To quote Nelson Muntz from The Simpsons, "Haw haw!":
http://www.boston.com/...
Republican Senate nominee Gabriel E. Gomez sought today to distance himself from the national party, and charged Democratic nominee US Representative Edward J. Markey with campaigning in a “time warp.”
Hit with a Markey campaign ad seeking to capitalize on the locally unpopular national GOP supporting him, Gomez told reporters that he differs with many in his party on climate change, abortion rights, and gun control.
Gomez criticized Markey for accepting special interest money. He declined to say whom he would support, if elected, for Senate minority leader.
“If anybody is in the pocket of anybody, it’s my opponent,” Gomez said during a stop at a popular Quincy diner.
Sporting a Boston Bruins tie and his trademark bomber jacket, Gomez worked to avoid a trap that has snared many a New England Republican in recent years: finding themselves lashed to a national party that operates to the right of the Northeast electorate’s tastes.
“I’m going to win this with or without D.C.,” Gomez said. - Boston Globe, 6/3/13
Gomez even dissed the very man trying to bail out his losing campaign:
http://www.masslive.com/...
Republican Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez said Monday that he “couldn’t care less” if Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is raising money on his behalf.
McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, sent out a fundraising email for Gomez on Friday, pledging a three to one match of donations, up to $32,000, made to Gomez’s campaign that day.
Gomez said Monday, “I didn’t ask Mitch McConnell to write that email. I couldn’t care less if he had written that email or not. Bottom line is I’m not tied to anybody. I’m not tied to any rigid ideological position.” Gomez has not indicated that he would not take McConnell or other national Republicans’ money.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee has also sent staff to Massachusetts to help Gomez.
Democrats spent the weekend tying Gomez to the national Republican Party, with the Markey campaign releasing a web ad featuring McConnell’s email. The ad argues that a vote for Gomez is a vote to obstruct Democratic President Barack Obama’s agenda. Obama is far more popular than the national Republican Party in Massachusetts, a heavily Democratic state. Democrats have pointed to Gomez's stances where he is in line with the Republican Party, such as opposing a ban on assault weapons, opposing abortion and refusing to raise taxes on the wealthy. - The Republican, 6/3/13
With the GOP incredibly unpopular, especially in Massachusetts, Gomez is trying to convince voters that he's a different type of Republican:
http://www.usnews.com/...
Speaking Monday at a diner in Quincy, Mass., Gomez declared his independence from the national GOP brand, citing his support for legislation that would require background checks on all gun sales, gay marriage, immigration reform and believes climate change is real and partially the result of human behavior.
"One of the things I am going to change in Washington is my own party," he said, according to prepared remarks. "I am fully aware that in a few months from now, some in the Republican Party who will consider me to be a pain in the butt. And I am OK with that."
He also echoed remarks made by former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, a Republican, who said the current Republican Party should "shut its doors" for awhile as it looks to re-boot following a largely failed 2012 election effort.
"If the Republican Party can't bring themselves to appeal to every American voter, they should just shut their doors," Gomez said. - U.S. News, 6/3/13
Yeah, good luck with that. Republican strategist, Holly Robichaud, is trying to offer some advice to help Gomez save his campaign:
http://bostonherald.com/...
• Don’t apologize for calling Markey “pond scum.” He deserved it for putting your picture next to Osama Bin Laden. The shoe fits.
• Go after Markey for bragging about his
Obamacare vote. In 2010, being against the government takeover of health care helped elect Scott Brown.
• With each taxpayer owing $148,000 toward the national debt, hold Markey accountable for his zero rating with Citizens Against Government Waste. Any first-grader could find waste to cut in the federal government.
• Set the record straight on the phony people’s pledge. Markey started off this campaign with
$3 million in his war chest from lobbyists and PACs. His demand that you limit groups from advertising on your behalf is as phony as his Malden address.
• Ask Markey to list all the taxes he has supported over the past three decades. Be prepared to start listing them. There are 271 of them.
• If you have any tattoos, don’t offer to show them.
• Quote U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch on Markey being a liar. It will help win over blue-collar Democrats.
• Ask Markey if he can define the term “middle class.” If Lizzy Warren is in the audience, she won’t be able to give him a lifeline.
• Make a joke about him inventing Google or ask him what his cable bill in Malden runs him.
• When you get Markey on the ropes, finish him off. Don’t let up like Mitt
Romney did in his second and third debates with President Obama. - Boston Herald, 6/3/13
Not sure if her advice will be helpful but we shall see. By the way, Gomez is getting no love from Boston's Spanish speaking press:
http://legalinsurrection.com/...
The Boston Spanish language paper El Planeta has an Op-Ed by its former(*) Director and longtime Spanish language media executive Gerardo (Jerry) Villacrés, in which Republican Senate candidate and former Navy pilot and SEAL Gabriel Gomez is called a LINO:
In an almost unexpected Gabriel Gomez, a Latino son of Colombian parents, just won the nomination to run for the post of Massachusetts state senator, to fill the vacancy left by Sen. John Kerry who replaced Hillary Clinton in the post Secretary of State for the Obama administration….
As Gabriel has not been in politics before this race he is being promoted as “an outsider” something that has a certain appeal for people who do not like politics. And at this point I want to emphasize that for the Latino community itself has been “an outsider” and that in no way he has worked with organizations and individuals in our community so that, for me, it’s Latin In Name Only (LINO). - Legal Insurrection, 6/3/13
This week, Markey and Gomez discussed their tax policies. This is what this race is all about in my opinion:
http://www.masslive.com/...
On the individual tax side, Markey hewed closely to the Democratic platform – supporting raising taxes on the wealthy but not the middle class. Markey said he opposed former President George W. Bush’s tax cuts on the wealthy and supports the Buffett rule, which would raise taxes on millionaires. He would not support raising rates or limiting deductions if it affects the middle class (Markey did not specify what incomes he considers wealthy versus middle class). Markey also said he supports eliminating the “carried interest” tax break, which taxes investment profits earned by hedge fund managers at the capital gains tax rate, not the higher tax rate for ordinary income.
“I believe that everyone, especially the wealthy, should pay their fair share of taxes,” Markey said.
Gomez said he would not raise tax rates on anyone. “Raising taxes again will hurt the economy and kills jobs,” Gomez said. “Raising taxes on top earners will not solve our nation's fiscal crisis. We need to address spending.” Gomez said he supports “revenue neutral tax reform,” in which rates are lowered and deductions are capped or limited. Gomez has previously said that he would consider eliminating the carried interest tax break. - The Republican, 6/3/13
The Special Election is Tuesday, June 25th. If you would like to donate or get involved with the Markey campaign, you can do so here:
http://www.edmarkey.com/