Boston.com reports that Seth Moulton is considering a run for the White House. That quick story is based on another one from Buzzfeed. This is one Massachusetts resident who won’t be voting for him. I don’t think he will get much traction in the party other than perhaps among fellow veterans or the centrists. We have many wonderful choices in the Democratic Party. He doesn’t bring much to the table other than his veteran status.
Moulton says that his experience in Iraq shows that standing up to a bully is not the biggest battle he’s fought. I was completely in support of him last year around the gun issue. But I soured on him quickly when he tried to overthrow Nancy Pelosi. He says that he is focused on new blood for the party. What he seems to miss is that Senators Warren, Harris, Gillibrand and Klobuchar are new blood who have been in the Senate since 2013, 2016, 2009 and 2006 respectively. Moulton was elected in 2014. I think what he means is that he wants fresh white male blood in the race.
He will not do as well in Massachusetts as he thinks he will. He probably won’t do as well in New Hampshire as he thinks he will either. New Hampshire’s electorate is shifting a bit with the “free staters” moving in from other parts of the country. I still think it will be a race between Sanders and Warren up there as they are well known in New Hampshire.
Additionally, he is overlooking the fact that he may have a primary challenge for his congressional seat. I live on the opposite shore but would happily drive up to volunteer for a woman running in his district. He has reasonable favorables in the district now, but once he starts spending time in New Hampshire the favorables will drop.
No thank you Seth Moulton.