Democrat Ken Aden, running in an incredibly tough district (Arkansas's third), has apparently managed to do something no Democrat has ever managed to do against a sitting Republican in that district. He's gotten under his opponent's skin so much that Congressman Steve Womack, an arrogant prick if there ever was one, actually had to take a swipe at his opponent...and it blew up in Womack's face big time. You see, Womack tried to attack Aden in the worst way possible-he went after his military service. What followed was one of the best moments I've seen in all my time observing Arkansas politics...
First a little background. Aden and Womack have an interesting past. Aden served under Lt. Col. Womack in the military, the Sinai Penninsula specificially. That fact has come up on the campaign trail as a bit of a curiousity, and Aden has related that he thought Womack would remember him. Well,Womack's response was the very essence of duchebaggery. (The article is behind a paywall, but here's the dirt Womack chose to dish.)
“If Ken was a dynamic leader and outstanding soldier in every respect, I probably would have had reason to have crossed paths with him during that deployment, but honestly I don’t remember him,” said Womack.
Aden said they did cross paths and spoke to each other on several occasions.
“He had to cross paths with me because I was on the Force Skills team,” said Aden. “He knew who I was.”
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When asked about the Force Skills Competition, the congressman compared it to “intramural sports” that gave the soldiers something to do.
“Bless his heart, Ken Aden does not need to over-embellish being a member of the Force Skills Competition,” said Womack, who at 54, is 20 years older than Aden.
“The primary mission over there was not related to what I call kind of an intramural sport. … It’s surprising that anyone would try to make some hay out of being on the Force Skills team,” said Womack.
Now first let me say that in his last campaign Womack never even vaguely alluded to his Dem opponent, David Whitaker. Aden's gotten under his skin in a big way, and it's starting to show.
What's more, Aden responded first by releasing an extensive list of his medals and awards from his army days, and believe me, it's extensive. Then, and this is where it gets funny, Aden released documentation showing that Womack had personally signed off on one of his awards during the time Aden served under him!
Womack's office is now backpeddling:
"He did not not intend to belittle or condescend,” Walker said. “He served his country. That’s an honorable thing. He didn’t mean to demean his service.”
This is called biting off more than you can chew. Regardless, no one in politics should get away with this kind of swiftboating. If you've got some change, throw it to Ken's campaign on ActBlue. He's already come out on top in his first joust with Womack, and if he gets the resources to make a real campaign out of this he'll be forcing Republicans to spend some money in a district that they normally wouldn't and will dry up resources for them in other races. And in case you're wondering, no, Ken is not a Blue Dog.