Democrat Rep. Gary Peters of suburban Detroit is normally a very strong campaigner. But he’s having a tougher time than expected as he tries to win the Senate seat of retiring Democrat Carl Levin.
To help him sagging poll numbers, Peters thought he would bring back the “war on women” campaign tactic that proved very successful for Democrats in 2012.
Surely you remember the faux “war or women.” This is where feminists and Democratic candidates went before tv cameras and aired commercials asserting that if Republicans like Mitt Romney won women would somehow be unable to purchase contraception anymore.
What?!?
The Pill has been readily available at every corner drug store for over 50 years. Contraception has even been subsidized by state and federal governments for decades.
No political candidate has suggested making the Pill illegal.
We expect politicians to lie, but the “war on women” attack has got to be the most disingenuous political attack of the last 50 years.
If you don’t favor forcing businesses to offer contraception as a free benefit to employees, then somehow you are “anti-woman” and you want to make contraception illegal.
It’s a total lie. But it worked in 2012. So Gary Peters went for this attack and called his opponent “anti-woman.”
The only problem? Gary Peters’ opponent is a woman.
And Terri Lynn Land refused to let this garbage attack go unanswered. She pounced on Peters’ nonsense talk with a very clever ad of her own.
Bravo, Terri!
As a woman she is a natural person to push back against this nonsense attack. But men running for office also need to realize that you simply can’t ignore an attack just because you think it’s preposterous. Just ask President Michael Dukakis what happens when you allow a baseless attack go unanswered.
In a normal year, a Senate race in Michigan would easily go to the Democrat, given the blueish nature of the state. But this year might just be the perfect storm for the GOP. They have a Republican governor who looks strong for reelection. Turnout in midterm elections tend to favor the GOP. The Democratic president and his signature law remain unpopular. The Republican candidate has high name ID throughout the state (she improved the DMV’s customer service quite considerably in Michigan).
And this ad shows, she’s got some moxie.
Republicans need to win six seats to remove Harry Reid and the Democrats from control of the United States Senate. Those chances improve when they force Democrats to defend more of their seats. The Democrats weren’t counting on having to campaign strongly in Michigan, but now they have a barnburner on their hands.