When I write about Rep. Kristi Noem’s terrible policymaking record, Pat Powers accuses me of suffering from some unhealthy obsession.
So what shall we say of Powers when he devotes four posts in 24 hours to fabricating memes about Noem challenger Paula Hawks’s campaign? Here are the four Hawks headlines Powers offered Wednesday and Thursday when was able to tear himself away from his patrons’ press releases:
- Noem going to report $260k raised, $1.3M in the bank. Will Paula Hawks be a serious candidate…. or “Corinna Light?”
- Hearing rumors….
- So, how bad is Hawks’ fundraising going to be?
- First hint of Hawks fundraising emerging… Campaign claims 63k raised.
Hawks did indeed raise $63,400 in the first quarter of her campaign, over a year before the election. That’s a small sum compared to the $260K Noem raised last quarter and the $1.3 million Noem has in her war chest.
But consider that during the third quarter of 2009, the year before Noem defeated Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Noem raised $0 for her House campaign. Noem didn’t start her campaign until February 2010. In her first quarter, amidst the heat and glare of a primary contest, Noem’s first-quarter haul was $109K. In his first quarter of campaigning (Q4 2011), Matt Varilek raised $105K. In her first quarter of campaigning (Q4 2013), Corinna Robinson raised $24K.
Those numbers may be apples to oranges to grapefruit. But Hawks’s opening numbers aren’t an order of magnitude different from what we’ve seen from recent candidates, Noem included. The numbers show Hawks laying the groundwork for a viable challenge to a Washington-tainted incumbent who may be distracted by other political aspirations. Those numbers warrant one blog post, reporting the actual facts and historical comparisons.
But four posts, two of which offer no new substantive information? That’s obsession… or maybe just sitting up and barking for one’s party sponsors.
Noem: Magnitude Included Light Facts.
The “Hearing Rumors” post was just a bit too hopeful that Rep. Hawks would resign her legislative seat while campaigning for congress. As we know, Kristi Noem didn’t resign her legislative seat nor did Blake Curd, who ran against Noem in the primary.
Rep. Hawks should not resign her seat that she worked so hard to win in a Republican district. She should go to Pierre and represent her district, taking every opportunity to talk to the press and the public who flock to the capital from across the state. When campaigning for congress the title”State Representative” is far more impressive than “Former State Representative.”
Powers is an oaf of biblical proportions.
Pat’s fifth post on the topic comes this morning:
http://dakotawarcollege.com/hawks-fec-report-top-dems-threw-in-but-thats-about-it/
Am I allowed to diagnose Pat with “Hawks Derangement Syndrome” yet?
This seat is ripe for an upset. The Republicans know that Noem is not that popular, but she benefits from the rightward tilt of the state’s electorate. Rep. Noem is one scandal away from electoral defeat. Rep. Hawks will be there to pick up the pieces when that happens. Republicans are worried and should be.
Continued good work, Cory. Perspective, depth, analysis – that’s why I read this blog and ignore most others.
Hawks is apparently not interested in suggestions. Her fund-raising letter was mediocre for a number of reasons. It was not a good omen for her in a general election.
There once was a fella named Cantor who was the second most powerful man in the United States House of Representatives. I nicknamed him floppy because of those big ole ears, but anyway. He was sure to be Speaker Boehner’s next in line. Eric ran into a feller by the name of Dave Brat and they went to war. Brat spent just over $122,000.00 for his whole campaign in Virginia, which is not cheap to run a race in. Eric spent considerably more than that on steaks, you have to give him that, he was a beef eater. Well, Eric got his arse handed to him by Brat and you can now see the fallout from that by looking at who will be the next speaker of the House. http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2014/06/11/cantor-spent-168637-on-steak-houses-brat-spent-200000-on-entire-campaign-n1850194
It could be anyone but not Dennis Hastert, the former speaker. He will be spending a timeout in the Heartbreak Hotel.
Paula Hawks is doing just fine. Now if she would contact me, I have some suggestions on how to make NOem squirm.
Powers is on full squirm: he’s bombing the comment section furiously trying to give the illusion of blog traffic.
Along the lines of what Rohr mentions, Susan Wismer didn’t resign from her State House seat to run for Governor.
Dennis Daugaard didn’t resign his Senate seat to run for Lt. Gov. under Rounds in 2002.
Bill Janklow did not resign from the Attorney General’s office to run for Governor in 1978. Janklow did not resign from the Governorship to run for U.S. House in 2002.
Dick Kneip did not resign from the Senate to run for Governor in 1970. Harvey Wollman did not resign from the Senate to run as Kneip’s lieutenant in 1974.
George T. Mickelson didn’t resign his House Speakership to run for Attorney General in 1942. Nor did he resign from AG to run for Governor in 1947.