Long-time lurker and commentator — first time blogger. This will be quick. I just want to share a bit from a Politico story, which I haven’t seen discussed here on DKos. (If others have already posted about this, my apologies.)
As many of you know by now, Devin Nunes has a strong challenger in CA-22: Andrew Janz, a deputy district attorney with the Fresno County District Attorney's Office. Janz is not just a “Nunes-light” candidate, but a true alternative. He holds progressive positions on many issues. This is a solidly red district, but there is hope. Recent polls have put Nunes ahead of a generic Democrat 50-45, and we are obviously still a ways from the peak of campaign season, so Janz has not yet had the media presence of Nunes. Janz has however capitalized on Nunes’ apparent loyalty to Trump — over the Constitution, the country, and his constituents.
A Politico story details how Andrew has benefited from memogate:
The controversy surrounding Nunes’ turn in the national spotlight has sparked a wave of interest in Janz’s long-shot campaign, powered by deep hostility toward Nunes’ role in the effort to delegitimize the federal probe into whether Russia infiltrated President Donald Trump’s campaign team.
Janz, a previously little-known Fresno prosecutor, reports he’s been deluged by donations and media attention. …
Politico reports that Janz has received in the vicinity of $100,000 in campaign contributions, just since the release of the memo, but he lags far behind Nunes. Nunes holds close to $4 million in his campaign coffers. The more negative attention shed on Nunes between now and November, the better. Nunes has raised his national profile in ways that he did not intend. He has made himself out to be nothing more than a lapdog for Trump. I would encourage anyone who hopes to unseat Nunes and remove him from his position as chair of the House Intelligence Committee, to donate or help Janz in any way they can.
Janz is seen as an underdog, but some perspective is in order. Trump carried the district in 2016 by 10 points (though narrowly lost Fresno County), a smaller margin than Romney in 2012 or McCain in 2008. Kamala Harris also carried the district by 5 points in her Senate race. There seems to be a slow shift in favor of Democrats over the last 8 years, and Janz is well-positioned to build on or promote that. Janz works in Fresno, and resides in Visalia (where he was born), the two largest cities in the district. Janz, the son of immigrants, also has plans to reach out to the Latino/a community in the district, which makes up 45% of the population, and was in large part responsible for Clinton winning Fresno County.
I live in the district, and just based on what I have seen, the excitement for Trump in 2016 has significantly abated. Janz is doing the right thing, and the smart thing, by tying Nunes to Trump, and questioning his loyalty to the district. The Politico story states that Nunes has not even done a townhall event since 2010, while he appeared last year before donors in Orange County. Janz has begun the legwork, visiting with voters, attending the recent women’s march, and hosting campaign events. His star is just beginning to rise.
Nunes is a disgrace to the country, to Congress, and to his district. Let’s start the blue wave in CA-22. Go Janz!