After 6 years of dodging local media and “running scared” from reporters, Heidi Heitkamp will now have to answer for six years of opposing the will of North Dakota voters at tonight’s debate.

With her record on full display, Heitkamp has several questions she needs to answer, such as:

• Why did she say she would oppose late-term abortion, but then vote to support it?
• Why did she vote for higher taxes for North Dakotans?
• Why did she fail to crack down on sanctuary cities and dismiss the issue as a scare tactic?
• Why has she voted for higher premiums and fewer health care choices?
• Why did she vote to put energy jobs at risk?
• Why did she promise to be bipartisan, but then vote with President Obama nearly 90% of the time?
• Why does she play politics with the ag community, and continue to prolong trade disputes by undermining the President?
• Why did she oppose Justice Kavanaugh when her constituents supported him and the facts did not support her argument?
• After wrongly outing abuse survivors in an attempt to score political points, can North Dakota trust her judgement?

“No matter what desperate spin she offers today, Heidi Heitkamp can’t escape her out-of-touch, liberal record,” said North Dakota Republican Party Communications Director Jake Wilkins. “What’s most important is for Heitkamp to answer why she’s consistently opposed what’s best for her constituents.”

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“Nothing to see here, folks.”

 

 

These actions come as a victim of Heitkamp’s actions appeared on CNN today, saying she had not heard from Heidi Heitkamp, and a simple apology phone call would not be enough:

 

 

So far, Heitkamp’s only actions have been to personally call the victims- which they say is insufficient- and to fire an unnamed staffer without any explanation- which Heitkamp herself said is insufficient. 

 

“Heitkamp’s actions prove she will exploit whoever she can for political gain,” said North Dakota Republican Party Communications Director Jake Wilkins. “Instead of launching attack ads and using seniors as political pawns, Heitkamp should focus on apologizing to the victims of sexual assault she outed without their consent.”

 

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With no press release, social media, or news story, Heidi Heitkamp has silently gone on the airwaves with a new ad, smearing Kevin Cramer on health care, immigration, and- inexplicably- women.

LET’S BE CLEAR— 

• Kevin Cramer is strong on border security, but Heitkamp supports dangerous sanctuary cities.

• Cramer has supported a better health care system for North Dakota, but Heitkamp wants to leave Obamacare fully in tact.

• And after the events of this week, Heidi Heitkamp has no place trying to once again exploit women’s issues for political gain.

Heidi Heitkamp paid for an ad labeling women as sexual assault survivors without their consent, according to at least four women publicly posting about it.

So far, the Heitkamp campaign has not responded publicly, though they’ve admitted to messing up in a Facebook message. And while a Heitkamp surrogate called them “idiots;” these women, and everyone who saw the ad, deserve an explanation for Heitkamp’s actions.

In Case You Missed It…

Women Say Heitkamp Campaign Identified Them as Sexual Assault Survivors Without Their Permission

Forum Commentator Rob Port

10.16.18

Recently Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s campaign ran an ad (see below) formulated as an open letter sent to Congressman Kevin Cramer by survivors of sexual assault.

The letter purports that some of Cramer’s recent comments about the controversy surrounding the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh were insensitive, but at least four of the women named in the ad feel like they got the raw end of the deal.

Kady Miller of Bismarck is one of the women named in the ad, but says in a Facebook post that “A lot of these people listed, including me, did not give anyone permission for our names to be posted.”

“I don’t even support Heidi Heitkamp and I am not a domestic abuse survivor,” she continues.

Miller didn’t name any of the other women allegedly included in the ad without permission, but in the comments to her post Keeley Beck of Mandan says her name was included without her permission as well:

Another commenter on Miller’s post, Lexi Zhorela of Bismarck, also says she was used for the ad without her permission:

In a separate Facebook post, Eve Lancaster of Bismarck also indicates that her name was included in the letter without her permission. She describes herself as “disgusted” and “furious.”

I’ve communicated directly with two of the women who say they were misidentified and I’m working on getting more information from them.

I’ve reached out to the Heitkamp campaign for comment about this ad, asking how it came to be and how the names were chosen for the ad, but the Senator and her Senate/campaign staff don’t typically respond to me.

I’ll update this post with any response I receive.

UPDATE: In a comment to Miller’s post Mary Rennich of Bismarck, who has appeared in multiple ads supporting Heitkamp’s candidacy, and who described this humble observer as a “thug” earlier this year, suggests that the women upset about the use of their names are idiots:

UPDATE: A source provides this exchange, via Facebook, with the Heitkamp campaign which resulted in a campaign staffer named Isaac apologizing:

The Bismarck Tribune was also contacted about the ad, confirming that it was paid for by the Heitkamp campaign:

Below is the full ad. Note the Heitkamp for Senate campaign disclaimer at the bottom, which is also visible in this version published by the Wahpeton Daily News.

https://www.scribd.com/document/390950588/Heitkamp-Open-Letter-Ad#fullscreen&from_embed

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In a desperate move to distract from her anti-life, anti-gun, anti-North Dakota vote against Justice Kavanaugh, Heidi Heitkamp is now trying to make debate schedules and accessibility an issue in this campaign, but that won’t work.

Throughout her career, Hiding Heidi has ignored tough questions facing her constituents, declined interview opportunities with local media, and even “run scared” from reporters asking tough questions. In clear contrast, Kevin Cramer is known for his accessibility, and it’s one of many reasons North Dakotans support him.

This striking diffence will be on full display tonight, as Kevin Cramer hosts a televised town hall, where he will hear directly from his constituents and tackle the tough issues facing North Dakota.

Senator Heitkamp was offered the same opportunity, but she declined.

“Hiding Heidi Heitkamp has spent the last six years avoiding tough questions from her constituents,” said North Dakota Republican Party Communications Director Jake Wilkins. “Instead of baselessly attacking her opponent, Heitkamp should focus on answering for opposing North Dakotans on important issues like tax cuts, illegal immigration, and the Supreme Court.”

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