NC-02: Ellmers STILL campaigning on the taxpayer dime
On the last day of January, we told you about congresswoman Renee Ellmers’ taxpayer-funded constituent mailings that bear a striking resemblance to campaign literature — stuff that is not supposed to be paid for with government money.
Well, she’s at it again. I got this piece (front and back and franking info) in the mail yesterday. I’ve had members of Congress mail me newsletters throughout the years via their franked mail privileges. I just haven’t seen any with the gall to send me something so blatantly political at government expense. Maybe she’s getting off the hook on a technicality — putting her congressional office addresses and phone numbers and web site address on the mailing. But the timing — the week before filing begins, and after numerous primary and general election opponents have announced their intentions — is highly dubious. It’s ONE THING to campaign on the government dime, it’s ANOTHER THING ALTOGETHER to campaign on the government dime AND LIE while you’re doing it.
Her GOP primary challenger Frank Roche is making hay of this type of thing, as well as Ellmers’ advocacy for the House leadership’s amnesty proposal. Former state commerce secretary Keith Crisco’s bid for the Democrat nomination to challenger Ellmers in November is being upstaged by Clay Aiken’s entry into the Democrat field. The pop star’s deep pockets and name ID will make him quite formidable in the Democrat primary – and possibly in November. He’s come out of the gate with an ad that paints a very folksy, moderate, sympathetic picture. He’s criticizing Obama, and bashing Ellmers for “cuts to the military.”
Ellmers, for her part, is looking past her primary foe Roche and aiming her fire at Aiken. On a radio show, she mocked Aiken for his performance on American Idol. Ellmers’ campaign spokesman also took a shot at Aiken — suggesting that he had more in common with San Francisco than Sanford. (Why not our very own liberal bastions — Chapel Hill or Carrboro — instead?)
San Francisco is known for its rather large homosexual community. Aiken — shocking nobody — announced in 2008 that he is gay. Aiken has not made gay rights, or his sexual identity, an issue. It would be a mistake for Ellmers and her campaign to go there.
It will be tough for Ellmers to play the social conservative card, anyway. She and Aiken agreed in their opposition to the state constitution’s marriage amendment in 2012.
It could be a big mistake for Ellmers to be looking past Roche and the May primary. In 2012, Ellmers had a very lackluster showing against three poorly-funded unknown primary challengers. (She lost one whole county in the district, and showed rather modestly here in Moore County.) Frank Roche has his weak spots, but he is an aggressive campaigner who has learned a lot from his 2010 and 2012 campaigns for other offices. From what I hear, he’s making some serious inroads in the district. Ellmers’ pro-amnesty efforts are helping Roche out greatly.
Ok, I don’t know Clay personally. But–I have a close friend who knows him very well. And she is very astute. So I will share.
Clay is a serious guy. As we all know there are showbiz personas just as political personas. He is serious about doing right and making the world a better place to live. He is a well versed student of politics. He has for years yearned to make more of a difference particularly as a public servant. It is not unlike actor turned gov turned president Reagan. Or Al Franken. Or Fred Thompson. Sometimes people change course in their life and use one career as a stepping stone.
I do not think he is power hungry, in fact by all accounts he is not that fond of popularity and all that comes with it.
He is very smart. His initial campaign video was just about perfect. Serious, heartwarming and positive. Other seasoned politicians could learn something from that little video. It had a genuineness about it, that few could pull off without appearing contrived.
He deeply cares about people and issues. He has settled down from the fame and fortune and become grounded.
I only have two concerns. 1.That he needs to understand he represents the people’s ideas more than his own. and 2. That he can remain clean and fresh amongst the sleaze he will be surrounded by in DC.I would hate if that happened to him personally.
I have a feeling that if a debate occurs, his opponents will be flabbergasted as they will have preformed the wrong opinion of Mr. Aiken.
I’m no fan of Democrats. Check my previous post pedigree on here. I can’t vote in that district, but I might if I could. I think the public might be seeing someone entering the race for the right reason, and not for fortune, fame or special interests.
But hell, that could be my “throw all the bums out” mentality erupting again this week.
Those things do not matter when the politician concerned is a leftwinger.
Roche is the only decent candidate in that district.
We’ll see if Aiken has the stomach for it. In the meantime, if he can ‘remain clean’ having been exposed to the sleaze of the recording industry, I suspect he might be able to handle a term or two of exposure to the Beltway sub-culture. ( More than that, and all bets are off. )
Renee should not “be looking past her primary foe”! Mr Roche is a very formidable challenger and perhaps if Ms. Ellmers looks in her rear view mirror she will see Frank is gaining speed. Take nothing for granted, the primary will give District 2 a true Conservative in Frank Roche.
I enjoyed Clay Aiken as a singer on American Idol. We were impressed by his down to earth qualities and his love of family and the children he worked with. I was amazed at how he has matured and has a deep grasp of what we need in NC. So unhappy with the current mess in DC. I will watch this race closely to see is Clay Aiken is really as good as he appears to be. Long way to go but I wish him luck.
How is a leftwing Pelosi Democrat ”good”? The answer is they are NOT!