Axios: Political dirty tricks upend midterms

👀 Political dirty tricks upend midterms
 
Illustration of a voting booth stylized as a box trap.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images
 
This year’s midterms are becoming a watershed election for primary meddling, mysterious super PACs, alleged straw candidates and all manner of political shenanigans, Axios’ Andrew Solender and Stef W. Kight write.

Why it matters: With fewer battleground House districts after redistricting and the fight for the Senate extremely tight, each of these schemes could have an outsized impact on control of Congress.

🟢 Green Party spoilers: Democrats are accusing the Green Party nominee in Pennsylvania’s 7th District of trying to aid Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Pa.) by siphoning progressive votes from Democrat Bob Brooks. Lawsuits allege the candidate, Andrew Tupone, was a registered Republican until February and had help from Republicans getting on the ballot.👯 Seeing double: In Alaska’s primary today, there will be two Dan Sullivans on the ballot — Sen. Dan S. Sullivan (R-Alaska) and former teacher Dan J. Sullivan.

🫏 Democratic dropouts: Democratic Senate candidates in Nebraska, Idaho and South Dakota have dropped out at the last minute to lift independent candidates’ chances of ousting Republicans.

⌛ 11th-hour switcheroos: Rep. Chuy García (D-Ill.) and Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) both drew criticism for dropping their reelection bids just before the filing deadlines to ensure their chosen successors would not face primary opposition.🎯 

Primary meddling: Federal Election Commission filings revealed Republicans were behind a series of “pop-up” super PACs with names like “Lead Left PAC” and “Progressive Champions PAC.” The groups bought ads propping up left-wing or scandal-tarnished Democratic primary candidates.

🇮🇱 AIPAC: The pro-Israel group, whose brand has become reviled by Democratic primary voters, also supported candidates through obscure super PACs. In Illinois, it boosted a preferred House candidate through groups called “Chicago Progressive Partnership” and “Elect Chicago Women.”Share this story.
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About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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