Endorsement tit for tat, part two

Staking out a position as a foreign policy maven, U.S. Senate candidate Rich Douglas announced another endorsement this morning:

Richard Douglas, an Iraq veteran, former American diplomat, and small business owner, is pleased to announce that U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) has strongly endorsed his accelerating campaign to unseat incumbent Democrat Ben Cardin in the U.S. Senate.

Senator Kirk said, “Douglas is one of the most qualified U.S. Senate candidates in the nation. His comprehensive experience in the Middle East exhibits a deep understanding of the complex issues our Country and our allies face. I know that Douglas will be a strong Senate partner with me, from day one, in facing down Iran and supporting our ally Israel.”

Senator Mark Kirk went to the United States Senate in November 2010, after winning a special election to serve the final weeks of Barack Obama’s Senate term. Kirk also won a regular six-year term which began January 3, 2011. Senator Kirk is a leading national proponent of a nuclear-free Iran, and a leader in
serious efforts to reduce the federal budget deficit.

Douglas welcomed Senator Kirk’s endorsement and looks forward to working with other like-minded Senators to “create jobs, put an end to America’s 40-year nightmare of fiscal irresponsibility, and restore foreign policies which put America’s national interests first.”

Let me say this right up front: if you believe this is an endorsement to burnish Rich’s conservative credentials (as in the case of Kirk’s fellow Senator Mike Lee endorsing opponent Dan Bongino) you’d be wrong: Senator Kirk has a lifetime American Conservative Union rating in the 50’s. (Kirk served five terms in the House before winning that Senate seat in 2010.) But Kirk is solid on foreign affairs, and that seems to be the main plank in the Douglas platform.

On the other hand, Dan Bongino received a more local endorsement from Frederick County:

Blaine Young, President of the Frederick County Commissioners, officially endorses Dan Bongino, candidate for US Senate in Maryland.

“Dan is the kind of candidate I can get behind. He is running for the right reasons,” said Blaine Young. “His solid background in economics and dedicated service to our country prove to me that he not only has the character to defeat Senator Cardin, but also has a clear plan for getting our country back on track.”

(snip)

“I am both grateful and humbled by Commissioner Young’s endorsement. He has served the people of Frederick County well by being a true representative of the people,” said Bongino. “Blaine and I believe that the way to economic growth is by lowering the tax burden and government regulation both on small businesses and the people they employ.”

Perhaps this is an unfair assessment of the race at this point, but judging from the backers on each side this is beginning to look like a contest between the rural, more conservative Republicans who would likely back Dan Bongino against the suburbanites who might feel more comfortable backing a more establishment candidate in Rich Douglas. Another set of differences will come from ground game, turnout, and the effect the other several candidates have on taking votes from the front-runners.

But the positions seem to be more and more staked out: foreign policy expertise in a threatening world against ideas to combat a threatening economy. However, the reaction I’d love to get from the candidates on is how they would address the other’s strengths (i.e. Bongino on foreign policy and Douglas on conservative, TEA Party values.)

That should make for a very interesting conversation, and it may be one which wins or loses the election for them.

Author: Michael

It's me from my laptop computer.