GOP Establishment is Selling a Congressional Fairy Tale in CD1.
Democrats do not have a monopoly on political hyperventilation. It’s a bug that infects both parties.
Take this breathless press release headline yesterday from Christian Martinez of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC):
“Carrie Big Bucks Crushes Dina Titus for Third Straight Quarter.”
“Carrie Big Bucks”? Seriously? That’s the best you could come up with?
Martinez’s over-the-top, consultant-approved press release continued:
For the third quarter in a row, Republican Carrie Buck outraised career politician Dina Titus, this time by NEARLY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS!
Buck raised a staggering $812,000 in Q2, the most any Republican challenger has ever raised against Titus in a single quarter.
“For three straight quarters, Carrie Buck has humiliated career politician Dina Titus, exposing a washed-up Washington relic whose support is collapsing and whose expiration date is long overdue. Nevadans are ready to put Titus out to pasture. Dina’s time is up.”
This is typical run-of-the-mill, inside-the-beltway, DC pablum that’s taught to poli-sci majors on a routine basis by professors who never ran for office or even worked on a real campaign.
- “career politician”
- “crushes”
- “staggering”
- “humiliated”
- “washed-up relic”
- “support is collapsing”
Oy, vey.
Now a reality check.
- Titus is an entrenched incumbent who's been in office since the Clinton administration
- The district has about 27,000 more Democrats than Republicans
- Buck is not an exciting candidate
- Buck does not have a record of conservative leadership or accomplishment
- Buck’s campaign messaging is lame-o at best
- There’s a conservative independent candidate on the ballot who will drain votes from Buck in November
But here’s the kicker…
Despite the “staggering” amount of money “Carrie Big Bucks” has raised, Titus reportedly has $1.3 million in her back account – which is DOUBLE the cash on hand Buck has.
So Titus’ support isn’t “collapsing.” It’s already in the bank!
Martinez must have skipped basic business economics, because he obviously doesn’t understand it’s the net, not the gross, that counts.
I’ve been watching the Republican establishment tout Buck as the second coming for almost a year now. But it’s pure hype. All sizzle, no steak. All hat, no cattle.
Believe me, nobody would like to see Titus dethroned more than me.
But unlike Martinez, I’m not going to put lipstick on a pig and tell you it’s Sophie Cunningham. And I’m not gonna tinkle on your toes and tell you it’s raining.
Buck’s campaign has serious problems. And you don’t fix those problems by ignoring them or pretending they don’t exist.
Young-buck party hacks like Martinez – armed with his trusty college Thesaurus – have been taught that misleading GOP voters and donors is the way to sell the snake oil.
Homey don’t play that. I give it to you straight – occasionally with a spoonful of sugar.
And I’m telling you, unless something drastic changes, “Carrie Big Bucks” is NOT the congressional horse in Nevada you want to bet on.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. Digital technology was used in the research, writing, and production of this article. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
