First National Blogger To Run For Political Office?
A trend in the making? We may have just witnessed the campaign launch of the first national blogger to run for political office.
Judd Legum, the founder of Think Progress, has just declared his campaign for state delegate in the Annapolis area of Maryland.
Legum may not be familiar to you, but many of you are familiar with the fruits of his labor: After founding Think Progress, he joined Hillary Clinton’s campaign as research director during the primary against Barack Obama.
Still, Legum is better known for his work at Think Progress, and this campaign could be a historic first in a sense. Legum tells us he’s pretty certain that he’s the first national blogger to attempt a campaign for elected office, and as best as I can determine, he’s right.
“I believe it’s time to bring the best values of the progressive blogosphere — accountability, transparency, inclusiveness — to the statehouse in Maryland,” Legum tells us, in what is certainly the first touting of blogospheric experience as a qualification for being a public official. A sign of the times if there ever was one.
Update: I knew I’d regret suggesting this was a first. Apparently Erick Erickson already did this. And who knows who else did, too.
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Greg: OT, but Michelle Bachman has officially lost it. She is now saying Obama’s call to service will lead to “re-education camps”. I wrote last week that the right’s only opposition to Obama seems to be based on conspiracy theories and just look what Bachmann’s pushing now. How long till we see this being pushed by Glenn Beck and Fox News as a legitimate story? Is there any Mainstream Media source out there (CNN, MSNBC, or any of the 3 Networks) that will call this out for the lunatic fringe that it is? Do journalists even take this seriously? Sorry for the rant, but we’ve seen the consequences of unsubstantiated fear mongering, the Pittsburgh shooting, so when is someone going to call out these bats**t crazy ideas?
Oops, here’s the link to the Bachmann Story
http://minnesotaindependent.com/31237/bachmann-reedcuation-camps
I think this is a wonderful development and hope to see it successful.
For a non-profit that prides itself on effective use of opposition research, I think Judd and Co. are full of fail.
“Legum tells us he’s pretty certain that he’s the first national blogger to attempt a campaign for elected office, and as best as I can determine, he’s right.”
Sorry. Erickson at RedState ran for (and won) elected office quite a while ago.
But if you mean far-left national blogger, you might just be on to something.
Oops – I’d better clarify that I was responding to the blogger story and not to the Bachmann one. I’m happy to see an intelligent blogger become active in the political sphere. I think it’s good for bloggers and good for politicians, each side learning much I hope about the realities of blogging and political involvement
It’s a horizon pregnant with promise.
Yesterday, Althouse found love. Today, Legum reaches out for political power. Tomorrow, who knows? Maybe Elizabeth Taylor and John Hinderaker on “Nude Celebrity Bowling”.
not even the first liberal blogger. Former MyDD blogger Nate Willems ran for and won race for state representative in Iowa.
http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/3/16/17294/4758
http://www3.legis.state.ia.us/ga/member.do;jsessionid=975EAC1025AB3C1384CDEBC7C59A462D?id=7495&ga=83
“who knows who else did, too”
Well, shouldn’t you know before making such a statement (even question). Does google not work in your universe?