美国国家公共电台 NPR California Primary Rule May Hurt Democrats' Bid To Unseat GOP's Rohrabacher

 

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Democrats² have high hopes to take control of the House of Representatives in the midterms. But to do it, they need almost every corner of California. The party has even targeted Orange County, a one-time Republican stronghold won by Hillary Clinton in 2016. The big prize there would be toppling 15-term Republican incumbent³ Dana Rohrabacher. But California has this unusual two-tier primary system. And that along with an unusually crowded field of Democratic candidates could dash the party's hopes in next week's primary. Here's NPR's Ina Jaffe.

INA JAFFE, BYLINE⁴: Dana Rohrabacher touts⁵ his proud past as a speechwriter for Ronald Reagan and toes the conservative line on many issues - illegal immigration, for one. Here he is addressing the Huntington Beach City Council.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

DANA ROHRABACHER: Well, I would suggest that those who are advocating sanctuary⁶ cities or a sanctuary state are betraying the American people.

JAFFE: Some of Rohrabacher's other positions, however, have made him seem vulnerable even to fellow Republicans. He voted against both the GOP tax cut and the spending bill. He recently lost some business support when he said that no one should have to sell their home to someone who's gay. But most controversial is his long support for better relations with Russia and meeting with close associates of Vladimir Putin. So recently, Democratic voters crowded into a synagogue in Rohrabacher's district, eager to check out the candidates vying⁷ to replace him. Susan Becker knew what she was looking for.

SUSAN BECKER: I have to support the person who is most likely to win. It's just a shame that there are so many Democrats running because we're going to split the vote.

JAFFE: Here's why Becker's worried. California's primary system puts all the candidates on one ballot⁸ and sends the top two finishers on to November, regardless of party. But in their enthusiasm to oppose Rohrabacher and Donald Trump⁹, eight Democrat¹ signed up, making it hard for any candidate to consolidate¹⁰ support. That's why Michael Kotick dropped out, though his name is still on the ballot.

MICHAEL KOTICK: We have to be really smart about the math. And when candidates see that the math is getting crowded, we have to make responsible decisions on behalf of the community, on behalf of the party.

JAFFE: What made Kotick's decision so urgent was, at the last minute, another Republican jumped into the race.

(SOUNDBITE OF POLITICAL AD, "IT'S TIME")

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: We need more from our representatives in Washington. We need Scott Baugh.

JAFFE: Scott Baugh is a former Republican leader in both the state legislature and the county party, so he's well-known in this district. And if Democrats can't rally around a single candidate, they may have no one on the November ballot. At the synagogue forum¹¹, one candidate had to deal with this uncomfortable question from moderator Kevin O'Leary.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

KEVIN O'LEARY: Shouldn't you consider dropping out and asking your supporters to support one of the Democrats?

(APPLAUSE)

JAFFE: You can hear what a popular suggestion that was. Really, the top issue at this forum was winning - just winning. And two Democrats seem viable¹².

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

HANS KEIRSTEAD: Hello, Democrats. Good evening.

JAFFE: Stem cell biologist Hans Keirstead wanted to show he had the official support to make it to November.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

KEIRSTEAD: I am the California Democratic Party-endorsed candidate.

JAFFE: But while Keirstead has the support of the state party, the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is supporting his chief rival, tech entrepreneur Harley Rouda. And Rouda's message to Keirstead should sound familiar.

HARLEY ROUDA: I think the best thing he could do is drop out at this point.

JAFFE: This is not the only place where Democrats' glut¹³ of candidates has imperiled their chances. In another Orange County congressional district, Democrats were going at each other so hard that the head of the state party brokered¹⁴ a truce¹⁵ on negative advertising¹⁶. At the same time, they're attacking some Republicans running there. The idea is to narrow the field and make sure a Democrat makes it into the runoff.

RAPHAEL SONENSHEIN: This is just getting really wild.

JAFFE: Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute at California State University, Los Angeles, says everyone's now trying to figure out how to game the system, including voters.

SONENSHEIN: For example, should I vote for a candidate I don't much like so that our party doesn't get shut out or vote for that person so I can shut out the other party? This was the kind of political gamesmanship that the top two was sort of advertised that it would save us from. I think it hasn't really worked too well this year.

JAFFE: And it's not just Democrats who are facing a perilous¹⁷ primary next week. Republicans risk being shut out of the races for governor and United States Senate.

Ina Jaffe, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF MATTHEW HALSALL'S "THE END OF DUKKHA")

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 touts   

n.招徕( tout的名词复数 )；（音乐会、体育比赛等的）卖高价票的人；侦查者；探听赛马的情报v.兜售( tout的第三人称单数 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• Many vouchers are returned for cash, allowing touts and middle men to make a healthy margin. 许多月饼券都被兑换成现金，这让券贩子和中间商赚取了不蜚的利润。 来自互联网
• Spotting prey, the customary crowd of hustlers and touts swarmed around, jostling for my business. 照例有大群的拉客黄牛在寻觅猎物，他们争相过来抢我的生意。 来自互联网

6 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

7 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

8 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

9 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

10 consolidate   

v.使加固，使加强；(把...)联为一体，合并

参考例句：

• The two banks will consolidate in July next year. 这两家银行明年7月将合并。
• The government hoped to consolidate ten states to form three new ones.政府希望把十个州合并成三个新的州。

11 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

12 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

13 glut   

n.存货过多，供过于求；v.狼吞虎咽

参考例句：

• The glut of coffee led to a sharp drop in prices.咖啡供过于求道致价格急剧下跌。
• There's a glut of agricultural products in Western Europe.西欧的农产品供过于求。

14 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白

15 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

16 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

17 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。