"MoveOn ponders taking on Democratic incumbents"

The Hill:

MoveOn.org is asking its members whether it should support primary challengers of anti-war Democrats whom the group says have not been sufficiently forceful in their opposition to current Iraq policy.

In an e-mail sent Thursday, the MoveOn.org political action team asks members to provide input on this “really big decision.”

“Deciding to support primary challenges is a big step — some folks have argued that we should keep our focus on Republicans, the primary architects and supporters of the war,” the e-mail read.

The powerful liberal interest group said the Democratic majority has failed MoveOn on some issues, “usually because too many of them were afraid to fight.”

In a survey attached to the e-mail, the group asks its supporters whether they want to begin backing Democratic primary challengers and, if so, how much money they would put toward that effort.

“There are a few key things to keep in mind,” the e-mail said. “We would only get involved in a primary race if MoveOn members in the district or state wanted to — and a majority supported that primary challenger. And we’d focus on races where a progressive had a good chance of beating the sitting Democrat and also winning the general election.”

Last month, the group began airing ads in Rep. Brian Baird’s (D-Wash.) district. Following a trip to Iraq, Baird had announced that he would withdraw his support for a withdrawal deadline and wanted to give the troop surge more time, saying that it is showing positive results.