The CD8 conversation continues to be less about the positive attributes of the candidates, and entirely too fixated on the purportedly negative qualities of others, initially Kathleen Matthews and now increasingly the dark specter of David Trone. Yesterday, Joel Rubin decided to join the chorus of condemnation of Trone, alleging that Trone’s record of contributions to Republicans “should disqualify” him from the Democratic primary.
MD-08: Maryland 8th District Congressional Candidate Joel Rubin said today that his opponent David Trone’s donations to right wing Republicans should disqualify him from the Democratic nomination to Congress.
“David Trone’s says that the $150,000 he has donated to right wing Republicans like Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Carolina Governor Pat McCrory enabled him to ‘buy access’ for his liquor empire,” said Rubin.
“But those donations went to support candidates whose policies have devastated the pocket books of ordinary people, damaged the environment, limited the right to vote, and have slashed women’s reproductive rights.”
“This district does not need a Congressman who would willingly sacrifice the well-being of so many ordinary Americans in order to benefit himself and his own company,” said Rubin.
On his own web site, Texas Governor Abbott lists his policy priorities.
These include:
“Preparing to challenge potential federal laws that limit gun rights.” In other words, fighting commonsense gun safety laws. Since he has been governor he has allowed the open carry of fire arms virtually everywhere in the state.Repealing ObamaCare.
Fighting the “burdensome, job-killing policies” of the Obama Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency.
Defending “Voter ID” laws that discriminate against minorities and low-income voters.
And under Abbott, Texas has taken the lead in doing everything it can to block the Obama Administration’s Immigration executive actions.
“David Trone provided political support to candidates that with positions like these in order to advance his own personal economic interests. Frankly, that’s shocking. I think the voters of this district will agree that this is not the kind of representation that we deserve in Maryland’s 8th Congressional District,” he concluded.
You know what I think? I think a candidate fixating on other candidates without even once mentioning his own qualifications is giving free publicity to the allegedly “bad” candidate. As if David Trone needs more attention right now. Joel Rubin, on the other hand, needs tons of attention on HIS candidacy and HIS qualifications.
And please, please, please, can we retire the notion of any sin - no matter how mortal - “disqualifying” anyone from the race? Maybe, depending on the views of the voter, Trone’s GOP contributions should “disqualify” him from getting a vote. Maybe some other characteristic should disqualify him from favorable consideration. But that’s for the VOTER to decide. Not other candidate(s). Candidates should stop trying to tell voters what to think about other candidates, especially when they have yet to make a full case for their own candidacies in a positive sense. And while no candidate has the right to a favorable right, all candidates - even David Trone - have the right to be on the ballot.
This is Politics 101 (hi, Neal Carter!). There’s no upside - none - in this kind of negative fixation. It speaks to a collective failure of imagination and a candidate’s belief in his or her own qualifications for the job. Stop now, or else I swear, I’m gonna go all Josh Kurtz on the whole lot of ya.
Your attempts to be “fair and balanced” notwithstanding, it is absolutely relevant that two people without records of service to the community, who didn’t bother to vote in 2 of the last 3 primaries, who have contributed to GOP candidates have “jetted” in to this race in an attempt to purchase it. Yes, every single candidate should be touting their positive credentials. But Trone and Matthews have brought the kind of politics to our district that we are decrying across the country.
They deserve to be hammered for it.
You have suggested that prior legislative experience is not a pre-requisite for serving in Congress. That is not unreasonable to suggest — certainly lots of freshmen members of Congress get there through other routes. But — in a race that features three proven legislators (Barve, Gutierrez, and Raskin), the “burden of proof” for those without such experience is much, much higher. Look at the voting records of these three experienced candidates. You can see clearly how they will behave in Congress. Compare that to the records of a corporate shill (Matthews) and alcohol salesman and all you can see is their love for big business. Just what we need in Congress: more Wall St. Dems!
Are Kathleen Matthews and David Trone “bad” people. I don’t know them personally and can’t judge that. But they are clearly destructive forces in this race. I applaud Joel Ruben for making the case.
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