I read today an excellent summary of the First District race by G.A. Harrison at Campaign Edge. However, he did miss one thing that I’ve noted on a couple occasions:
While I am confident that Pipkin has done one or more mailings I cannot comment since I haven’t had access to them.
Maybe he hasn’t had them in his hands, but I’ve posted on them on at least a couple occasions so he could get the gist of them. Here’s a couple more examples:
In the second one I just got yesterday the only mention of Pipkin’s name is in the disclaimer, “Paid for by Pipkin for Congress.”
But it seems that the tone has changed from the first six mailings I’ve gotten, ones that seemed to serve as an introduction to the candidate and where he stands. Now Pipkin has adopted a much more negative tone as the days dwindle to the primary. And I seem to recall that many of Andy Harris’s negative attacks were derided as the work of a desperate campaign – now that the shoe is on Pipkin’s foot, does that mean he’s now desperate to try and make up a few polling points in a close race?
Pipkin also continues to cite a bill that supposedly showed Andy Harris voted for in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, but I explained HB253 in this earlier post. E.J. keeps using the example though because it’s a buzzword.
One advantage the Democrats will have in this contest is that none of their candidates have ever held a legislative position, so the GOP can’t dig up any “gotcha” votes on them. What our side will have to do is look at what the Democrat winner has said in public forums and on his website in order to contrast their proposals with the Republican winner’s. I’m happy to help with that aspect.
I would suspect Andy Harris’s campaign also has received copies of the Pipkin mailings through their own means as well. But the guy who’s actually sitting prettiest right now is Wayne Gilchrest because he’s already gotten used to the attacks from both of his main opponents and he can point to endorsements from serious GOP heavyweights like Michael Steele, Newt Gingrich, and most recently President Bush. In essence, the party hierarchy doesn’t mind rewarding incumbency over principle, and that bothers me.
But I guess it means I have to work harder to convince those at the top that principles win elections. It will make for an interesting night on February 12 as the results pile in.
Actually, the party is rewarding honesty, integrity, and principle above partisan, irresponsible rhetoric.
Both Andy and EJ are engaged in that game right now.