Tipsheet

Democratic Subterfuge in Maryland House Race

See if you can spot something shady about this Democratic campaign mailer "attacking" Richard Davis, the Libertarian candidate for Congress in Maryland's First Congressional District:

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As you can clearly see in the bottom right corner of the flier, it was paid for by the DCCC.  You may ask yourself: Why would national Democrats spend any money and effort criticizing a no-name, uncompetitive third party candidate with no money, no traction, and a rudimentary website?  Shouldn't they be preoccupied with hammering their actual Republican opponent, Andy Harris, who is leading incumbent Democrat Frank Kratovil in recent polls?

Not if their goal is to raise Davis' profile by launching carefully crafted broadsides against him.  Notice the language the DCCC employs against him:  He's a "complete outsider," who might be "too conservative," because he's committed to "cutting government spending" and the "size of government."  The Democrat-funded mailer even mentions the Constitution, which raises a major red flag.  These are all less than subtle dog-whistle phrases deliberately designed to appeal to conservatives. And wouldn't you know it, I'm told the DCCC mailed this item to hard Republican and Republican-leaning voters.

The strategy here is as obvious as it is devious.  Democrats, fully aware that their guy is tanking and incapable of earning re-election on his own, are trying to trick right leaning voters into supporting someone who has no chance.  Just like the dirty tricks campaign the were caught coordinating in NJ-03, Democrats are tossing a Hail Mary pass in MD-01.  Their hope is that enough conservatives can be fooled into voting for a fringe candidate, cannibalizing Republican support in the process, that Kratovil can squeak out a victory.

Their scheme isn't working in New Jersey; let's make sure it fails here, too.