In what has got to be one of the most boldly shameless acts of political concern-trolling ever, a political action committee entirely controlled by the Washington State Senate Republican caucus has sent glossy mailers to voters in the hotly contested 45th Legislative District race, bitterly accusing Democratic challenger Matt Isenhower of being a closet Republican! And they don’t just slam Isenhower for being a Republican, they slam their own party in the process:
“He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” warns the mailer, “willing to say anything to get elected. Just like his mentors: George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.” Ouch!
It’s an impressive bit of sock puppetry: a dirty lying Republican-funded PAC accusing a Democratic challenger of being a dirty, lying Republican. I mean, you gotta admire their balls. Bravo!
And let’s be clear, there is absolutely zero doubt connecting this mailer to the state Senate Republican caucus. According to the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission, the so-called Good Government Leadership Council that paid for this mailer is entirely funded by the Leadership Council, a PDC designated caucus committee run by Republican Senator Mike Hewitt, with an SRCC.org email address. Its top contributors include a rogues gallery of Republican moneybags, including the Washington Restaurant Association, the Building Industry Association of Washington, and Eastside developer George Rowley.
The NW Progressive Institute Advocate has more of the mailers up online.
So, two take-aways. First, the SRCC must be awfully damn worried about incumbent Senator Andy Hill’s reelection prospects to have to stoop to this creative new low in his defense. Second, could the Republican brand get any worse, that even Republicans are now willing to throw their party under the bus if they think it will net them a temporary electoral advantage?
Instead of accusing their Democratic opponents of being Republicans, the GOPers might want to take a moment to ponder why that charge is such an effective negative attack?
I think more Republicans, or the American Taliban, need to join the Bellevue Square housing center.
This is one for the ages. The GOP version of identity theft: Steal their own identity to smear their opponents! Not too surprising, though. In Washington State, Republicans have been trying to hide who they are for some time. They call themselves “non-partisan” or say they “prefer GOP party” — anything to avoid association with the word “Republican,” which is synonymous with “toxic poison” in many voters’ minds.
I wonder if Isenhower can sue them for libel? After all, calling him a “Republican” does expose him to public hatred, censure, contempt, and opprobrium. At least, around here, it does. Which, obviously, is the whole purpose behind calling him a “Republican.” So actual malice should be easy to prove.
I wonder if Chris Eggen, who is challenging Sen. Maralyn Chase in the 32nd District primary, is a closet Republican? Eggen, who got elected to the Shoreline City Council as a “nonpartisan” candidate, is running as a “Democrat” but has no endorsements from Democratic or labor organizations, and is running on a platform of “working with others” and “forging compromise” — noble sounding words that could, however, be code for “if elected, I will join the ‘Majority Coalition’ and vote with the Republicans on all important issues.” Some of his supporters and endorses are locally well known pro-business Republicans.
I don’t think Sen. Chase is in danger. There’s also a declared Republican in the race, and he and Eggen will split the Republican vote, with the top splitter going on to November. That could well be Eggen, as the “official” Republican candidate doesn’t even have a campaign website, although he is making at least a few campaign appearances. But the 32nd is a solidly Democratic district, where a Republican has no chance of winning, so if Eggen can suck in even a few Democratic voters, he might well become the GOP’s de facto candidate in November against Chase. It’s hard to see him competing with her, though.
We await puddybutter’s asshole defense of this tactic. After all, the GOP has stated in their platform that the ends justify the means. To them, all is good. And if worse comes to worse, you can always beg for forgiveness. And if you are one of the elect, you will be forgiven.
Rinse, repeat. Grifters gotta’ grift.
In a way it makes sense: “You know how the Democrats are – why vote for Republican-lite when you can vote for an actual Republican?”
YOU’RE A TOWEL!
so did isenhower work for the war criminal cheney admin or not? somehow this factual nugget seems to be missing from goldy’s post.
if isenhower is a born again dem like rodney tom, who’s to say he won’t caucus with the republicans like tom did? i guess isenhower could make that pledge. why don’t all wash dems take such a pledge. you know, like the grover norquist no votes to tax pledge?
Is the WA GOP done in western Washington?
The
Good Government Leadership CouncilSenate Republican Campaign Committee just stuck its fork(end tounge) in to check.Smells done to me.
Isenhower was vetted super hard by some lefty groups to make sure his wife’s allegiance to Republicans doesn’t influence his own, and they feel pretty solid about him minus some income tax issues. You can check out Isenhower’s King County Dems survey to see more details: https://s.kcdems.org/candq/2014/L45_Matt_Isenhower.pdf