There may be more than a few empty seats at this year's Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
At least three Democratic senators and eight members of the House of Representatives facing tough re-election challenges have opted out of attending this year's convention, which will be held during the week of Sept. 3. Most of the elected officials who have decided to forgo the convention represent so-called "purple" states where President Barack Obama is not popular - such as West Virginia, Utah, Montana and Missouri.
Whether it is because they want to avoid the perceived "stain" of ObamaCare or placate some of their socially conservative constituents, the following is a list of Democratic lawmakers who have decided to distance themselves from Obama on what is arguably the highest-profile event hosted by the nation's Democratic leadership.
President Barack Obama became a nationally recognized figure after delivering the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, when he was still an Illinois state senator.ReutersSen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia
ReutersSen. Claire McCaskill has been the senior U.S. senator from Missouri since 2006.ReutersRep. Jim Matheson may be a Democrat, but the Utah congressman currently represents a more Republican-friendly district than most of his Democratic colleagues.Matheson, who was left with a GOP-leaning constituency as a result of an unfavorable redistricting process, is facing a tough enough reelection without further associating himself with President Barack Obama.Of course, he hasn’t actually said that. In a June statement to The Daily, Matheson said he will spend his time campaigning in Utah rather than traveling to North Carolina in September."I'll be spending my time this summer and fall doing my job in Congress and visiting with and listening to people in Utah," Matheson said
ReutersSen. Jon Tester is another extremely vulnerable Democratic incumbent who has stressed his own independence from the party in his reelection campaign.Tester’s reelection advertisements have focused on topics palatable for both Democrats and Republicans in his state: Emphasizing his roots in the farming community, his work on Veterans Affairs legislation and his vote against the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants, brought to the U.S. as children.Tester announced he was staying clear of the Democratic National Convention shortly after Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg of Montana – who has also attempted to stay clear of partisan squabbles in the House -- said he would skip his party’s convention this year.
www.tester.senate.govCongressman Critz, who has been a strong critic of President Obama, also said he would focus on campaigning in Pennsylvania rather than travel to North Carolina in September."Since I was elected, my focus has been on creating jobs for people here, rather than focusing on the agendas of the political parties in Washington," Critz said in June, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.critz.house.govBoth Hochul and Owens won seats in upstate New York in special election races heralded by Democratic leaders. But the congressmen are apparently too busy in their own districts to go rushing off to North Carolina in September.Hochul has said her time will be better spent "meeting the farmers, small business owners and other people" who elected her into office. Meanwhile, in June, a spokesperson for Owens simply told The Daily the congressman's schedule was too packed to make it. ReutersNancy Pelosi, Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, has said she is confident the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold the health care law she helped push through Congress in 2010.Reuters
