make way for Shalala

What the DCCC is reading: Hoyer plays Florida kingmaker.

There is nothing Democratic leadership loves more than forcing progressives out of races to make way for their coronated candidate.

The latest would-be casualty is Matt Haggman, who is running in FL-27. It’s no coincidence that Hoyer almost immediately flew down to Florida after Leadership’s favorite, Donna Shalala, got in the race.

Haggman has called himself the “true progressive” in the race, so it’s no surprise that the national party wants him out. Unfortunately for Pelosi and her acolytes, the only thing that came from Hoyer’s plea was a bad news story.

Politico: Hoyer’s coffee-shop diplomacy failed to convince Haggman, who is one of seven candidates in the Democratic-leaning Miami district trailing the front-runner, Donna Shalala.

“We are running in District 27,” Haggman’s campaign, which didn’t deny having district-switching talks with Hoyer, said in a written statement to POLITICO.