EXPOSED: The GOP’s Secret Plan to Undermine this Democratic Primary
Ken Harbaugh is a great candidate and Republicans know it. That’s why they’ve resorted to deceptive tactics.
If you’re a Democrat who lives in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District, you may have received some strange political mailers and digital ads about your Democratic Primary candidates — all paid for by the Ohio Republican Party.
That would be odd enough, but to many voters’ surprise this flood of GOP money wasn’t spent attacking the endorsed Democratic candidate and clear frontrunner, Ken Harbaugh. Instead, in a desperate attempt to confuse voters, the Ohio GOP spent tens of thousands of dollars attacking Harbaugh’s obscure primary challenger.
“Instead of facing Ken Harbaugh — a former Navy pilot and disaster responder — and debating him on actual issues, Bob Gibbs and Republicans are playing cheap, cowardly games with our democracy.”
Ken Harbaugh is one of the top Democratic candidates for Congress in the country
GOP incumbent Bob Gibbs and the Ohio GOP are terrified of Ken Harbaugh. And for good reason.
While Gibbs has been hiding from voters, refusing to host even a simple town hall, Ken Harbaugh has been criss-crossing the 10 counties of the OH-7 and holding open-to-the-public events throughout the district.
Harbaugh has strong grassroots support, out-raising incumbent Bob Gibbs every single quarter in this race, most recently crossing the $1 million dollar threshold. He has an extensive grassroots campaign with hundreds of volunteers who have knocked on thousands of doors and made tens of thousands of phone calls.
Here’s a short list of endorsements for Ken Harbaugh: the entire Ohio Democratic delegation — Senator Sherrod Brown; Representative Marcy Kaptur; Representative Joyce Beatty; Representative Marcia Fudge; Representative Tim Ryan. Ken Harbaugh also received the endorsement of the Ohio Democratic Party after a unanimous vote.
The Ohio AFL-CIO endorsed Harbaugh’s campaign along with the Canton International Association of Firefighters Local #249, United Steel Workers, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Ironworkers Local 550, International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE), Ohio State Council of Machinists, Communications Workers of America, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 668.
These endorsements, combined with Harbaugh’s impressive fundraising and expansive ground game, earned him a spot on the DCCC’s Red to Blue list, identifying Ken Harbaugh as one of the top Democratic candidates for Congress in the country.
So what should I look out for?
Many true-blue Democratic voters have received a mail piece that looks like this. Check the small print carefully — it was paid for and sent by the Ohio Republican Party, and they aren’t trying to persuade GOP primary voters. They’re trying to mislead you — Democratic voters in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District.
Don’t be misled. The Republicans are trying to prop up Ken’s primary opponent, and when they were called out on these shady tactics, they didn’t deny it.
Here are the facts: Ken’s primary opponent has just $5,000 in his campaign account, and his only endorsement comes from Ohio Right to Life PAC.
Why would Bob Gibbs and Ohio Republicans resort to this?
Bob Gibbs is a weak candidate. The Ohio GOP knows it. Steve Stivers and the National Republican Campaign Committee certainly know it. That’s why they’ve resorted to desperate tactics to try to prop him up and hand-pick for his opponent a straw candidate who has raised little money and done even less campaigning.
“I’ve never seen anything in Ohio this desperate looking. From a sitting congressman of all people. It shows that in their assessment, Ken Harbaugh is a real threat. He wouldn’t do this unless he felt threatened by Ken Harbaugh.” — David Pepper, Chair, Ohio Democratic Party
What can you do to fight back? Vote Ken Harbaugh for Congress, and then share this article far and wide.
1. If you’ve been targeted by these mailers or digital ads, please take a screenshot of them and send a note to press@ohiodems.org. Cleveland.com has already reported on this, but we are keeping track of additional spending by the ORP as they try to confuse and mislead voters in this primary election.
2. Help spread the word. Expose these dirty tricks for what they are and keep your local community informed by sharing this article and taking friends to the polls to vote early or on Election Day for Ken Harbaugh.
