She’s running!
Hey everyone–
Heidi Heitkamp has spent every day of the campaign running from her own record, hoping North Dakotans won’t pay close attention to the way she’s voted in Washington. National Reviewjust released an in-depth look at why.
Heitkamp is a liberal Democrat who is out of touch with her constituents, and her voting record proves it. Heitkamp has voted against:
- tax cuts
- border fencing
- defunding sanctuary cities
- a 20-week abortion ban
- repealing and replacing Obamacare
- several of President Trump’s judicial nominees
President Trump said it best: “You need a senator who doesn’t just talk like they’re from North Dakota, but votes like they’re from North Dakota.”
Check out the full piece HERE.
###
Inconvenient Truths by Heidi Heitkamp
Hey everyone–
Heidi Heitkamp spent this weekend walking back her frequent, over-the-topic rhetoric on trade.
— First, Heitkamp’s Senate office was forced to delete a tweet that claimed “A study shows that corn, soybean and wheat farmers across the U.S. have already lost $13 billion because of the administration’s trade war.” Unfortunately for Heitkamp, no such study exists, and those numbers are wrong.
— Meanwhile, Heitkamp herself toldthe Editorial Board of The Jamestown Sun the Administration’s $12 billion trade assistance package was “necessary and appropriate for farmers,” a complete change from when she criticizedthe plan and introducedcompeting legislation of her own.
REMINDER: Heidi Heitkamp is playing politics with North Dakota’s farmers to try to save her failing campaign. As Rob Port previously reported, “What is political advantageous for her [Heitkamp] is for farmers to bleed. She needs them to feel pain, or at least think they’re going to feel pain, so she can capitalize on it politically.”
In case you missed it…
The Truth Is Inconvenient for Senator Heitkamp’s Political Strategy
Rob Port | Say Anything Blog
8.13.18
Last month I noted that Senator Heidi Heitkamp has put herself in a political position where she needs her constituents to feel pain. The self-styled “independent” voted with the rest of the national Democratic party against the Trump tax cuts. She has positioned herself in opposition to Trump’s efforts on trade. Heitkamps needs North Dakotans to bleeding thanks to these policies – or to at least feel like they’re bleeding – in order to demonstrate the efficacy of her decisions.
Which brings us to a Washington Postfact checkpublished today which prompted Senator Heitkamp’s team to delete a tweet about crop prices.
“A study shows that corn, soybean and wheat farmers across the U.S. have already lost $13 billion because of the administration’s trade war,” a now-deleted tweet from the Senator read. “We need trade policies that make sense for North Dakota, protect farmers and ranchers, and open up markets.”
The Postnotes that the “study” referenced in the tweet, which was deleted after the paper made inquiries about it, wasn’t a study at all. It was actually a claim made in an op/ed by the National Farmer’s Union, a Democrat-aligned agriculture group, which in turn had cribbed it from a Wall Street Journalarticle:
When the Fact Checker asked to see the study, Heitkamp’s office pointed us to an op-ed from the National Farmers Unionthat was referenced in a New York Timesarticle. But the National Farmers Union said the calculation was not its work. Instead, it said, it obtained the factoid from a quote in an article in the Wall Street Journal.
It turns out the $13 billion in losses is based on a calculation using projected crop production numbers and prices from the futures market. Only, the markets are volatile. As the Postnotes, the prices go up and down. “The volatility is particularly clear when you fast-forward to Aug. 8. On that day, Hurt pegged a $9 billion decline in corn, soybean and wheat crops. In other words, the situation had improved almost 40 percent in just two weeks,” they report.
“Heitkamp’s office deletedher tweet after our inquiries,” the Postreports, and they give the Senator some credit for that, though not as much credit as they would have if she’d had the integrity to post a corrective tweet. “It’s good that she deleted her tweet, but she would have more credibility if she had deleted it with an acknowledgement of her error,” the Postwrites.
Heitkamp’s tweet says there has “already” been $13 billion in losses thanks to Trump’s trade policies, but that’s not really true. Any losses which may or may not occur will happen when farmers pick a price point at which to sell their crops. What’s more, many farmers lock in prices ahead of time, meaning the volatility in prices now has no impact on them at all.
But Heitkamp can’t afford to acknowledge the error. The truth, in this situation, is not convenient for her re-election strategy.
By the way, the Postarticle makes another interesting point. They point out that crop prices are coming down off some booming highs. We saw a rise in crop prices through a peak in 2016. Those high prices combined with generally favorable growing conditions has resulted in a sharp rise in production. Which, in turn, has driven prices back down in accordance with the laws of supply and demand.
It’s politically convenient right now for politicians like Heitkamp to make it seem like crop prices hinge on just one variable – in this instance trade policies they oppose – but the truth is much more complicated.
###
i’d be panicked, too
In the article below, Rob Port details the recent acts of desperation by Heidi Heitkamp, including her most recent immigration flip-flop and the excuses she’s already making for losing this election.
It’s no surprise her campaign is in full-panic mode. If I had nothing more than Heitkamp’s liberal, out-of-touch record and excuses the voters aren’t buying, I’d be panicked too.
In case you missed it…
It Kinda Seems Like the Heitkamp Campaign Is Panicking
Rob Port | Say Anything Blog
8.10.18
A couple of things have happened which make me think that Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s campaign is in full-on panic mode.
For one thing the Democratic Senator gave an exclusive interviewto Breitbart– yes, that Breitbart, a news outlet derided by Heitkamp’s political base as a digital den for white nationalists – in which she touted her supposedly long-time support for a border wall.
“I’ve always supported increased and enhanced border security along our southwest border with Mexico – including physical barriers, sensors, drones, and more resources at our ports of entry – and yes, wall funding as well. My votes clearly reflect a commitment to robust border security funding,” Heitkamp said.
I’m not sure that squares with the Senator’s voting record. “I just wish we could get beyond it,” she said of the border wall issue last year. She voted against a border fence in 2013. She voted against cracking down on sanctuary cities in 2015, 2016, and 2018.
This year she also voted for legislation which would have provided permanent residence for illegal immigrants without funding a border wall.
But it’s not just that Heitkamp, despite the aforementioned voting record, is suddenly pitching herself as a border hawk to an “alt-right” website (to use the parlance of the Senator’s political base). She’s also playing the Russia card:
Heitkamp, responding to a question during a meeting with The Forum Editorial Board, said she believes the Russians could try to intercede on Cramer’s behalf in the race.
“I would be a fool if I didn’t think that was true,” Heitkamp said.
To be fair to Heitkamp she was responding to a question from theFargo Forumeditorial board, who in turn was working off a batty columnby left wing commentator Lloyd Omdahl, but if I had to guess I’d say the editorial board was probably surprised that Heitkamp took a bite at that particular apple.
Cramer, for his part, laughed it off. “It sounds like a really pathetic excuse for poor performance in the election in advance,” he said.
That’s what I thought too when I read the initial story about Heitkamp’s comments (which, at the time, didn’t yet include Cramer’s response).
Is Heitkamp laying the ground work to excuse what would be a devastating loss on the statewide ballot for North Dakota Democrats this cycle?
It kinda seems like it. Blaming the Russians would mean Democrats wouldn’t have to acknowledge that they stand for things most voters here just don’t want.
###
Heitkamp-Warren take on Trump
Hey everyone–
Heidi Heitkamp is again siding with her fellow, out-of-touch liberals to obstruct President Trump and his nominees. As The Hillreports, Heitkamp is “joining forces with Warren and other liberal colleagues” to oppose Kathy Kraninger’s nomination to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
You can add Kraninger to a growing list of Trump appointees that Heidi Heitkamp has worked to block. Since President Trump was elected, Heitkamp has opposed 1 in 5 cabinet appointments and judicial nominees, though she voted for President Obama’s judges 97% of the time.
“Heidi Heitkamp has once again joined her out-of-touch, obstructionist allies to oppose one of President Trump’s qualified nominees,” said North Dakota Republican Party spokesman Jake Wilkins. “North Dakotans are ready to put an end to Heitkamp’s long history of resistance and obstruction in November.”
###
Heidi in the middle
Hey everyone–
National pro-life and conservative leaders met in Fargo yesterday to urge Heidi Heitkamp to vote yes on Judge Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination.
This event comes just two days after socialists gathered outside Heidi Heitkamp’s campaign office to urge her to vote no on President Trump’s nominee.
REMINDER:
- Over 60% of North Dakotans want Judge Kavanaugh confirmed.
- The rest of the North Dakota Congressional delegation supports Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination.
- Sen. Heitkamp is facing significant pressure from both sides on which way to vote.
- It’s taking 37 days for Sen. Heitkamp to meet with Judge Kavanaugh, the longest she’s ever waited to meet with a SCOTUS nominee.
- Democrat party boss Chuck Schumer issued Heitkamp and other red-state Dems these orders: “Don’t commit. Stay as neutral as you can, as long as you can.”
Given that she greatly delayed her meeting and has refused to engage those on either side of this issue, it’s clear the only voice Hiding Heidi is willing to listen to Chuck Schumer’s.
Dear Heidi…
Yesterday the local chapter of “Democratic Socialists of America” swarmed outside Heidi Heitkamp’s campaign office to deliver letters urging the Senator to vote no on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
These socialists wanted to influence their “swing vote” Senator and let her know “where North Dakota stood.” (REMINDER: Over 60% of North Dakotans support Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation.)
Heidi Heitkamp has been following her liberal Democrat party boss Chuck Schumer’s orders to stay as neutral as long as possible, but eventually the charade will have to end. Will Heitkamp vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh and fall out-of-step with the liberals she needs to have any hope of winning? Or will she succumb to the pressure from her extremist, liberal base and oppose the will of a majority of North Dakotans?
###
Heidi can’t hide from this
Heitkamp has failed to help secure our nation’s borders, politicized the farm bill, supported Obamacare, ignored the needs of our military, opposed tax relief for North Dakotans, undermined the President on trade, and callously celebrated a pro-choice victory for Chuck Schumer.
“The Vice President’s visit is a good reminder that Heidi Heitkamp is completely out-of-step with this administration and her state,” said North Dakota Republican Party spokesman Jake Wilkins. “Heitkamp has opposed the Trump-Pence agenda on every major issue, and North Dakota voters won’t forget that in November.”
###
Apparently *not* one of their Priorities
Obama and Hillary’s Super PAC, Priorities USA, is pouring money into North Dakota to save their liberal ally Heidi Heitkamp, buying digital ads to spread misleading information about Kevin Cramer. They just weren’t willing to come to North Dakota to film these ads.
That’s right: Priorities USA seems to have hired out-of-state actors to pretend to be Kevin Cramer’s neighbors. The casting call demanded these actors be able to be “midwest nice” and “cranky.” Read for yourself about these “insulting” tactics HERE or in the article below.
“Having to hire out-of-state supporters should come as no surprise to a campaign so out-of-touch with its voters,” said North Dakota Republican Party spokesman Jake Wilkins. “National Democrats know that Kevin Cramer is the right person to represent North Dakota. No matter what cheap political stunts her allies pull, it won’t change the fact that Heidi Heitkamp will have to face the will of North Dakotans this November.”
In case you missed it…
Heidi Heitkamp’s Political Allies Hire Actors to Play Stereotypical “Cranky” and “Trusting” North Dakotans With AccentsSay Anything Blog7.18.2018
Priorities USA is a Super PAC founded by Barack Obama campaign alumni which supported the Obama campaign in 2012 as well as the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. They’ve gotten involved in the 2018 election campaign by running ads attacking Congressman Kevin Cramer.You’ve probably seen the ad being promoted on Facebook:
You can watch all the different iterations of the ad, as well as information about how many people they’re reaching and how much money has been put behind each ad, right here thanks to Facebook’s new political advertising database.
What’s more interesting than the claims made in the ad itself (talking points Politifact ranked as “half true” previously) is how it came to be.
According to a listing on BreakdownServices.com, a casting service, Priorities USA seems to have hired actors to film the ad in Maryland.
The listing called for a “Caucasian male” to play a “cranky” man with a North Dakota accent. It also calls for a “Caucasian female” to play a “normally trusting” and “midwest nice” North Dakotan. Again, with accent. It says the parts are in a political ad “attacking Kevin Cramer in North Dakota.”
This listing is, at the time of this publication, accessible at BreakdownServices.com after registration:
The optics here are pretty bad.
Not only is it not a great look for a Super PAC which spent millions backing the national campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton (the latter failing to get even 30 percent of the vote here in North Dakota in 2016), but said PAC hired out-of-state actors to play to stereotypes of North Dakotans.
It’s…a little insulting.
Couple this with Heitkamp getting well over 90 percent of her itemized, individual campaign contributions from out of state and her campaign begins to look like a well-funded effort to put one over on a bunch of rubes.
###
ICYMI: Heidi Heitkamp’s preferred President
Last night, Chris Berg posted a video highlighting Heidi Heitkamp’s preferred choice for President, Hillary Clinton, and her out-of-touch liberal policy positions. Hillary Clinton opposed the second amendment, promised to put the fracking industry and coal miners out of business, dangerously supported the Iran nuclear deal, and called Trump supporters ‘deplorables’ and ‘backwards.’
Through it all, Heidi Heitkamp stayed by Hillary Clinton’s side. She even doubled down, saying Hillary would be “one of the greatest presidents of the United States of America that we have ever seen!”
When will Heidi Heitkamp finally admit her policies are too liberal to represent North Dakota voters in the Senate?
In case you missed it…
. @HillaryClinton says the #SCOTUS is WRONG on #2A – 2nd Amendment and yet ND @SenatorHeitkamp says Clinton would be “one of the greatest Presidents…we have ever seen.” Plz WATCH ALL of this video & retweet if you feel people need to see this message. pic.twitter.com/a26yBCpgrW
— Chris Berg (@chrisbergPOVNOW) July 18, 2018