Wednesday, June 11, 2014

CD-30: Is GOP Mark Reed Delusional? (Or Will He Get Into This?!)

Conservative Republican Mark Reed had the name ID in the new 30th Congressional District, which moderate Republican Pablo Kleinman needed in order to enter the run-off and challenge Democratic incumbent Brad Sherman.

Kleinman spent heavily and he still lost to Mark Reed, who relied on this prior campaigns and the strong name ID that developed: "Brad Sherman spent $26 a vote. I spent 22 cents."

Conservative all the way, one could say.

The background on this race may help Reed during this election cycle, too.

In 2012, 30 year Democratic veteran Howard Berman fought a bitter general election battle for the new 30th, which included 40% of Berman's former district and 60% of Sherman's.

Berman was a Washington DC politician from way back, and his ties to national politics were so strong, that his efforts abroad diminished his chances at home all the more.

Despite the endorsements of every Democratic Congressman, including the now-retiring Henry Waxman, and major Hollywood names like Barbara Streisand, Berman failed to turn out the vote in his favor.

Democrats in the Valley and DC are still bitter about the outcome. Moderate Republican Susan Shelley's near-win in special election 2013 demonstrates the partisan overlap of West Valley Democrats fed up with Sacramento taxation and spending, waste and fraud, and now a disturbing trend of corruption.

The frustration with Sacramento can play into the Congressional race, too.

In comes Mark Reed.
Mark Reed


Campaigning against Sherman in 2010, when the liberal pol still represented the former 27th Congressional District, Reed took in nearly 30% of the vote. In 2012, facing off against the two incumbent Democrats as well as three Republicans, Reed finished third, and Shelly fifth.

From those results, Reed makes the case that Republicans need to stand on their conservative social as well as fiscal principles, even if district voters trend otherwise.

"Conservatives care about fiscal issues and the Constitution. The government should not be involved in telling you how to live your life at all."

That argument deserves more consideration. A pro-life candidate should not shy away from sharing his or her values, which does not necessarily imply that the candidate will impose those values. For conservatives, the government should not be in the business of imposing personal beliefs to begin with.
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Back to the Berman-Sherman fight in 2012. The key issue was contact and communication between the two candidates and the voters.

Berman was a Washington fixture, well-known for his foreign policy experience and legislative advocacy on behalf of the entertainment industry. His focus in Congress cost him with constituents.

Brad Sherman was a local creature, paid attention to the voters, reached out to constituents, and thus he had a stronger presence in the district. The race was his to win.

Berman's desperation came through during the Pierce College debate, which almost got physical:

Berman: "He knows exactly what I'm talking. . .you see, he's either delusional. . .
Brad Sherman
Sherman blew up at the personal remark, finally grabbing Berman and growling: "You wanna get into this?"

The point of their disagreement? Which lawmaker was the first to introduce "DREAM Act" legislation, a liberal talking point which both agreed on (as much as just about everything else, which made the general election fight all the more contentious until the end)

The rancor has remained in the 30th, according to Mark Reed, who despite two prior losses, is convinced that with well-laid plans and structured out reach to all voters, regardless of party affiliation, he can ride the wave of voter discontent and carry this district out of Sherman's hands.

I want to agree, and there is plenty of evidence out there, in California as well as other liberal bastions, that Republicans can do quite well in majority Democratic districts.

"Valley residents are conservative", Reed assures me. When it comes to our own money, who isn't?

Recognizing the challenge of reaching out to all voters with less money than a well-funded liberal incumbent, Reed counts on his support from two prominent, Democrats attorneys in the region, along with growing outreach to other Democrats.

He has also formed strong ties with the former Democratic incumbent Howard Berman, who will lend his support (albeit no endorsement because of lobbyist ties) to Reed's campaign.

As for Sherman, previous experience with constituents may suggest that they are ready for a change, too. He has faced voter discontent time and again. In one meeting, he lashed out a constituent who challenged his credentials on Israel. In a town hall meeting at El Camino Charter High School, constituents interrupted him about the Affordable Care Act, which has not increased access to quality health care or affordable coverage. Voters also assailed the Congressman on the illegal immigration issue. While he claimed that the current laws were not working, audience members shouted him down: "You won't enforce them!"

Ouch!

Sherman is facing heavy blowback on Obamacare and immigration, key issues which Reed can capitalize on for an upset.

Still, bare statistics force us to ask: "Is Mark Reed delusional?"

Reed counters that he is in it to win it, and with clear plans to reach out to every voter, ignoring party affiliation, which has become less reliable or even relevant, Reed's prior experience, name recognition, clear and conservative platform, and bold agenda  may get him into Sherman's seat this November.

15 comments:

  1. Reed is delusional not because of the demographics of the district, but because of his own personal history. A man with no college education (you can tell by the way he writes--he's only semi-literate) and with no known business record, who claims to sit on the boards of multiple companies but all that's known of him is that he worked at Jack in the Box, that he was a swimming pool plumber and that he rents out ponies for children's birthday parties. A man with a long record of violating the law, from drug possession when he was younger but already married with children, to a recent unregistered gun, to being caught several times driving with a suspended license and having the court declare him indigent and a deadbeat--he did indeed make taxpayers foot his legal bills (a full PDF of Reed's Superior Court Records can be found here: http://document.li/AUKo). True, Mark Reed is not a convicted felon--only because he pleaded the felony charge down to a misdemeanor. But he did plead guilty to several charges, was on probation several times (and broke it), etc. Is this the sort of moral character we're willing to elect to national public office? I don't think so.

    Then there are the lies: Howard Berman? Completely false. No relation between the two and Berman wouldn't be caught dead with someone of Reed's moral character. Indeed, when Berman reached out to Reed after the 2012 primary, Reed demanded money (a paid campaign job) in exchange for political support. How about his political positions and reliability? Reed, who claims to be for the Constitution and for the Rule of Law (despite his multiple personal brushes with the law) was recently seen on Spanish-language TV saying he's for giving papers to illegal immigrants, for immediate legalization to illegal children and even for giving them Obamacare once they've been legalized! (See it for yourselves here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhK5wVdcc6M and here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb5UgogInTE). How can anyone lie and tell different audiences what they want to hear, and then claim a moral high ground?

    While it is indeed true that there is plenty of animosity between former Berman supporters and Brad Sherman, the feeling isn't strong enough for them to vote for a nobody with a sketchy moral background and no track record of ever accomplishing anything. And a criminal record to top things off. Now that's delusional!

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    1. I wonder if Brad Sherman wrote the above: "You wanna get into this?!"

      Someone does not want Reed to "Get into this!" Wow!

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  2. Sadly, I know who the "delusional" creature who wrote the above comment is. A do nothing loser, full of lies, and hate. But hey! this creature has every right to be wrong and stupid, plus still biter for Mark Reed winning the Primary election. My advice move on, be productive and stop being a nuisance. Mark Reed is a leader and moreover a gentleman with class, someone that the 30th Congressional District so desperately needs in DC.

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    1. I am glad for your thoughts on the matter. Whenever someone has to dig up and embellish a "criminal record" on a candidate, right away voters should say "Wow! Desperation!"

      "He's either delusional. . ."

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  3. Reed has ZERO chance. None. Nada. Sherman stomped him by 20,000 votes in the primary. Good-bye, Marky Mark--you are delusional.

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  4. Ouch -- Lou wants to "get into this!" Did you read the bill, or will the official records of Congress prove you wrong?

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  5. "...plenty of evidence out there, in California as well as other liberal bastions, that Republicans can do quite well in majority Democratic districts." Speaking of delusional...

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    1. "You wanna get into this?!"

      GOP Andy Vidak won 60% in a +13 Dem district.

      http://aschaper1.blogspot.com/2014/06/vidak-victory-needs-more-vetting-again.html

      GOP Steve Horn of Long Beach represented the blue Long Beach area for five terms:

      http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/19/local/la-me-steve-horn-20110219

      "The official records. . . prove you wrong!"

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    4. How dare you compare a Andy Vidak, a REAL rancher and law-abiding small businessman with a nobody with a criminal past like Reed? I saw what you replied to the person that left the first comment but regardless of whether it's from a Sherman shill or not, what he or she wrote is all true. Even if you think it's embellished, it suffices to only read the court printouts to know that Reed is a recidivist law-breaker and unfit for public office.

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  7. Brad Sherman at $24/voter vs Mark Reed 22¢/voter is something to talk about BUT his snide comments last night on Twitter are very telling of his concern a similar upset will happen in his District come November!!!

    The @BradSherman tweet: Eric Cantor lost to a very right wing extremist. This wouldn't have happened with California primary system #Cantor

    Consider this, MAYBE the average citizen, without a tea cup or adequate medical care or retirement or assurance of a good future for their offspring; MAYBE there is an uprising.

    Review and digest this from The 1939 U.S. Army infantry training manual, Chapter 26 page 39, where it inspires the citizens who face a formidable task:

    Chapter XXVI: Miracles

    Resolute action by a few determined men is often decisive.
    " Time and again, numbers have been overcome by courage and resolution. Sudden changes in a situation so startling as to appear miraculous have frequently been brought about by the action of small parties. There is an excellent reason for this. The trials of battle are severe. Troops are strained to the breaking point. At the crisis, any small incident may prove enough to turn the tide one way or another. The enemy has invariable difficulties of which we are ignorant. To us his position may appear favorable, while to him it may seem desperate. Only slight extra effort on our part may be decisive. "

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    1. Great information, Lorraine! Thanks again!

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    2. Hey Lorraine, "...adequate medical care or retirement or assurance of a good future for their offspring"? If you are so worried about "adequate health care", why is your side still bitching about the ACA, which is WORKING, in case you hadn't noticed (just ask me--I have a pre-exiting condition and am self-employed and finally have coverage THAT WORKS and IS AFFORDABLE.) "Retirement"? Name a single thing Republicans have ever contributed to that issue? After all, they still want to dismantle Social Security! A "good future" for their offspring"? From the party that has tried to GUT assistance programs for college kids? You need to examine what the far-right Republican Party is REALLY doing. Sounds to me like you are more closely aligned with the platform of the Democratic Party--if you actually are concerned with what you claim to be concerned about.

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