• CA-26,  Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,  Julia Brownley,  Linda Parks

    CA-26: Democrats Continue to Pound Linda Parks

    Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Mailer

    The Democrats (Democratic Congressional Campaign Commitee)  are sliming Ventura County Supervisor  and NPP (No Party Preference) Linda Parks again.

    You remember the last time.

    Timm Herdt over at the Ventura County Star has the ridiculousness of the mailers.

    The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has flooded the mailboxes of Ventura County Democratic voters with another cartoonish mailer that seeks to portray independent congressional candidate Linda Parks as a tea party-style Republican extremist.

    The first showed Parks’ face on campaign buttons paired with George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Sarah Palin. The cover of this one shows an open closet with GOP paraphernalia, including a cardboard cutout of Palin and a Bush-Cheney placard, spilling out. The implication is that Parks has been trying to keep her true political leanings in the closet. The headline says, “Republican Linda Parks has a secret…”

    On the flip side it says that “Washington Republicans and Linda Parks would end Medicare as we know it” and that “a vote for Parks and the national Republicans is a vote for the Tea Pary.”

    Truthful?

    Not really. Linda Parks is NO conservative and is a RINO at best.

    But, the Democrats are desperate and will pound Parks, trying to drive up her negatives, so that their annointed Democratic candidate, Assemblywoman Julia Brownley can win second place against favorite, Republican Tony Strickland.

    I received a call from a political fact check organization the other day while I was traveling, inquiring about the first mail piece with Sarah Palin. This ad, like that one,  is blatantly false and misleading – so place it in the pile with the other one and ones to come from the DCCC.

    Doesn’t the DCCC remember that all of those negative mailers from Tony Strickland’s wife, Audra, backfired and made Linda Parks a sympathetic figure?

    I don’t think this appraach will curry favor with Ventura County Democrats for Brownley – but then again, maybe their polling already shows this.

  • CA-26,  Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,  Linda Parks

    CA-26: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Hits Linda Parks in Republican Framing Mailer

    The DCCC has released its first attack mailer and it is not against the Republican, Tony Strickland, but against NPP (No Party Prefeerence) Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks. Timm Herdt over at the Ventura County Star has more of the story.

    The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee yesterday posted on its website this attack mailer against independent candidate Linda Parks in the 26th Congressional District.

    As you can see, it’s a fairly heavy-handed piece that seeks to link Parks with “Washington Republicans” and urges Democrats to “stop the Tea Party. Vote No on Linda Parks and the Republicans.” It features campaign buttons that show her paired with George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Sarah Palin.

    A spokeswoman for the DCCC said Tuesday that the piece is in the mail, but I have received no reports as yet from anyone in the district who has received it.

    A very interesting framing of Linda Parks as a Republican.

    She is anything but a partisan GOP’er and would be considered a RINO at best. Many in GOP circles actually like Democratic Assemblywoman Julia Brownley better – as Brownley would be vulnerable in future elections due to the swing demographics of this Congressional District.

    I, especially, like this part of the mailer with photos of campaign buttons of Linda Parks and Sarah Palin.

  • CA-26,  Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,  Linda Parks

    CA-26: Linda Parks Fights Back Against Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

    Remember on Friday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee dropped an 80 page opposition research bombshell on the Ventura County Supervisor running for Congress.

    The report is here.

    Well, Supervisor Parks is not taking it without a response and a website has emerged. It is here.

    This is an example of what a modern campaign MUST do – rapid response to address opponents and surrogates – this time it is the Democratic Party.

    So far, Park’s campaign has been up to the test.

    But, how this will play out when the direct mailers start to hit Congressional District households remains to be seen.

  • CA-26,  Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,  Linda Parks

    CA-26: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Drops OPPO Bomb on Linda Parks

    Thanks to my fellow reporter, Timm Herdt with the Ventura County Star for the heads up.

    If there was any question which candidate is of most immediate concern to Democrats in the 26th Congressional District, it has been answered on the website of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

    In the section highlighting key races in California, it cites the 26th and promises that a research book on Republican Tony Strickland will be posted in May. With independent Linda Parks, however, the Democrats are in a bigger hurry to go on the attack.

    But, what a bomb – like a 80 page bomb. You can download it here – it is in a .docx Microsoft Word format and takes a while to load.

    Just an example:

    Moved Supervisor office to more expensive Downtown storefront location after City of Thousand Oaks decided not to renew her city hall Office lease (2007)

    In 2007, Parks moved her Board of Supervisor office to a more expensive Downtown storefront location in Thousand Oaks, after the City of Thousand Oaks had decided not to renew her city hall office lease. At the time, the city was paying $3,915 for the 1,700-square-foot storefront location, with a 3% annual increase built in the lease. In comparison, the county was paying $2,784 a month for the City Hall office, with no built-in increase. As of 2007, the county reportedly paid at least $34,000 to upgrade the storefront location to equip the office with a kitchen, bathroom and interior walls. The Ventura County Star reported at the time, the initial cost to renovate Parks’ new office was expected to increase. The payment was coming out of Parks’ $711,000 office budget, which also covered staff salaries. (Ventura County Star, “Supervisor Parks liking new digs,” October 30, 2007) 

    You get the idea, especially if you have ever read an OPPO or Opposition Research Report before. It is a treasure trove of information that can be washed, rewashed and spun anyway an opposing POL can manage.

    Go ahead and check it out.

    I am sure you will see many of the points in the coming weeks, especially in your mailbox.

    The fact that the Democrats have so extensively prepared their OPPO research sort of lays waste to the claim that while Parks is much more moderate than Tony Strickland, the Party views her as a suitable alternative in a top two election environment.

  • CA-26,  Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,  Julia Brownley,  Linda Parks,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26: Democrats MOCK Linda Parks “Rocky Road” Television Ad

    Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks and No Party Preference (NPP) candidate for Congress

    I love it when the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee does the mocking work for me.

    Congressional candidate Linda Parks (CA-26), who has switched her voter registration from Democrat to Republican to Independent, has refused to commit to clear positions on the majority of issues, including the House Republican budget that ends Medicare. Instead, Parks dodges questions with lofty rhetoric about her “independence.” But in her new television ad, Parks gives her most straightforward answer yet — her favorite ice cream flavor is Rocky Road. While Californians finally have an answer to the pressing ice cream issue, they are still left wondering which Linda Parks is running for Congress.

    “The only question Linda Parks hasn’t dodged is her favorite ice cream flavor, but Congress is not a Baskin Robbins. It’s time for Parks to come clean and be honest with California voters about where she stands on the issues that affect them,” said Amber Moon of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Linda Parks may stand with Rocky Road now, but judging by her record she’ll switch camps when Baskin Robbins comes out with its newest flavor, Political Opportunist Sundae.”

    Linda Parks still has not said how she would vote on the policies of House Republicans that harm the middle class and seniors, including the controversial Ryan budget that ends Medicare, extending the Bush tax cuts for millionaires, private accounts for Social Security, and their assault on reproductive rights for California women. Parks has also declined to say which candidate she will support for president.

    You see the Democrats are more worried about Linda Parks and having their anointed party candidate, California Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, lose in the June “Top Two” primary election than the Republican California State Senator Tony Strickland.

    And, they should be worried.

    With four Democrat candidates on the ballot, and the fact that Brownley lived outside the Congressional District until a couple of months ago, Brownley may struggle to come in second to the likely top vote getter Strickland.

    I wonder when Brownley will hit the cable television air?

    She raised a few hundred thousand and she better start spending it.

    Here is Park’s television ad again:

     

  • Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,  GOP,  Mitt Romney,  Sarah Palin

    The Mitt Romney Response: Democratic Congressional Campaign Commttee Begins Anti-GOP ROBOCALLS About Economic Stimulus

    dccc-robo-calls

    The DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Commitee) has gone on the attack in an opening theme for the 2010 elections.

    Mitt Romney who undoubtedly is running for President in 2012 writes some checks today in response to the DCCC.

    Former Governor Mitt Romney’s Free and Strong America PAC today sent $1,000 checks to a group of House Republicans targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for their votes against the wasteful $800 billion stimulus bill.

    Said Romney: “What Republicans wanted was a bill to strengthen the economy. What the Democrats passed was a bill to stimulate government. We are committed to helping these courageous Republicans defend their position and fend off political attacks.”

    Romney called the President’s stimulus package “a missed opportunity to make this country stronger.” Referring to the 12 House Republicans as the “Undaunted Dozen,” Romney praised them for “standing up for fiscal responsibility and saying no to spending abuse.”

    Mitt is trying to be the good party man and ingratiating himself to threatened GOP House members:

    The GOP List:

    • Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois
    • Rep. Ken Calvert of California
    • Rep. Michael Castle of Delaware
    • Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania
    • Rep. Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania
    • Rep. Mark Kirk of Illinois
    • Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri
    • Rep. Dan Lungren of California
    • Rep. Thad McCotter of Michigan
    • Rep. Adam Putnam of Florida
    • Rep. Dave Reichert of Washington
    • Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas

    Now, will SarahPac do likewise?


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  • Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,  GOP

    Democratic Congressional Campaign Commttee Begins Anti-GOP ROBOCALLS About Economic Stimulus

    dccc-robo-calls

    The DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Commitee) has gone on the attack in an opening theme for the 2010 elections.

    A dozen House Republicans are targeted in a new House Democratic political campaign that criticizes the GOP lawmakers for opposing the $787 billion stimulus package.

    The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will contact voters this week by telephone with a recorded message saying that their Republican congressman voted “against the largest tax cut in history,” and against a stimulus bill that the business friendly U.S. Chamber of Commerce supported.

    The campaign also includes “emails and text messages directly to targeted Republicans’ constituents,” a DCCC official tells CNN. House Democrats have also created a Web site to explain how they believe the stimulus bill will affect individual congressional districts.

    Only three congressional Republicans, all senators, voted for the final passage of the stimulus bill.

    The script (for Congressman Pete Sessions):

    Hello, I’m calling on behalf of House Democrats with an important message about the economy.

    Did you know Congressman Pete Sessions voted against President Obama’s economic recovery plan, endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce? Sessions’s empty rhetoric can’t hide that he voted to raise the AMT tax on 22 million middle class Americans and against the largest tax cut in history.

    Call Sessions at XXX-XXX-XXXX to ask why he voted to raise taxes on middle class families.

    The GOP List:

    • Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois
    • Rep. Ken Calvert of California
    • Rep. Michael Castle of Delaware
    • Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania
    • Rep. Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania
    • Rep. Mark Kirk of Illinois
    • Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri
    • Rep. Dan Lungren of California
    • Rep. Thad McCotter of Michigan
    • Rep. Adam Putnam of Florida
    • Rep. Dave Reichert of Washington
    • Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas

    But, there is a risk coming out early by the DCCC even though they have the money to do so. The Democrats own the Obama Economic Stimulus Bill and if it fails to stimulate in time for the 2010 election cycle the GOP will hit them over the head with it.

    A bold move this early but risky and for minimal gain.