By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog
Labor Day is in the rear view mirror, Save Jerseyans, and the final lap to Election Day is turning into a sprint as Congressional Democrats, desperate for offsets to expected losses, attempt to gain a beachhead in New Jersey’s 3rd District.
Republican Tom MacArthur kicked his Tuesday off by accepting the endorsement of Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) in Edgewater Park. “We’re here today because we need leaders in Washington, like Tom MacArthur, who will work with people in both parties and build a consensus behind policies that help to create jobs and rebuild America’s middle-class,” said Tony Capaccio, President and Business Manager Construction & General Laborers’ Local 172. “Tom came from modest means and worked hard to build a successful business. He believes that we must invest in America and American families, and our members will work hard for him in this campaign.”
LIUNA has demonstrated a willingness to back Republicans, notably Governor Christie ahead of his 2013 reelection campaign.
We haven’t seen much in the way of public polling (yet) in NJ-03, but the Democrat Aimee Belgard is certainly behaving as if she’s in trouble.
She’s continued to avoid direct confrontations with her opponent while the DCCC provides air support in an escalating ad battle. A new TV spot out this week, titled “Devastation,” continues to recycle discredited allegations contained in a spring 2014 Daily Mail hit piece concerning MacArthur’s time in the insurance industry. “Too many families have to fight insurance companies everyday, like the company insurance CEO Tom MacArthur ran, accused of cheating victims of similar disasters,” declares narrator, invoking the specter of Hurricane Sandy. “MacArthur made millions, and now he wants to go to Congress where he’ll let insurance companies jack up our rates.”
It’s one of the more nakedly deceptive spots I’ve seen in a long time. For example, it accuses MacArthur of endeavoring to “jack up rates”; when the last ad leveled similar accusations, FactCheck.org responded by noting how “viewers might assume the ad is referring to him helping property or casualty insurance companies. It’s not. The ad is actually referring to MacArthur’s opposition to the Affordable Care Act.”
Two words for you: dumpster diving.
Republicans are taking the DCCC’s seven-figure slander-intensive ad buy seriously but they’re not sweating it either. They maintain that the DCCC’s tactics betray their candidate’s weakness in a district – and a cycle – favorable to a Republican retention.
“While supposed-Congressional candidate Aimee Belgard continues her silent act from a heavily fortified bunker, Nancy Pelosi’s campaign arm is doing Belgard’s dirty work by shamelessly using already-exposed lies in its despicable attack ads,” NRCC Spokesman Ian Prior concluded in a statement reacting to the latest DCCC spot. “With nine weeks until election day, one thing should be abundantly clear in this race – mystery candidate Belgard is not running to represent New Jersey families in Washington; rather, she’s running to force Pelosi’s agenda on New Jersey’s families.”
Local # 172? Aren’t they from Norristown, PA? What did he do – buy a bunch of guys lunch if they show up for a photo op?
When is Tom going to reply to VFW POST # 4914 about the invitation to debate. Aimee has.
Not interested in addressing the veterans?