You know, if you’re gonna send out a fundraising letter slamming your opponent, it might be a good idea to remove you opponent’s name and address from your mailing list:
You can read a PDF of the entire letter here; given the context of this race, it’s kinda hysterical. In a transparently lazy, boilerplate attempt to scare up some contributions, Jane Hague writes fearfully generically about her mudslinging opponent, and warns that the primary election is a “little more than six weeks” away. Only problem is, the primary election is about three weeks away, having been moved this year from September to August, and her opponent… well… it’s hardly fair to say she even has one.
As usual, Hague is running unopposed in the Republican primary, and the Dems were so disorganized this year that they’ve found themselves in the nearly impossible situation of running a write-in campaign against perennial candidate and HA regular, Richard Pope. So all this talk about needing money ahead of the primary to fend off a well-funded campaign of “personal destruction”…? Well, it’s um… what’s the word I’m looking for here? Oh, I know: lies.
If that’s the kind of respect she shows people who give her money, imagine how she treats those who only give her their votes? And why would anyone give money to a candidate so lazy, she can’t even pick up the phone and ask her consultants to write a fundraising letter specific to this year’s campaign? This deserves a thorough fisking.
“My opponent has a long track record of running campaigns that focus less on the issues and more on negative — and often personal — attacks.”
I assume she’s talking about Richard, who has a long track record of running campaigns that pretty much don’t focus on anything, except maybe planting a handful of yard signs.
“I expect outside special interests to spend heavily in an attempt to scare people into voting against me.”
Dollars to donuts, the bulk of Richard’s campaign war chest this year will be spent on the filing fee.
“Sadly, I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion — from what’s already being said to the media and special interest groups — that my opponent has no intention of focusing his campaign on the real differences between us on the issues.”
Again with the “focus” crap. This is what… Richard’s twelfth race in as many years? He runs for a different office every election. Clearly, the man suffers from a debilitating form of political ADD. I wouldn’t worry about his focus.
“It seems clear that my opponent will instead engage in the kind of politics of personal destruction we so often see back in the other Washington.”
Your opponent is “engaged” in a hotly contested primary battle with a write-in candidate. ‘Nuff said.
“I promise to remain centered on a positive vision for the Eastside, but I also must be prepared to respond to any negative attacks made by my opponent.”
Define “negative attacks.” Would that include falsely accusing your opponent of negative attacks he lacks the resources (financial and otherwise) to launch?
“Help me raise the financial resources necessary to respond to an opponent who’s more about degradation and destruction than solving the problems we face.”
“Degradation and destruction”…? Who does she think her opponent is… Osama bin Laden? I’ve got nothing against Richard — and even admit to an odd fondness for the guy — but this is Richard fucking Pope we’re talking about for chrissake! Hague already enjoys a modest $226,546 to zero fundraising advantage over Pope; what kind of addition “financial resources” does she need?
“The bottom line is this campaign is going to be hard fought.”
The bottom line is this campaign is a cakewalk. The bottom line is Hague has needlessly gone on the attack against an opponent who rarely campaigns outside the comment threads of a handful of local blogs. The bottom line is Hague is a liar, shamelessly fleecing her fellow Republicans for money that would be better spent elsewhere.
And the bottom line is, Hague knows that this is the last time she runs unopposed, virtual or otherwise; like the remaining vestige of the once dominant Eastside GOP establishment, she’s frightened for her political future. This campaign isn’t about this campaign, it’s about fattening her larders for 2011, when a host of qualified Democrats will be drooling at the opportunity to take down Hague in her formerly Republican district.
