Why Lehigh Valley 4 All got the primary wrong

I’ve seen Lehigh Valley for All do great things in carrying the progressive message to voters in certain areas of the Lehigh Valley. I respect what they do and the beliefs of so many of their dedicated members. But I don’t always admire how they go about doing what they do. Their Democratic primary endorsements are a case of ends not always justifying the means.

Image credit: Composite artwork made with ChatGPT

Sometimes LV4All’s canvassing feels a bit shambolic and random, but there’s no question that some Democrats — even ambivalent ones, like me — have benefited from the organization’s grassrootsy work.

I say “grassrootsy” because it isn’t a new organization any more (founded around 2016, about when I got active in local politics). It’s also a fairly narrow band of Democrats.

While I’ve never seen any demographic data, my experience — and maybe it’s outdated now — is that LV4All’s membership are mostly older, college-educated, well-meaning, middle-class and upper-middle class progressive white folks.

Nothing wrong there! That’s basically me, too.

But in my experience, it’s more Certain Parts of Bethlehem 4 All than the whole Valley. It’s in-touchness with and indeed knowledge of areas outside the greener, leafier parts of Bethlehem often feels a bit thin.

I’ve seen superb Dem candidates get their endorsements. And I’ve seen unprepared and non-progressive and progressive clunkers win them, too.

In places like Hellertown and Lower Saucon, some Democrats actually avoid LV4All’s endorsements. That’s the truth.

I don’t scoff at LV4All, and I would always welcome their endorsement as a candidate, but the timing of that endorsement is a huge matter of importance, too.

Competitive Democratic primaries shouldn’t be messed with. They should be sacred and left alone to grow and germinate.

With LV4All’s endorsement of Bob Brooks for Congress over Ryan Crosswell, Lamont McClure and Carol Obando-Derstine, they got it all wrong and hurt their own base.

Set aside the fact that I don’t think retired firefighter and landscaper Brooks is truly progressive or even minimally qualified to serve in Congress, particularly during a time of national peril. Maybe I’m all wrong about that. Fine.

What so awful is that Crosswell, McClure and Obando-Derstine had been running and continue to run excellent, intelligent, progressive campaigns that absolutely deserve to run their full course.

Like Gov. Shapiro and the DCCC and Bernie Sanders’ baffling, lazy long-distance endorsements of Brooks, LV4All chose the worst time to put their insider thumbs on the primary and try to inflict maximum damage on three admirable campaigns that — for reasons I will never understand — some of their members didn’t like.

Crosswell has enormous support among young people. His campaign leadership team are youthful energized. He’s an inspirational, magnetic speaker, something I’ve never seen in any representative for the 7th US Congressional District. We’ve been canvassed twice by young Crosswell reps who are giving everything to get his anti-corruption and no-kings message across.

The incredibly experienced McClure is beloved by urban leaders and the people in Easton and Bethlehem, and his compassion for the vulnerable (protecting Gracedale from corporatization is his signal achievement) blows my mind. He’s more than earned his progressive bona fides. He is a genius for leveraging relationships in government and he’s a smart cookie when it comes to the law.

Obando-Derstine is an inspirational figure who radiates warmth and concern for the newest Americans. She’s also made a lifetime commitment to education, something other educators care about. I’ve been impressed, too, by her sheer knowledge of some of the most seemingly obscure ethnic diasporas located in the Lehigh Valley. She knows the Other Lehigh Valley —the one that rarely gets attention or help.

All of them —Crosswell, McClure and Obando-Derstine — are rock-solid progressives in action, not merely words, and they each possess far longer proven track records in representing progressive dreams and soothing progressive anxieties.

Why on earth would LV4All simply discount all that for someone too many grassroots Democrats — the people who actually work for change — call “unimpressive.”

I don’t get it. But I sure hope voters don’t make the same mistake this Tuesday.