The electorate has moved so far to the right in the last year or so that it’s getting really tough out there for progressives. Here’s Rachel Maddow going after Jack Conway, the Democratic Senate candidate in Kentucky, for abandoning previously held positions supporting cap and trade and repealing the Bush tax cuts:

I mean I understand where Conway is coming from, nobody in Kentucky is going to get elected these days supporting cap and trade. But as much as it pains me to say this, Maddow is right — ultimately the bigger problem is appearing unprincipled.