Josh Kraushaar has a cute post at Politico about the usual shenanigans that go on in congressional races where one candidate tries to pretend his opponent is more liberal or conservative than he or she really is in order to sway voters. In this case it's the rightwing Republicans attacking the Republican candidate.
At first glance, the group’s ad looks like it’s an endorsement of Scozzafava. But it’s a dirty trick engineered by Hoffman supporters, looking to render her unacceptable to many Republican voters by detailing her liberal position on gay marriage, support of President Obama’s stimulus and connections to labor."
...Common Sense in America is spending about $150,000 on the ad buy, and it is up on broadcast and cable in all three media markets in the sprawling upstate New York district....
In tracking down information about Common Sense in America, it’s clear they don’t have the best intentions for Scozzafava in mind. The group, which was founded on October 23, is headed by Arkansas businessman Jackson Stephens, a board member of the Club for Growth. The Club for Growth was one of the first groups to endorse Hoffman. Stephens donated the maximum $4,800 to Hoffman’s campaign, and is one of the Club for Growth’s leading donors.
Calling the group’s phone number – listed on the advertisement – led me to a voice mail from Stephens, which directed all questions about Common Sense in America to Dan Blum, a communications consultant who is serving as a spokesman for the organization. According to FEC records, Blum worked for the Republican National Committee as a staffer as recently as this January.
And with these Republicans now endorsing the Independent Doug Hoffman is it any wonder these type of tricks are being attempted?
