Finally — An Email From Me Asking You NOT To Give Money March 13, 2023March 12, 2023 That was the subject line. I sent it to 1,500 people. Most already knew the three Members of Congress running to fill retiring Dianne Feinstein’s U.S. Senate seat. It read: I love Katie Porter. I love Barbara Lee. I love Adam Schiff. But there are just three possible outcomes. THE CATASTROPHE: WE LOSE IT ALL So MANY wonderful Dems get into this open primary, splitting the vote, that the top two vote-getters are Republicans, meaning that we lose the seat altogether – and possibly control of the Senate itself. THE DISASTER: WE LOSE A GREAT DEAL We win – but lose three great House members. AND will have spent a fortune fighting each other in the primary. AND may have lost Katie’s seat altogether (and perhaps even the House itself, as a result!). She spent $24 million last year to edge out a guy who spent a tenth as much. She’s a hero for winning in such a tough district — and may be the ONLY hero who can hold it for us. THE SOLUTION: WE WIN IT ALL What we donors need is an informal consensus to form around just ONE of these three amazing candidates, and then to give – to the extent we give at all — only to her or him. My suggestion is that we let someone really, really smart guide us on this – ideally, a progressive champion who knows California and knows how to count votes. A winner, basically. Which is why Nancy Pelosi’s endorsement of Adam Schiff solves the problem. All [Dems] should give only to Adam or to no one at all . . . and urge Katie and Barbara — TALENTS WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE — to follow the leader . . . possibly determining control of the Senate or the House (if 2024 turns out to be the squeaker it may be) and freeing up tens of millions of Democratic dollars to fight MAGA Republicans. If this makes sense to you, please spread the word. (And, as always, click here.) Thanks! Another scenario might have Governor Newsom tapping Barbara Lee to fill out the Senator’s term if she retires early (good for his Presidential run, if in some year he makes one?) . . . at which point I hope Porter, at least, might drop out in time to retain her House seat. And maybe Schiff, too. Aged 49 and 62, respectively, each would have another shot at this in 6 years when then-Senator Lee — contemplating a second term that would run past her 90th birthday — would likely opt for a well deserved rest. But the main thing is: Democrats spent $100 million in Florida choosing which candidate would go on to lose the governorship to Ron DeSantis by less than half of one percent in 2018. Would it have made sense to spend, maybe, $15 million instead and use the other $85 million to beat DeSantis? That’s the sort of thinking I hope we might do prospectively here, and thereby retain Senator Feinstein’s seat and the talents of all three exceptionally good candidates now running to fill it. ARE YOU AN ACTIVIST? MIGHT YOU BECOME ONE? Here’s a menu of keynotes and panels that might interest you, organized by Field Team Six and kicking off Thursday at 11am EDT (8am PDT). Zoom in to part of it? It’s free. THE AVERTED BANKING CRISIS At this writing, it looks as though the Administration is doing what’s required to keep the banking system upright. The shareholders and bondholders of Silicon Valley Bank and others will be largely or entirely wiped out (that’s how capitalism works); but at no cost to their depositors or the taxpayers (broadly speaking, that’s how the Dodd-Frank legislation works). It’s nice to have serious, competent, experienced people running the federal government.