I have been seeing ads with Casey and steel workers where he is taking credit for tariffs on American Steel. If Wagner and Barletta are short on cash they should team up and hold events with each other rather than whining that their opponents won’t debate. Do several a day... Make some news. Come to central PA and shake it up... The local radio in Harrisburg would Let them call in every day and have a bully pulpit. Use it - If that doesn’t work call the little stations in Chambersburg and similar towns, - Anything to show that they actually care.
Again the problem isn’t just lack of money, its there is honestly NO INTEREST... no motivation, no enthusiasm no nothing....
Honestly If I was Barletta, I wouldn’t want to be seen with Wagner, he’s a dead fish... And I don’t mean that he’s a literal dead fish, but that he probably competes with Bob Casey when it comes to being a non presence even when he’s in the room.
Honestly I don’t see anything going on that remotely looks like the GOP wants this at all.. no fight no nothing...
At least during the PA-18 race, as bad as the messaging was, the GOP was fighting... there is no evidence of any fighting going on at all... You ridea might get something going, but unless they can penetrate the airwaves in some fashion I don’t see it changing.
I expect they will get the GOP vote, but frankly, there is no anger, at least not organized anger of any measurable significance at Wolf or Casey... and with no anger at the incumbents and no excitement for the alternative... you get a status quo election.
I can’t speak for the details of the other senate campaigns across the upper midwest as I am not in those states, but I can tell you the polling for them is all showing terrible support for the GOP, which tells you this isn’t simply Barletta is bad, its that the problem is larger, and I have been saying it since PA18, and that’s messaging.
The few Barletta Ads I have seen have been reasonable, I don’t think they are going to radically change things, but the fact you see no more than one a day or maybe a week, it sure as heck isn’t going to change anything.
We are a little over a month out now, if the GOP can’t put up an honest effort, they certainly aren’t going to win.
I do expect that you will see the Kavanaugh thing to affect polling in all these senate races, but the margins are so big by the D’s that that alone is not going to change any of the outcomes.
I think with the right message, and with the right media Barletta could make a good solid run... But its clear that both are not there... The GOP honestly needs to COMPLETELY rethink its messaging...
I understand the red state democrats are the most likely pick ups, and I understand that prioritizing money there is good... perhaps once its obvious those races are locked up, cash will flow into the upper midwest states ... but if it doesn’t show up soon, and the GOP doesn’t change its messaging to WHAT THEY STAND FOR AND WILL DO FOR THE VOTERS, THAT THEY GET 2016, AND THEY WILL FIGHT FOR MAGA AND THEM... over just attacking their opponent for being a liberal or a tax and spend democrat... even money and airtime won’t win it.
This part of the country is full of multi generational democrats... they didn’t suddenly become hard right republicans, their party marched left away from them and left them behind... They will vote for a Republican if you give them a reason to... Trump Did... but the current set of Senatoral Candidates up here are offering these voters nothing...
You can’t run a campaign here like you would in the deep south, or plain states, or southwest.
The GOP needs to play “LARGE BALL”... not focus on the direct opponent, but give a message for what you believe in and stand for, and why you will be the better choice for them.... Show that you get MAGA, and that you will fight for it..
Ads, like this:
http://www.politicspa.com/pa-sen-barletta-paints-casey-as-ineffective-in-new-ads/88958/
Are the wrong message... this is great if all you wamd is your typical republican mid termers to show up... but that’s NOT going to do it in states where Democrats have greater registrations and are highly motivated... LIKE THE UPPER MID WEST!!!
Its not that this sort of ad has no place... but it can’t be the backbone of your campaign... and given that the campaign is purchasing very little airtime to begin with due to financial constraints, this ISN’T the type of messaging that should be getting the limited funding.
BORDERS, TRADE, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, RULE OF LAW!!!!
Somehthing along the lines of this:
“For too long PA was being left behind, free trade deals and illegal immigration destroyed our cities and towns, drugs ruined our neighborhoods and families and no one cared...
(YOu can take a swipe at your opponent her by name if you like for doing nothing about it)
But you have to OFFER them an alternative!! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO DIFFERENT?
IN 2016 people like you changed the world, you demanded your country back.. you deserved better....
I will be better... I will work for YOU... I will fight to help make this nation great, I will put security, trade, and Pennsylvanians first...
Trump and the republicans have done great things to seal the border, stop the flow of drugs, improve the economy.. etc etc etc... point out the things the opponent stood and voted against (in this context.. voted down the tax cuts, voted down Kavanaugh, Voted down abc.. show their quote talking down the President..
I’m XYZ and I will never ever forget who I represent, and always fight for what is right for [INSERT YOUR STATE HERE], I will work hard to keep this momentum going, and make our state great...
etc, etc etc..
That’s the message that NEEDS to be running across the upper midwest.. not this sort of garbage my opponent is.. small ball...stupid.. WHAT DO REPUBLICANS STAND FOR? WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR? AND WHY!?? Its for YOU... YOU the Voter, not ME...
Stop playing small ball stupid crap! Learn from Trump!