Howie Klein On Democratic Primary in WI-CD 1

Ever since Randy "IronStache" Bryce came out with his introductory video, the nation has been abuzz about the race to win Wisconsin's First Congressional District.  Would Bryce be able to actually "repeal and replace" the long time seat holder, Paul Ryan?  Given the way Bryce's campaign skyrocketed, it seemed to become more real every day.

Then Ryan turned tail and ran like the coward he is.  Rather than work hard and face possible defeat, Ryan chose to retire.  The buzz became deafening.

Unable to gain a fraction of the attention or money that Bryce has earned, one of his opponents, Cathy Myers, chose to run one of the most vile, negative campaigns seen in a primary.  This could be explained in a great part by her choice of campaign manager. Instead of picking a seasoned manager with a winning history, Myers chose to pick someone with no experience and a losing record.  Her campaign manager is so bereft of knowledge and skill that many days he chooses to troll Bryce and his supporters on social media rather than bolster support for his candidate.

And it hasn't escaped national attention either.

Howie Klein is known for his keen insight into progressive politics and is an experienced campaigner.  He is the head of Blue America and blogs at Down With Tyranny.

To say that Klein knows his stuff would be a gross understatement.

And he has been paying attention to the race in Southeast Wisconsin and how the media is treating it.  Here is his spot on analysis summed up in a few paragraphs:

See that word, "bankrupted?" A lot of people know what that is from first-hand experience. Media elites tend not to... though they've heard of it as something that happens to other people. Randy has the most valuable brand-- @IronStache-- of any candidate running for Congress. He had 271,000 followers on Twitter. He has 200,000 Facebook likes. His first video had 4 million social media views. Members of Congress have asked him to come to their districts to campaign for them. I've never heard of that before. It's usually the other way-- members of Congress campaign for candidates. The first member of Congress who came to Randy's district, aside from his immediate neighbors Mark Pocan and Gwen Moore, was Bernie Sanders to announce that he had endorsed Randy.

A lot of people are jealous. And a lot of media folks would like to enhance their own reputations by knocking Randy down a peg or two. Some journalist who can dig up some dirt can make a name for himself.

Randy has a couple of primary opponents and one lies about him all the time. A Hillary supporter when Randy was stumping with Bernie in 2016 she's persuaded her followers that she was the Berniecrat instead. Every time she's throwing her bullshit I want to write about it. Randy has asked me not to. He doesn't believe in negative campaigning against other Democrats ever and he asked me to try changing my behavior as well. "Let's save the negativity for Ryan or Nehlen or for whoever the GOP nominates he told me one time."

But... her campaign operative-- a consultant who she pays $6,000 a month-- has been going to members of the media bad-mouthing Randy and trying to get made up stories going about him from when he was struggling in poverty. The working people Randy appeals to don't pay any of the bullshit much heed. The same stories could be told about them or their families or their friends. But not about the media elites who gobble it up....