Mailers, of course, are to be expected. Davis has a huge pile of cash to spend, so why not spend it? Well, there is that run at the Senate in a two years to save up for, but he should at least spend a little on this year's effort. So the fact that they're showing up isn't a sign of anything at all.
It's the content of said mailers that speaks volumes about the Davis campaign.
Of the four mailers I've received, one is positive and three are negative. And it's not just that they're negative, they have the hallmarks of a worried campaign and hit like an extreme rightwing hammer.
Check out some of the content of just two of these ads:
Lawyer Hurst is an Extremist - Hurst's Radical Stances, Liberal, Waste hard-earned tax dollars, Dangerous (on security), Extremely liberal, out of touch, just plain wrong.Extremist Hurst is a lawyer who defends criminals. Higher taxes, Weak borders, Criminals before victims rights. Hurst defends perpetrators of Enron-like scandals, corporations that steal from stockholders, those accused of Corporate Economic Espionage, Corporate Computer Crimes, and the "Big Guys" who lie, cheat and steal from us.
Wow.
Does any of that sound like a moderate Republican who is cruising to an easy victory in a moderate district? Not even close.
Most of the accusations made in these mailers are preposterous stretches of the truth, at times resorting to a single word Hurst said while discussing a topic. A single word taken out of context. Blatant manipulation.
Furthermore, note the use of vague notions such as "Big Guys" who lie, cheat, and steal from us. Without any specifics whatsoever the Davis campaign is trying to either create fear and/or anger to be directed at Hurst. Oooh - Hurst works for "Big Guys" who steal.
Again - is this the work of a moderate cruising to an easy victory? Why on earth would moderate with a huge lead resort to inane accusations about "Big Guys"?
And what about the long term effect of this effort from the Davis camp. They are selling themselves using the language and philosophy of hardcore rightwingers. He may retain his seat this year, but he's displayed some fairly extremist tendancies with these mailers that the strongly moderate (and perhaps even left leaning) NOVA region will not appreciate. And that could really hurt him in a future run for the Senate.
Extremist - votes with Bush 90% of the time; assuages right-wing radicals with Schivao subpoena, incredulous tax cuts etc...
Waste Hard Earned Tax Dollars - using the Government Reform Committee to issue bogus subpoenas and investigate baseball for steroid use when a war of choice was being waged and ethics be damned in the Congress.
Dangerous on Security - Voting to build a 700 mile wall along a 2100 mile border instead of examining more precise and effective ways of curtailing illegal immigration. Voting for a war in Iraq when it was not a terrorist haven (but now is thanks to the war!)
Higher taxes -- (first off, Hurst has never voted for a tax, so this claim, in and of itself, is odd) Davis and the Republican Party have presided over a record-level mounting deficit. Irresponsibly voting for tax cuts during a war that costs billion per month; providing gas companies huge breaks at a time when prices escalating and hurting all but the top 1% of Americans.
Defending Perpetrators of Enron-like scandals -- I guess taking money from them and their PACs for your campaign is ok but providing them with a constitutionally mandated defense is not.
"Big guys" who lie, cheat and steal -- Bush, Cheney, Abramoff, Foley, Ney, Cunningham -- any of these names sound familiar??
Let's hope the voters of the 11th are more intelligent than Davis gives them credit for and they see through this thinly veiled hypocritical mailer. Davis can't stick to the issues because he knows he has not provided the 11th district with the representation it deserves. Hurst can and Hurst will!
The main reason I spend so much time in VA from nearby in MD is helping my family there who worked for MCI/WorldCom
According to this diary and OpenSecrets.org, as of the last cycle (prior to October 15, 2006) MCI is among the largest PAC contributor to Tom Davis. The company, now Verizon, gave $57,025 to Davis even as it endured financial scandals. MCI also gave $5,000 to the Federal Victory Fund, for a total of $62,025.
MCI stole this money from Virginia employees and investors.
In 2005, CEO Bernard Ebbers was convicted of fraud and conspiracy in the largest (to date) accounting scandal in U.S. history, as a result of WorldCom's false financial reporting, and subsequent 180 billion dollar loss to investors.
Now, I know this $62k+ won't pay for anyone's college; but Davis shouldn't be passing it through to his wife's campaign, or to George Allen. Instead of giving out lollipops at Hurst's supermarket, why doesn't he start a college fund for MCI employees?