Australian Federal Election 2025

[Spider-Dan]

Liz Cheney can't win a Democratic primary, so it's a pointless question.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Liz Cheney can't win a Democratic primary, so it's a pointless question.

In most states she couldn't.  In Wyoming she might go unopposed in a Democrat primary as she would have a much greater chance at winning the general than a traditional democrat.

[CF DolFan]

To whom are you referring? 

The only recent examples I could find of folks switching in those states, were incumbent Democrats who lost their primary because they upset their base by being too conservative that switched to Republican and won by advertising themselves as a moderate centrist.  An educated voter would expect such a person to cross party lines frequently. 

If for example Liz Cheney regains her seat in 2026 as a Democrat I don't think anyone would be shocked if she voted with the Republicans more often than the Democrats.

State legislature ... not DC.  Most recently the top Democrat said the party is dead in Florida and was leaving the Dems.

State Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo said Thursday he is leaving the Democratic Party and that Senate Democrats will be asked to elect a new leader, yet another low moment for Florida’s downtrodden minority party.

“Here’s the issue: The Democratic Party in Florida is dead. But there are good people that can resuscitate it. But they don’t want it to be me,” he said.


Most recent converts from Dems to Republicans are Rep Hillary Cassel and Rep Susan Valdes who switched during the last election. We already have a bunch in the house who switched previously as well as other Republicans who have sold out to John Morgan and are basically moderate Democrats. None of them are conservatives in nature.

The odd thing is their war against DeSantis is more important to them than the citizens. DeSantis has called them every name in the book to try and get them to address lowering property taxes, insurance rates , and a host of conservative things like open carry. Instead they do nothing.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Florida and Texas is proving that uneducated voters are dangerous. In both states, Democrats have realised they need an "R" next to their name to get elected. As such, many recent Democrats are being voted in and then fighting for liberal policies. Not sure about Texas but Florida now has a much larger population that is registered Republican. Many, if not most, are voting Republican down the list and not paying attention to the record of the person they are voting for. The result is having a major majority and still not being able to get anything done.

Your claim is that democrats are running as republicans to fool voters and then support democratic policies.  I asked for who...you gave the following examples...

 Jason Pizzo - ran as a democrat, elected as a democrat, said he is leaving the democrat party to be an independent.  No mention if he intents to run again. His supporting democratic positions is NOT AN EXAMPLE OF UNEDUCATED ELECTING A DEMOCRAT IN REPUBLICAN CLOTHING

Hillary Cassel - elected as a democrat Said she is leaving the democratic party over the war in Gaza.  No indications if she is intending to run again. Her supporting democratic positions is NOT AN EXAMPLE OF UNEDUCATED ELECTING A DEMOCRAT IN REPUBLICAN CLOTHING

Susan Valdes-elected as a democrat switched to being a republican.  WILL NOT BE SEEKING REELECTION. Her supporting democratic positions is NOT AN EXAMPLE OF UNEDUCATED ELECTING A DEMOCRAT IN REPUBLICAN CLOTHING

 John Morgan - Not an elected official.  Has supported democrats in the past is considering running as an independent.  His supporting democratic positions is  NOT AN EXAMPLE OF UNEDUCATED ELECTING A DEMOCRAT IN REPUBLICAN CLOTHING

So not a single example of people deciding they need an R next to their name to win. 

[Spider-Dan]

In most states she couldn't.  In Wyoming she might go unopposed in a Democrat primary as she would have a much greater chance at winning the general than a traditional democrat.

Liz Cheney would most definitely not "run unopposed" in any Democratic primary.  The fact that she is running would necessarily generate a challenger.

The idea that Democrats would be happy to let some of the worst Republicans run unopposed in a Democratic primary just because they currently oppose Trump is absurd.  Liz Cheney is absolutely terrible on every policy position except whether Trump should be allowed to send a violent mob to the Capitol in the hopes of overturning his election loss.  Why would Democrats allow her to run unopposed in a primary just so she can vote to outlaw same-sex marriage, to criminalize abortion, to cut taxes for the rich, etc... especially when there's no evidence she can beat a Republican in a statewide race?

AOC would not run unopposed in a Bronx GOP primary just because she came out in opposition of Joe Biden.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Democrats have trouble convincing people to run for statewide office in Wyoming.  Liz Cheney could make the race competitive.  If she won she would vote with Republicans on many policy issues but she would vote for the Democrats speaker, almost all procedural matters , such as should the sec of def be investigated for live chatting battle plans on an unsecure communication, on Ukraine, on tariffs, on the worst of Trump insanity and Fascist tendencies. 

AOC is not a fair comparison.  Republicans don't consider her a hero or person of integrity and courage.

I don't like Liz Cheney but she is a normal Republican.  I disagree with Republicans but I assume you can recognize that there is a bigger difference between Trump and Bush than between Bush and Obama.

Maga needs to be stopped

[Spider-Dan]

AOC is not a fair comparison.  Republicans don't consider her a hero or person of integrity and courage.

That makes AOC the perfect comparison.

Maybe you think Liz Cheney is a hero for doing the bare minimum expected from any elected official: defend the Constitution.  Most Democrats (that know enough about politics to know who she is) still hate her guts.

And just as importantly: Liz Cheney hasn't really learned anything!  She hasn't repudiated her own actions that led to Trump in the first place.  If Trump had a heart attack and died tomorrow, Cheney would happily support JD Vance, Ron DeSantis, or any other Trump wannabe who would put us right back on the same path.

[Dave Gray]

Why would Democrats allow her to run unopposed in a primary just so she can vote to outlaw same-sex marriage, to criminalize abortion, to cut taxes for the rich, etc... especially when there's no evidence she can beat a Republican in a statewide race?

It's only for the 2nd point.

If the Dems think that there's zero change they win the state with a progressive, Cheney would give them 3/4ths of a Democrat.  It would be just like Joe Manchin.  As much as Manchin sucked, he gave us some key votes when we needed them and when he's gone, he'll be replaced by a MAGA and we'll never see that vote again.

[Phishfan]

^^^ Manchin is gone and his replacement is a crook. You can't trust a coal man. DOGE just shut down the only black lung research facility and my people voted for this.

[Spider-Dan]

If the Dems think that there's zero change they win the state with a progressive, Cheney would give them 3/4ths of a Democrat.  It would be just like Joe Manchin.

This is wrong, and a bad characterization of Manchin.

Manchin was a standard Bill Clinton-era Democrat, and voted as such.  Cheney is a dyed-in-the-wool George W. Bush Republican who agrees with Democrats on nothing except "Trump is a criminal who must be stopped."

The idea that Democrats would nominate a Mitt Romney or Chris Christie or Jeb Bush on the sole justification that they oppose Trump is absurd.  You underestimate the (fully justified) ire Democratic primary voters have for these politicians.  They created Trump.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

This is wrong, and a bad characterization of Manchin.

Manchin was a standard Bill Clinton-era Democrat, and voted as such.  Cheney is a dyed-in-the-wool George W. Bush Republican who agrees with Democrats on nothing except "Trump is a criminal who must be stopped."

AND THAT FASCISM IS BAD

The idea that Democrats would nominate a Mitt Romney or Chris Christie or Jeb Bush on the sole justification that they oppose Trump is absurd.  You underestimate the (fully justified) ire Democratic primary voters have for these politicians.  They created Trump.

I would take Mitt Romney over Mike Lee in Utah.  And Jeb Bush over Rick Scott in Florida.  NJ we don't need Christie. 

[Spider-Dan]

AND THAT FASCISM IS BAD

They don't actually believe this.  They simply oppose Trump.

Everyone I just listed would happily support Ron DeSantis or JD Vance.  They want Trumpism without Trump; the slick, respectable "We will ban books and punish corporations that fail to toe the government's line" fascism of DeSantis, not the hamfisted January 6 fascism of Trump.

And again, importantly: there is little reason to believe that nominating these defrocked Republicans would result in a victory!  Why sell out your principles to boost an "ally" that will oppose you on every policy, all in the service of "defeating Trump" (whatever that means now), if they won't even win the seat?  It is not worth demoralizing your base so you can lose by 10 points instead of 30.