement, @lcmoser published an op-ed:

Want More Women to Vote? Here’s an Idea: Stand Up for Them
vogue.com/article/dccc-l…
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"I’ve been warned not to criticize @repbenraylujan and the powerful @dccc...But I cannot hold my tongue while Luján and the DCCC abandon the commitment to human rights that brought me to the party in the first place."

~ Laura Moser #TX07

vogue.com/article/dccc-l…
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"We believe that abortion is healthcare, a fundamental human right that the majority of Americans, regardless of party affiliation, support, and that the Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed."

~ Laura Moser #TX07

vogue.com/article/dccc-l…
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"Let’s not forget who the most reliable Democratic voters are—women of color, who are most likely to suffer the consequences of Democrats 'compromising' on reproductive rights."

~ Laura Moser #TX07

vogue.com/article/dccc-l…
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Good stuff, right?

And there's a lot more good stuff in this densely packed, short op-ed.

(I might have said "hell yeah" once or twice while reading it...😏)

Just the kind of good stuff WE WANT AND NEED in the Democratic Party to motivate voters.

vogue.com/article/dccc-l…
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If you follow me, you know I am a loyal Democrat and dislike the public airing of conflict, for the most part.

So why am I talking about this?

Well, because of what the @dccc chose to do to Laura Moser for her daring to speak out and what I've seen on Twitter as a result.

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I originally wasn't planning on voting for Laura Moser. She was my 2nd choice among the primary candidates.

But recently, I started to notice a few WM identified (NON Texan) Twitter accounts disseminating what looked like opposition research on her.

So I started digging.

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What I discovered via reporting by @washingtonpost, @theintercept, and @newyorker and on @DCCC website was the Democratic congressional campaign committee ITSELF had taken the UNPRECEDENTED step of RELEASING opposition research on a DEMOCRATIC candidate:

Laura Moser #TX07

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The explanations for this action from the DCCC are pathetic, and I'm going to channel my inner @GeorgeLakoff and refuse give them any additional airing.

But they are ridiculous rationalizations. If THIS was the worst oppo the DCCC could come up with, this woman is GOOD.

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DCCC has NEVER publicly released opposition research on a Dem candidate before.
DCCC released oppo research ONLY on Laura Moser in #TX07 – out of SEVEN primary candidates.
Moser is the ONLY candidate to have publicly challenged the DCCC chair to defend women's healthcare.

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There is only ONE reason that makes sense for the DCCC to have released opposition research on Laura Moser: vengeance.

As much as I dislike public airing of divisions within the Dem Party, I dislike bullies more.

Especially bullies who see women's lives as negotiable. No.

16/x

Women's healthcare - including reproductive control – MATTERS.

Reproductive control is the FOUNDATION of women's ECONOMIC well-being.

Texans Ann Richards and Barbara Jordan knew it.
So does Texan Laura Moser.

If @DCCC chair @repbenraylujan doesn't, he should step aside.

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I endorse Democratic candidate Laura Moser for Congress to represent #TX07, and I will be voting for her tomorrow.

If you want to know why, read her op-ed:

Want More Women to Vote? Here’s an Idea: Stand Up for Them

vogue.com/article/dccc-l…
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