State has top two primary, no party commitment required.  If the top two winners of the open field are from the same political party, that’s who’s slugging it out en noviembre.  My congressional district has several people vying for Adam Smith’s seat, Adam Smith incluye.  So.

Adam Smith: Did a better job of not fucking up gender on the webform to contact his office than either of WA state’s ancient senators, generally nicey and competent.  I would not hate voting for him again in November if I have to… but.  He’s been voting pro military even in these wretched times, when the US is supporting israel in its genocidal war.  The last time he had a primary challenger who campaigned against that element of his record, Melissa Chaudhry, she lost hard.  I do believe my household had voted for her in that primary.

Melissa Chaudhry – was also noncommittal on trans rights when interviewed by a local paper because she doesn’t want to offend the muslim community.  Not my only reason, but even tho she’s back, she’s no kind of contender and I’m not bothering with her this time.

Kshama Sawant:  The famous Seattle commie who got the city to change its minimum wage before the state did.  Also pro-trans rights.  Also committed what some may regard as cardinal sins in her principled radicalism, and likely to get less done in congress where making deals is more important than standing alone.  However, she has replaced Chaudhry as the anti-genocide candidate of choice.

The other fuckos:  Token gop nazi, random fools wasting their money and everybody’s time.

Kshama has good odds of splitting the progressive vote in a way that allows the gop nazi into November, and the area does have enough gop nazi voters that would give him a shot at winning.  However, Smith has won reelection pretty handily for a long time, so probably said nazi would just be advancing that far to lose.  However however, Kshama would be a less certain win against the nazi, so if Smith comes in third in the primary, it’s possible we could end up with a nazi over us after november.  In fact, the nazis are probably banking on this very idea, seeing her as more defeatable.  Wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve given her campaign shadow money.

But still.  This is the time.  Establishment dems who support genocide with their votes, regardless of what they do in their rhetoric, got to face a reckoning.  We’re taking the risk in my household and voting Sawant in the primary, which could have three different results in November:

Smith vs. Nazi.  This is the most likely result and is a no-brainer of a vote.  Would mean my household’s three votes were repping a fringe position and chucked in the dumpster of history.

Sawant vs. Nazi.  Another easy choice, but the added drawback of being a nailbiter.  Sawant has been slandered in national media hard enough that I’ve literally spoken to nazis in the opposite corner of this big-ass country that have opinions about her, even if they can’t say her name.  That slander can have an effect, and I’m sure I will get comments from people who don’t like her.  The question then.  Would you abstain and let a nazi win?  Probably not, but many in my district might.

Sawant vs. Smith.  Hard choice.  Seems likely Sawant will not be good at playing ball in DC, may get absolutely nothing done.  Or not.  After all, she helped get the min wage increased in Seattle, with everybody on the city council hating her commie ways.  Some kind of ball got played there.  Conversely, Smith may feel safe enough in his incumbency to do whatever he feels, and write more blank checks for murdering children in the Middle East.

So my choice now is between playing it safe and giving the dem establishment what it wants, or risking a nailbiter and possible nazi squeaking into congress, while sending a clarion message I’m done with genocide and the status quo.  I may come to regret it, but it’s message time.  What I’m betting is that if she gets in, she can beat a nazi.  This was, after all, one of the bluest blue states in 2024.

I can’t tell you what to do, but if you feel it’s a risk worth taking, vote Kshama Sawant for congress in Washington State’s 9th district.

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