This Hurts

Darcy Burner has conceded.

U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert appears to have survived a second Democratic wave election, bucking a national trend that flipped at least 23 Republican congressional seats to Democrats.

The Associated Press determined tonight that Reichert's lead for the 8th District seat was insurmountable.

While Burner's spokesman says in that piece she has not conceded, they released a statement a short time later:

"It is likely at this point that Congressman Reichert has won re-election, and while we will certainly ensure that every valid vote is counted, we accept the decision of the voters.

"I would like to thank the thousands of people who put so much time and effort into the campaign, as well as the countless thousands more who went beyond voting to actively participate in our democratic process this year. The election of Barack Obama as our new President will ensure that the change to the direction of our country called for in this campaign is realized in the new year."

Just terrible news. Darcy took time and effort away from campaigning into creating the Responsible Plan to try and change the conversation around Iraq. She succeeded in that - but put a huge target on her back, and the hard right and the NRCC fired away at her. The Seattle Times ran a ridiculous story claiming that she lied about her Harvard degree, which was simply untrue.

Because she took all that fire, she probably drew it away from other progressive Democrats, who have her to thank in part for getting them into Congress. But that's the kind of person Burner is, and she'd never ask for their thanks. She leads by her very nature.

I'm sure there will be an emerging narrative that this means the netroots always lose when they push too hard behind a candidate. There will be a cherry-picking of Ned Lamont and Darcy and that will harden in the CW. You'll hear it everywhere. It's just wrong. We need MORE leaders like Darcy, not less. And I certainly hope she runs again.