Forget Wisconsin nice - the House race in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District is anything but. It's a rerun of the 2006 open seat race, with the Democrat, Dr. Steve Kagen (now Congressman), up against Republican (former) Assembly Speaker John Gard.
The 06 campaign was the nastiest the district had ever seen - and this is Joe McCarthy’s ancestral homeland!
The old Gard is at it again, and nastier than ever. Details - and the response - after the jump.
Some background on the race: The GOP is desperate to take this seat. The RNC is spending hundreds of thousands to defeat Kagen, the only House incumbent they're going after. (McCain pulled out of WI, but Kagen is still being targeted.)
It's easy to see why. TV is cheap in Green Bay, and Kagen has a solid progressive record - he voted to get out of Iraq, his health care legislation to stop insurance companies from discriminating on the basis of pre-existing conditions was picked up by Obama and Hillary (they gave him credit), and he's kicking ass over the district's paper mills being shut down and moved offshore.
Kagen is the GOP's worst nightmare - he's living proof that a Dem doesn't have to be a me-too Republican to take - and hold - a traditionally Republican district.
John Gard’s modus operandi is to just make stuff up. You could call it the kitchen sink strategy - plus the dirty dish water. So far this year, Gard has accused Kagen of voting to make oil drilling in the U.S. illegal, give illegal immigrants free health care and housing, cut Medicare benefits, build Charlie Rangel a personal library, and, that old standard, pass the biggest tax hike in American history.
For good measure, Gard has thrown in the 'Cuba-is-drilling-off-Florida' crap, and brought back one of his greatest hits from last time around, 'Dr. Kagen refuses to see Medicare patients.' There are so many lies it’s hard to keep track of them all.
The handy new web site FactCheckGard.com is a beacon of truth to help voters find their way through the thick fog of disinformation blanketing Northeast Wisconsin airwaves and mailboxes.
Even if you live in another House district, chances are good the attacks will sound familiar. The Republicans are an efficient bunch - they’re using the same script in a number of races.
You can check out FactCheckGard.com and see if the Republican running in your district is more dough from the NRCC cookie cutter.
And if you want to contribute and help Dr. Kagen beat the sleaze, click here.
Obama will need this doctor in the House. Let's send him back for Barack.