After redistricting transformed Florida Republican Rep. John Mica’s suburban Orlando constituency from a district that Romney carried 52-47 to a district that Obama took by the narrowest of margins, Mica had good reason to at least prepare for a competitive campaign. And after national Democrats reserved $3.8 million in late June to help first-time candidate Stephanie Murphy in the 7th District, Mica could have at least done something to gear up for an expensive race. But as a frankly shocking Politico article reveals, Mica still isn’t behaving like he’s in a tough race at all. In fact, Mica himself brags that he doesn’t have a campaign manager and that he has a “terrible press operation,” a reference to his part-time press secretary.
It’s almost unbelievable how little Mica seems to care about his own campaign. After noting that Democrats have spent $3 million against him, Mica said that “we haven’t had that kind of money … nor would we waste that kind of money.” Mica’s own poll showed him going from a 52-34 lead just as the Democratic ads were starting to a 47-42 edge in late October, so it’s just delusional to argue Team Blue wasted their money. (Democrats have released polls showing Murphy narrowly ahead.) And as a senior member of the House, Mica would have been able to raise more money if he wanted to.
Mica may be fine sleepwalking through his campaign, but his allies are taking this seriously. The NRCC recently started a $1.4 million buy against Murphy, and Politico’s Rachael Bade unsurprisingly reports that senior Republicans privately are quite pissed that Mica didn’t take his opponent seriously months ago.
Meanwhile, Democrats continue to pull out all the stops to win. Murphy is out with a new ad starring Barack Obama, who highlights how her family fled communist Vietnam by boat when she was a baby, and how she became a Department of Defense analyst after September 11. It’s a compelling story to anyone except John Mica, who derisively said that while people recognize him on the streets, “They wouldn’t know her from Adam’s house cat.” It’s still quite possible that the NRCC’s late spending blitz could save Mica. But if Mica doesn’t lose next month, it won’t be for lack of trying.
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