Some conservative leaders are upset about Senate hopeful Steve Welch’s TV ad boasting his endorsement from the PAGOP.
The Post-Gazette has excerpts from a letter, signed by 6 Tea Party leaders, to Chairman Rob Gleason:
The statement in your new advertisement that Steve Welch is supported by the grassroots is flat out not true, neither is your statement that the grassroots Republicans have overwhelmingly endorsed Steve Welch.
…
We formally ask that you do not air this ad unless you can substantiate with market research that the Grassroots Republicans overwhelmingly endorse Steve Welch.
That’s right. Conclusive market research should be the standard for any vague claim in a campaign ad. (Further, the ad is being aired by Welch’s campaign, not the PAGOP).
Part of this simply traces to the perennial anti-establishment sentiment among conservative activists.
Columnist Chris Freind today expanded upon that sentiment, warning that Gov. Tom Corbett’s endorsement of Welch could backfire.
Back to the ad.
“How did conservative business leader Steve Welch earn the support of the Republican Party in the race for Senate?” the narrator asks.
The narrator’s answer: “Simple. Grassroots Republicans saw in Steve Welch what they saw in Rick Santorum, Tom Corbett, and Pat Toomey: a strong conservative who can win in November.”
When it comes to campaign ads, PoliticsPA’s motto is this: it’s politics, not a truth-telling contest.
Welch’s ads have been very good so far this campaign, and aside from the 2 percent of people who follow these details and intrigues, like the letter’s signatories (and most PoliticsPA readers), the PAGOP endorsement is legitimate.
Welch’s main problem isn’t the content of his ads, it’s the quantity.
Here’s the ad:
http://youtu.be/i34-wlq4TB0
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20 Responses
So, Lourenco Vignone, why don’t you reach out to Mr. Christian and talk with him. His website has the email address of info@christian2012.org. Maybe everyone should learn who he is.
The grassroots has not been successful in raising money and neither has Sam Rohrer. Sam Rohrer is principled, a terrifically articulate exponent of conservative ideas but he has not bee able to raise money.
grassroots has to learn to raise money.
There is no evidence that I know of that Steve Welch has principled or Republican grassroots support. Steve Welch’s support is top down via BrabenderCox Brian Nutt and Tom Corbett.
Unfortunately, well-intentioned, good guys like Brian Peppel and others in Chester County ACTION have been skillfully and smoothly co-opted by Val DiGiorgio and ChesCo Insiders.
The ad could legitimately have said that Welch was endorsed by Republican committeemen from all over the state. Or it could have said “endorsed by *many* grassroots Republicans.” Both those would have been true & conveyed the point of the ad.
But to say grassroots Republicans endorse Welch, when most either support one of the other candidates or just don’t have a favorite, is creating an argument where there doesn’t need to be one. A little bit of attention to wording in the ad could have avoided a flap.
one problem I see in a lot of these comments is that many of you simply parrot what you’ve heard about these guys , or you’re redundantly obsessed about one or a few details that you feel automatically disqualify him. I callthis Political Superficiality. Regarding the GOP Senate journey, I personally, as a voting GOP’er, have been to 6 events, mostly debates and also 2 meet and greets. I’ve had in-depth discussions with EACH of them(with the exception of Christian) AT LEAST TWICE . I’ve heard each of them address the skepticism against them at these debates, plus I personally have spoken with each of them face-to-face, asking them about these details. I’ve talked to Smith about his Democrat background, Welch about his Democratic flip and ’08 vote for Obama, and Rohrer about his pension vote. They all have respectable explanations that go way beyond the immature repetition and derogatory rhetoric that many of you use, and they are decent candidates, not RINOs like some of you so desperately want to declare about Smith & Welch. But at these debates, who has articulated what they believe and what they would do, and who has a wide range of understanding on the spectrum of issues, especially beyond the economy?? ROHRER – to be honest with you, it’s not even close. He’s also the only candidate with a legitimate track record of 18 years and is the only guy that has any experience as an elected official. We’re talking about voting for someone who will be in the US Senate, led by the conniving Harry Reid(unless GOP takes it back, possible but iffy.). You can do what you want with my info, but I’ve searched this out from the front row and clearly Rohrer is the most qualified and the best choice.
Welch voted for Obama. Smith was a Dem for a long time. Haven’t we had entirely too many of these types of candidates in the past? Time for change. Time for the convicted. The fight for the country is in front of us and we can’t have people in place who really aren’t sure where they actually stand regarding Conservative values.
@funny– The spin is entirely too funny, funny! Welch-DEM until 2005, voted for ultra liberal Joe Sestak’s bid and hosted a fundraiser for him, voted for Obama in 2008. And the kiss of death endorsement from PA state committee, Not the PAGOP!
Smith-DEM Forever! Became Repub 30 days before launching his campaign for Senate. Gave maximum donation to liberal Jason Altmire’s campaign. Has a nice bus though…
Rohrer-Authored the Property Tax Elimination Act. Fought against Fed overreach in the 2005 REAL ID Act, and won. Never received one red cent of the pay raise, and led the fight to repeal it the right after the vote, and won it’s repeal.
Truth is much better than spin….
Phoenixville…hum.
Brian, how many blocks from Steve Welch’s registered address are you?
Brian,
Apologies, ready the wrong city for where you are a Committee member!
John – I’m from Chester County, not Montco. I’m not up on the internal struggles they may or may not be having.
Brian,
It’s funny you are part of the disaster that is the MCRC (such an embarrassment to the Republican party in PA, & yes I’m a registered Republican & live in the County). I put this in a previous article about Welch:
“If Welch is counting on the Montgomery County Republican Committee to help deliver results, he’s going to lose badly. The MCRC is split among Welch & Smith within the leadership. I’ve personally seen local township committee members campaigning for Smith. The PA GOP endorsement was a mark of death for Welch.”
In-fact, if I had to give a % of MCRC members who are supporting Smith, its 75-25 over the other candidates. Care to comment about Bubba Kerns inability to get the MCRC to fall in-line with the PA GOP’s edict?
Alan – Thanks for your kind comments. Yes, I am running as an Alternate Delegate to the GOP convention in the 6th Congressional District, I was elected GOP committee person in Phoenixville by my neighbors to represent them in party matters. I was then elected by other members of Phoenixville Republican Committee to be the chairman to represent them at the county level.
Deborah – Glad I made you laugh! No one has ever twisted my arm and I have never kissed anyone’s arse. My conservative and grassroots credentials are solid – I’ll put them up against anyone’s, any time.
TEA party is not the only type of grassroots there is. I helped start a tea party group, helping organize 500 people to stand in the rain that first rally. Before that, when I ran for my committee position, it was a contested race. I won through grassroots hard work. I have been involved with Young Republicans, Action, PA Conservative Counsel, NRA and many other grassroots groups. I give more time than I have. I am working hard so my children have a better future.
If someone thinks I am not doing a good job I always encourage them to do a better job than me. If you don’t like what I stand for run against me, if you don’t like the job I’m doing as area GOP chairman, run against me.
I am not hiding my identity and I welcome any and all civil discussion.
-Brian
“Rohrer – raised his pay, raised his pension, career in the State House, now a “career” doing…what? He’s supposedly everything “grassroots conservatives hate, but they allow themselves to be duped”
spot on mate!
It’s fun watching this debate.
Let’s see:
Welch – successful businessman, Dem for a little while, endorsed by PAGOP
Smith — successful businessman, Dem for a LONG time, raised taxes as Dem official
Rohrer – raised his pay, raised his pension, career in the State House, now a “career” doing…what? He’s supposedly everything “grassroots conservatives hate, but they allow themselves to be duped day in and day out by a guy who cares more about his future than theirs
Christian – nice guy, nice resume, no chance
Scaringi — who?
I don’t understand how anyone can care about any of them. Rohrer especially.
Steve Welch was not endorsed by the PA Republican Party…I am part of that party and I never endorsed him. He was endorsed by the PA State Committee in January by only 182 committee members, a far cry from what the ad suggests.
This endorsing by Kings Rob and Tom in the primaries about make me sick. Where do they get off thinking that we cannot think for ourselves? I don’t want my party leaders telling me to vote for someone who voted for Obama!!!
Brian you’re hilarious! Your post should read SOME grassroots support Welch(I can count them on fingers and toes) and MANY, MANY, MANY support other candidates. You’re arm will get twisted later as you a$$ ki$$ you’re way up the ladder.
Heck of an article by Chris Freind. Does his research extend beyond Tom Smith’s TV ads? Doesn’t mention once the vote for Obama was in the primary.
Also Chris Freind’s bio says “independent columnist”, translation “no legitimate publication will hire me”
Brian you are an endorsed candidate or Alternate Delegate and a party leader. While you may be grassroots you much are more than that
I’m a grassroots activist and I support Steve Welch for Senate. I know many many many other grassroots activist supporting Steve. Some grassroots people support other candidates, sure. No one twisted my arm. I’m glad to support him.