I respectfully disagree with Lynn Wright’s contention (letters, Nov. 26) that our 27th Congressional District is not “filled with moderate thinking voters.”
While Mr. Wright is correct that our district has become purple, that alone does not explain why Democrat George Whitesides defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Garcia. After all, Donald Trump was able to crack the so-called “blue wall” and win the popular vote.
Full disclosure: I voted for Whitesides and donated money to his campaign. So, how did Whitesides prevail?
There were several factors that contributed to his success, but one key reason is that Whitesides ran as a moderate Democrat who did not fall into the trap of identity politics. While some Republicans in our district may still view him as a “far-left” liberal, his positions on key issues are mainstream and resonated with moderate voters like me.
For example, Whitesides campaigned to increase funding for local law enforcement, and not “defund the police.” Voters felt comfortable supporting him, knowing that he would not join the “The Squad” in the House of Representatives.
A similar example can be seen with Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who won a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan at the same time President Trump carried the state.
Slotkin has been outspoken about the dangers of identity politics, even saying that it should “go the way of the dodo.”
Political strategist James Carville has described identity politics as “one of the great self-inflicted wounds of the century,” and he argues that even if Democrats avoid identity politics, it is not enough to stay silent, they must actively oppose it. As Carville points out, “In politics, the other side gets to play. It’s not just you.”
The challenge for Whitesides is to stay focused on the issues that matter most to his constituents and avoid the siren song of the far left and identity politics. Like every member of Congress, Whitesides has a two-year contract that is renewable at the discretion of his employers — the voters.
Philip Wasserman
Stevenson Ranch
