It didn’t take a lot of votes for some liberals/progressives to become disenchanted with their new congressman. They declared in comment threads and letters to the editor that they were fed up and were withdrawing their support. When primary voting for Congressional District 2 comes round they were going to support Barber’s primary opponent Matt Heinz.

Heinz’s political views  are solidly progressive and caring; he’s one of the good guys and would surely make an excellent congressman. So if he speaks to your political heart by all means give him your vote. He may yet have a Congressional career.

Here at The Data Port we look forward to a Barber-Heinz debate or two. Such debates clarify positions and give each candidate debate training, which they’ll need; Martha McSally will be a tougher debate opponent than Jesse Kelly.

My crystal ball is pretty cracked and clouded, but if I squint at it, at just the right angle, I think I see Barber beating Heinz. Even Democratic activists who are still piqued at Barber for his late (and unexpected) entry in the District 2 race will fall in line for Barber. Perceived electability is all.

Here’s the reasoning: The DCCC-  Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee- is not going to leave a sitting congressman turning in the wind without financial backing and considerable support. A newcomer, perhaps a tad more liberal than Barber, may not be viewed as electable and a judgment made to spend resources elsewhere. There is a risk that Heinz will be under-funded.

Well, remember the ol’ crystal ball is cracked and cloudy. Still, some hard-nosed political advice from a former Chicago-style Democrat. How barber has voted in the past and how he votes between now and November pales to insignificance compared to the first vote he’ll make when the new Congress convenes.

He’ll vote for the Speaker of the House and help control the agenda for the next two years; or if the Democrats don’t win he’ll elect the minority leader. No other votes he will make are as important.

As for the political past: That was then and this is now. Better Barber than McSally.

Tucson, AZ - Today, Ron Barber for Congress announced that the campaign has agreed to a debate in the special election for CD-8.

KUAT-TV (Channel 6) will host a televised head to head discussion of the issues. It will be aired throughout the district at 6pm on May 16th, the day before early ballots are sent to the voters of CD8.

Don’t count on it, judging from Jesse Kelly’s refusal to respond to the the Star’s editorial board invitation to take part in a series asking  Congressional District 8 candidates to share their thoughts on leadership and related topics.

Submitting written responses to softball questions doesn’t seem so threatening or difficult. If his campaign team wants to avoid that I imagine it’s because they’d much prefer to let the Republican party machine do Kelly’s ‘debating’ for him.

I haven’t forgotten Green Party candidate Charlie Manolakis, who would certainly profit from debate exposure with Barber and Kelly, but without all three candidates participating I doubt we’ll see a debate.

Read the Star feature.