Another big name Republican is trying to help save Gabriel Gomez (R. MA) candidacy:
http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/...
With less than three weeks to go until voters in Massachusetts replace John Kerry, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is urging conservatives to help fellow Republican Gabriel Gomez’s Senate bid.
From his Reclaim America PAC, Rubio, widely expected to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, sent out an email to supporters praising Gomez and warning that Democrats will go all out to help U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass, keep the seat in their column.
"Gomez is currently facing a massive onslaught of Democratic special interest money," Rubio wrote. “Everyone from President Obama to Harry Reid to a host of Hollywood liberals have pitched in to help defeat Gomez. Now it's time to come to his aid."
Presidential politics could be in play here. Massachusetts is just south of New Hampshire, home of the first presidential primary. Many radio and television ads from Massachusetts bleed over into southern New Hampshire, which includes some of the most populous parts of the state. Rubio has been somewhat active in New Hampshire already, running television ads praising U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, for her votes against gun control.
But there are dangers for Rubio if he draws too close to Gomez. Earlier this week, Gomez tried to present himself as a “new kind of Republican.” In a speech on Monday, Gomez tried to portray himself as a moderate Republican in the tradition of William Weld and Ed Brooke.
On a host of issues, Gomez looked to win over traditionally left-leaning voters in Massachusetts. Calling himself a “green Republican,” he insisted “climate change is a real problem, and I believe that humans are a big part of the problem.” He also said he supported same-sex marriage. “I support allowing two people to get married, whether they are gay or straight,” he said. “Again, that won’t sit well with many in the Republican Party, but I will go to work on them.”
Gomez also indicated he did not stand with the likes of Rubio and Ayotte on gun control. “I support the effort to expand background checks for gun purchases,” he said. “Unfortunately, the Toomey-Manchin bill that would have done just that got only four Republican votes in the Senate. I will work to get more Republican support and get this bill passed.”
However, Gomez and Rubio clearly stand on the same side of immigration reform. Despite recent comments that he might vote against it unless it is amended to increase border security, Rubio has been the most visible supporter in the Senate pushing immigration reform. - Sunshine State News, 6/6/13
Here's the fundraising e-mail Rubio sent out to his supporters:
We don't have to wait until 2014 for a major victory.
In just three weeks, Republicans have a chance to take a huge step toward replacing Harry Reid with a Republican Senate Majority Leader.
The Massachusetts special election is right around the corner, and Gabriel Gomez needs our help.
Gomez is a business leader and a former Navy Seal who knows what it means to fight for our freedoms. Now he's fought within inches of a major political upset that could have national implications -- which is why liberals have pulled out all the stops.
Gomez is currently facing a massive onslaught of Democratic special interest money. Everyone from President Obama to Harry Reid to a host of Hollywood liberals have pitched in to help defeat Gomez. Now it's time to come to his aid.
I started the Reclaim America PAC to help win tough races and Reclaim a Republican majority.Will you contribute $15 to this effort today?
Together we can see to it that Gabriel Gomez is the first victory on our drive to a GOP Senate majority.
Proud to Stand,
Marco
Gomez has been pushing to get the Latino vote in Massachusetts to support his campaign. Ed Markey's (D. MA) campaign has also been doing a lot of Latino GOTV efforts. Not sure if having Rubio on your side right now is a good idea, especially since Rubio is waffling pretty heavily on his own immigration bill:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
Rubio’s been saying for weeks that he can’t support the bill in its current form. But that doesn’t mean he’s giving up (as one conservative radio host urged him just yesterday to do). What is worrisome for reformers is that Rubio might embrace a bill that’s too conservative for them.
During the bill markup in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Rubio pushed for an amendment that would require the implementation of a biometric tracking system, among other border-security measures. After the bill passed out of committee without those measures, he put out a statement saying that “work still remains to be done” to “earn the confidence of the American people that we are solving our immigration problems once and for all.”
It was also a few weeks ago that he circulated a memo around the Senate that listed 21 concerns with the bill.
When asked if he would support the legislation as is, Rubio told conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt: “If those amendments don’t pass, then I think we’ve got a bill that isn’t going to become law and I think we’re wasting our time. So the answer is no.” But, he added: “If they don’t pass, then we have to keep working to ensure that we get to a bill that can become a law.” (Rubio’s office declined to comment on the Hewitt interview. ) - Washington Post, 6/6/13
Gomez needs all the help he can get, especially since Markey's attack ads having been hurting Gomez in the polls. PPP's latest poll for the League of Conservation has Markey beating Gomez 47-39:
http://www.scribd.com/...
Not to mention, as Joan McCarter pointed out, that Gomez failed miserably at his first debate with Markey:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Plus the environmental group, Environmental Majority, is using Rubio's fundraising e-mail for Gomez against him:
Did you see this email from Marco Rubio for Ed Markey's opponent? The right wing is going all in to help make sure their choice for the Massachusetts Senate seat wins. If we want to stop them, we've got to go all in.
On top of that, the highly respected Cook Political Report changed the race from "lean Democratic" to "toss-up."
It's vital that we go all in for Markey in the last 19 days – because if we lose, then we are one step closer to having Mitch McConnell become the majority leader.
Click here to rush a contribution to Environmental Majority so that we can help Ed Markey win:
https://secure.actblue.com/...
If Marco Rubio gets his way, we will send someone to Washington who is so radical that he will do whatever Mitch McConnell says. McConnell has voted against the environment time and time again, and it's clear that if Ed loses, his opponent will join McConnell in his anti-environmental votes. We can't let that happen.
Click here to donate today:
https://secure.actblue.com/...
Thanks,
Mark
You can click here to donate to Markey's campaign:
https://secure.actblue.com/...
The Special Election is Tuesday June 25th but the next debate is in Springfield on June 11th:
http://www.masslive.com/...
The campaigns of Democratic Congressman Edward Markey and Republican Gabriel Gomez are both holding official watch parties in downtown Springfield where the candidates are respectively scheduled to appear following their hour-long debate at WGBY studios on Hampden Street.
Markey supporters will be joined by U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and other local Democrats at McCaffrey's Public House at 1171 Main St., in the city.
The Gomez campaign is holding a watch party/fundraiser at Samuel's Sports Bar, 1000 West Columbus Ave., where supporters can mingle with the Gomez team and a mix of local politicians from Republicans like state Rep. Don Humason and state Sen. Michael Knapik to local folks like James Leahy, Holyoke city councilor at large. View or download the official Gomez invitation here.
But for those who aren't looking to be directly involved in the action, several other options exist.
The Western Massachusetts Media Consortium's debate will be broadcast live from 7 to 8 p.m. on local TV stations WGBY-TV, CBS-3 Springfield, ABC-40/FOX-6 and NBC-22.
NPR affiliate New England Public Radio, 88.5 FM, will also air the debate live.
And for the wired audience with computers or smartphones in Western Massachusetts and beyond, the debate will stream on MassLive.com.
Ticket holders can enter WGBY studios at 44 Hampden St, Springfield starting at 6 p.m. with the doors closing at 6:30 p.m. for broadcast purposes. While the broadcast spans from 7-8 p.m., the candidates are expected to hold a short question-and-answer session with local media on-site before heading to their respective watch parties. - The Republican, 6/6/13