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Progressives Challenge Tom Carper Over Judicial Nomination Votes

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Longtime Delaware Senator Tom Carper is getting a challenge from a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary.

Her name is Kerri Harris a political newcomer from Dover.

The Wilmington News Journal reports that a set of Facebook ads are in the works by the Working Families Party criticizing Carper for his votes on judicial nominees.

The effort by the national coalition that includes unions and community groups is to take advantage of the nomination of conservative Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Carper was reported to be the only Democrat to vote for Kavanaugh when he was appointed to the federal Appeals Court by then President George W. Bush.

The News Journal reports that the support of this minor party is just the latest example of progressives making themselves felt within the Democratic Party.

The paper reports that Harris is seen as a rising star within Democratic ranks in Delaware.

Meanwhile, Carper’s campaign noted that the senior Senator has received endorsements from a number of unions including the AFL-CIO as well as the Natural Resources Defense Council, Planned Parenthood and the LGBTQ community.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.