The assumption in Kansas is that there are areas where a Democrat can compete, and areas where they can't. Congressional District one, the bright red 63 county district is large - it makes up more physical area then the entire state of Illinois. It is also bright red. Many Democrats - have poked fun at the attempt to make a change in district one, where Democrats just don't campaign.
This year, however, started different. In an early primary, Tim Huelskamp, the Republican who is the founding voice behind the "1M1W" Constitutional Amendment, faced a real contender. Alan LaPolice, a more moderate Republican, took him to the limit, in a tight primary that tore up the west.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/...
Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) survived a surprisingly serious primary challenge from Republican candidate Alan LaPolice.
With 82 percent reporting Huelskamp was beating LaPolice 53.5 percent to 46.5 percent.
That's after various points throughout the night where it looked like Huelskamp could actually lose to the little-known challenger. At some points Huelskamp led LaPolice by single digits, despite the congressman's national prominence and LaPolice's comparative anonymity.
With such a close primary, Tim Huelskamp had some work to do in repairing his Republican base, you knew he would campaign hard. Except, as of 10/27, Tim Huelskamp has:
* Done NO television advertising.
* Sent NO mail
* Spent minimal dollars on a minor radio buy
Instead, Tim Huelskamp basically phoned it in, assuming that any Republican would beat any Democrat in Kansas. Ending his FEC filing period with nearly $600k on hand, why should he worry about a Democrat who was spending around $40-$50K a month in a bright red district? Well, now the news drops on Timmy... Tim Huelskamp TRAILS Democratic Opponent Jim Sherow with DAYS left in the election, and with nothing in the pipeline. Sitting on the money doesn't seem smart now, does it Tim?
Rep Dem Unaff Total
Sherow - 30 84 73 45
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Huelskamp - 51 5 9 38
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Not sure - 19 11 18 17
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That's right. The DEMOCRAT leads in a Bright Red District. (Poll Sample: 70% Republican, 19% Democrat, 11% Unaffiliated)
What exactly happened to the Tim Huelskamp that fought back a rugged opponent in the primary? Well, that Tim Huelskamp largely disappeared, but the distaste for Tim Huelskamp didn't.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/...
SALINA, Kan. (AP) - A former Manhattan mayor little known to rural western Kansas voters is giving U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp an aggressive re-election challenge, tapping into voter discontent with a Republican incumbent known for his brusque style and a tax-cutting fervor that have made him a tea party favorite in Washington.
Democrat Jim Sherow has mounted a hard-fought challenge in the sprawling 1st District of Kansas despite seemingly overwhelming odds in a heavily Republican district against a well-funded incumbent.
Sherow played hardball from the beginning, with a kind of campaign that just hasn't been seen in western Kansas.
Unruffled, Huelskamp was blunt when asked during the forum about his thoughts on the use of hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, for oil exploration in Kansas. He called fracking a “tremendous opportunity” for the state. Surveying his audience, he then added: “I am looking around the audience again, a lot of retired folks who may not care about jobs.”
His comment drew a mix of groans and laughs from the audience. The next day, Sherow’s campaign featured the line in its advertising.
While Democrats of the past looked at District 1 and said: unwinnable, Jim Sherow shook things up. In the first debate, when cornered, Tim Huelskamp uttered a few ridiculous things. And rather than get away with it, the Sherow campaign had radio ads on the air across all markets in Western Kansas. The ads went like this:
The time frame from the moment the debate was over before ads were on the air? Within a day. Tim Huelskamp still didn't buy in. No mail. No Media. Nothing.
http://www.hutchnews.com/...
O’Brate has diverse financial interests, including in oil and energy, banking and manufacturing. His business activities include serving on the board of Conestoga Energy Partners.
“In July, it was reported that Congressman Huelskamp threatened the CEO of Conestoga partners, Tom Willis, with financial retribution for not supporting his candidacy. ‘I will make you pay when I get back to D.C.,’ Huelskamp is reported as saying,” the Sherow press release said.
That story of Willis and Huelskamp was featured in anti-Huelskamp advertising during the primary campaign. The Now or Never political action committee paid for the ads, and campaign finance reports revealed O’Brate donated a quarter of a million dollars to the Now or Never PAC in July 2014.
When Cecil O'Brate and others decided enough was enough with Huelskamp, and threats and intimidation wouldn't be enough to make them stay quiet, Huelskamp was remarkably absent.
Threatening Republicans who had given him max donations in 2010? Not a problem. Huelskamp's erratic behavior continued as he began harassing a local photographer in Hutchinson - his campaign photographer at one point. You see, Charles Wheeler runs a local photography company. Each year, for students that opt in, he offers his services - Senior Photos. When Tim Huelskamp's daughter received a piece of mail offering photography services, Huelskamp lost it.
From Charles Wheeler,
After 3 lovely phone calls from Mr. Huelskamp threatening us with legal action regarding us sending his Senior High school age daughter a flyer in the mail, we have decided to help your campaign anyway we can. My wife and I are truly in shock how nasty he was on the phone and how he doesn't understand the law.
That's right. Tim Huelskamp simply couldn't restrain his temper - one that got him booted off the Ag and Budget committee.. as well as off the campaign tour with Bob Dole and Pat Roberts.
Now, with basically one week to go, Tim Huelskamp finds himself trailing a DEMOCRAT in District one by SEVEN points. Over the last few months, we've kept track of this race, with me forwarding information to site prognosticators and saying "maybe this is too good to be true, but.." and in poll after poll, the numbers kept improving.
Is there still room for all the Republicans to come home and send Tim Huelskamp and all his warts back to DC? Sure there is. But if Tim Huelskamp gets beat the reason is simple: his arrogance led him to believe a Democratic opponent didn't matter, and that he could take in all the campaign contributions and not spend, gearing up for a 'real' challenge in a primary in 2016.
Now, however, Huelskamp may have to scramble to spend money - to actually create ads to save his campaign. For all the money in the bank, he's basically out of time to run mail into his constituents unless he had already decided to do it. And TV? At the rate Huelskamp is infuriating vendors in the area, I'm uncertain of who would work with him.
In a private conversation in western Kansas, a national Republican figure conveyed the message: "If Tim Huelskamp goes, it's probably good for the party. There won't be tears in DC."
Jim Sherow's new Spanish language ads and Agriculture ads begin this week. No matter how this race ends up, there is nothing wrong to chipping in a few dollars to be part of "one of the most aggressive" campaigns in America.
Want to take Tim down? Give the district real representation? Consider donating to Jim Sherow.
https://supportsherow.nationbuilder.com/...
Tue Oct 28, 2014 at 10:40 AM PT: Update
Huelskamp has now taken to twitter and elsewhere to say that "Dark Money" from teachers is part of this, and that all of the sudden, he's worried about campaign finance reform. Wah-Wah-Wah. Tough Life, Tim