Marion Berry Challenged On The Left
As a Blue Dog Democrat, U.S. Representative Marion Berry has had a fairly convenient political career. He has the support of the establishment Democratic Party in the 1st congressional district of Arkansas, which tends to lean toward the right. So, the only political opposition he gets comes from the Republican Party which is on the right as well. In a battle of right wing vs. righter wing, Berry the incumbent hasn’t had to work very hard to retain his position – and in some years, he hasn’t even had a Republican challenger.
This coming year may be different for Congressman Berry. This year, Berry is being challenged from the left, by grassroots candidate Ken Nadler, who is running with the Green Party of Arkansas. At the same time, Berry is facing Republican candidate Rick Crawford.
Nadler explains his campaign to both established political parties in Arkansas, commenting, “The two major parties have so few significant differences now that they are really just one party with slightly differing agendas, and neither appear to serve the best interests of the citizens they are supposed to represent.”
Nadler’s campaign looks as if it’s starting out a bit strapped for cash, which is not unexpected, considering that Nadler doesn’t cater to the needs of powerful interests that hold the purse strings to considerable campaign donations. Nadler may not win the election in 2010, but he could be the deciding force that knocks Blue Dog Marion Berry out of office, if he can peel away enough progressive votes in protest of Berry’s many efforts to defeat Democratic legislation by cooperating with congressional Republicans.
