CONGRESS | Rep. Keith Ellison says neither he, nor the Progressive Action PAC, will support a challenge to Rep. Eric Swalwell after The Citizen ran a piece about him stating that he was “open to the idea,” during a fundraiser in Oakland last week.
After The Citizen’s piece ran on Wednesday Ellison’s office contacted The Citizen and stated that there will be no challenge. The Citizen had asked if he or the PAC would be looking for a challenger in Swalwell’s district for 2014 and although Ellison didn’t promise that a challenge would occur, because the PAC traditionally targets Republicans, he did say he was “open” to the idea but wouldn’t “know who that would be.” Ellison also said that he wanted to make Swalwell do progressive stuff and make him declare to be with the Progressives.
Ellison’s office says the representative was merely upset over former representative Pete Stark’s loss for re-election and that’s what he was expressing and not an actual challenge to Swalwell. Ellison sent a statement to The Citizen for clarification.
“Eric is a friend, and neither the Progressive Action PAC nor I support a challenge to Rep. Swalwell. In fact, the Progressive Action PAC seeks to elect more Democrats to Congress and does not target incumbents. I called Eric this morning to set the record straight and I look forward to continuing to work with him this Congress.”
ebcitizen.com 
Anonymous 11:30 and 11:34 are you so lacking in conversational skills that you have to resort to that type of dialogue? If you are the type of people backing Swalwell–Ellen will have no problem in 2014.
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If that jackass Stark was so “looked up to” then why was his sorry ass kicked out? Why?…because he was a loser, a communist and a flake. Swalwell will win and Corbett can get out he mop and clean the floor since she dresses like a cleaning lady.
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Yeah, we need more over-emotional airheads like Ellen Corbett in Washington. You and your henpecked, purse carrying husband need to forget to vote. What a pathetic post.
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I think we need more women in Congress. There is too much testosterone in Washington and on this blog. That's why my husband and I will support Ellen instead of Eric. Maybe with a few more women in Washington there will be more co-operation instead of rigidity. Maybe, just maybe, things might get done instead of drawing lines in the sand like this male-dominated Congress.
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Apparently from ALL the previous posts, we understand that 'this family' will be voting for Ellen.
However, you'll need to wait another year and half, and then you can only vote once.
We get it; more than enough already.
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And VOTERS elected Ellen in a far greater % when she ran for Senate in a very large part of the new Congressional district. Ellen has always been a fiscal moderate and social progressive and so is the majority of the new Congressional district. I hope the conservatives aren't too shocked when Corbett beats Swalwell in 2014. This family will be voting for Ellen. :>)
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Ellen hasn't done a thing, but enjoy spending tax payers money. How many meetings has she missed? This female won't be supporting Ellen.
VOTERS elected Swalwell!
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I'm a female voter who lives in the district. My friends and I will be voting for Ellen because she's an environmentalist, progressive on social issues, and fiscally moderate. It should be an interesting race in 2014 between Ellen Corbett and Swalwell. Swalwell got support from the tea party and Republicans( huge monetary donations), which may not happen again.
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Just love love love Salwell. He's new, young and not rude. Stark was mean and had become very rude. He made himself look bad. Voters got tired of him.
Agree Stark was good at some things, but his time had come. RESPECT is always important.
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My husband and I will be voting for Ellen
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agree completely with above blogger
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Please try to reply to posts without making sexist remarks. It makes Eric's supporters look bad. Ellen has a fair chance of winning and you are not helping anyone with these type of attacks. It makes Eric's supporters look like angry male extremists.
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Yeah, this cut and paste comment from earlier and posted elsewhere carries about as much weight as Ellen having a real chance.
Don't forget the baking comment.
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I believe Ellen will win about 55%-45%. It's a lot harder when you are competing against someone who doesn't keep making mistake after mistake. I know a lot of people will vote for Ellen in our area.
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Including the post above.
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Anonymous 11:33: I know you are, but what am I?
If that's really the tone for a cerebral conversation.
Boy, have these postings devolved into inanity.
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Anonymous 7:54 are you a child or a Swallwell staffer?
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Are we going to have to endure these knucklehead comments for the next 12 months.
No one here knows how 99% of the public will feel about Swalwell 12 months from now, and guess what?
99.9% of that 99% never reads the comments here.
NO ONE is being swayed by the sophomoric banter.
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Swalwell, came, kicked ass, and conquered.
Fortney Stark whores can go back from whence you came.
Swalwell got elected by the NEW district, which will support him again over the alternative.
Game over. Get over it.
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Ellison's statement is very telling, if you know enough Washington-speak:
“Eric is a friend” seems subdued to the point of being almost sarcastic. And he looks forward to working with him “this Congress”–because he's looking forward far more to working with Khanna or Corbett in the next one.
Sorry, Swalwell. Like him or not, Stark did a lot of good work to help the poor who needed healthcare back in his day, and was looked up to by progressives. When you attacked his character and disregarded all the work he did to get your precious seat in Congress, you upset a lot of people. Good luck getting money from Ellison in 2014–guess you'll have to go back to the PACs you hit up last time (the ones that also donated to Akin, Bachmann, and Santorum).
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The cat is out of the bag folks. House Dems know Swalwell is radioactive except for those willing to play footsy with Republican scumbags.
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Wait and see–I believe you might be singing a different tune soon.
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In your dreams.
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If Eric joins the progressives, he might have a chance against Ellen. Politics does indeed make strange bedfellows .
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About time Ellison had the law laid down to him by Pelosi. You don't go against your superiors, and you definitely don't stray into other districts that know better than you do.
Ellison has a steep learning curve to overcome.
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