MI-07 GOP candidate Brian Rooney has enemies on all sides. First, he’s taking massive fire from supporters of his GOP opponent, Tim Walberg. In a scathing attack, Margaret Canham wrote letters to (at least) The Daily Telegram in Adrian, Heritage Newspapers and to the Battle Creek Enquirer laughingly accusing Rooney of being a closet liberal and hangout out with RINO types.
From what I see, Brian Rooney has surrounded himself with liberal Republicans and Ann Arbor “elites,” many of whom don’t even live in this district.
I say this accusation is laughable because, of the two GOP contenders, Mr. Rooney is the one who aligns himself most with the Tea Party movement and really is to the right of Mr. Walberg, politically-speaking. Hard to imagine, this, I know, but it’s true.
Accusations of Brian Rooney being a carpetbagger are also widespread and are, of course, well-founded. He moved to Dexter just last year specifically to run for Congress here and has, in fact, never voted in the district he’s running in.
Oops.
Canham recently wrote a letter to Mr. Walberg professing her undying love support for him and claiming to having been “brutalized on the blogs” for her comments about Mr. Rooney.
Recently, I wrote a Letter to the Editor expressing my concerns about Mr. Brian Rooney who is running in the Republican Primary for the seat currently held by Democrat Mark Schauer. In the letter I told the reasons I am backing Mr. Tim Walberg in this primary.I believe, as a private citizen, I am entitled to express my beliefs – isn’t that what this country is based on? I think it’s important for people to know that since my letter was printed I have been brutalized on the blogs and Mr. Rooney has called me on two different occasions requesting I retract my statements. At first, I questioned myself and what I had said, and whether it’s worth going up against a well-funded political machine. Then I picked myself up, double-checked my sources and continue to stand by (even more so now) my concerns about Mr. Rooney.
[snip]
I am on Mr. Rooney’s email list, so I am notified about fundraisers, etc. The backer names I am seeing show me he is aligning himself with Liberal Republicans (RINOs) and many Ann Arbor “Elites” who aren’t even in this district and can’t vote for him.
A quick Google search of “Margaret Canham” on the Google blog search page shows just how terribly she’s been “brutalized”: not at all. Oh and, ironically, Ms. Canham is the widow of former University of Michigan athletic director Don Canham. In other words: ANN ARBOR ELITE!!!
Still so, Walberg’s supporters are clearly on the war path against Rooney making sure that, between now and the primary in August, it’ll be Popcorn Time for MI-07 watchers.
Rooney’s also getting hit from the left. I recently received an email from the Democratic Party highlighting Rooney’s attendance at a fundraiser being held in his honor today in Washington, D.C. (flyer HERE.)
The $500/seat minimum fundraiser is being hosted by his brother who already is a member of Congress (from Florida.)
From the Dem email:
The event is being hosted by his brother, Congressman Tom Rooney (R-FL), and will take place at the offices of Dickstein Shapiro LLP, a law firm which has represented big banks such as Wells Fargo, Bear Stearns, and Lehman Brothers (dicksteinshapiro.com).On the campaign trail, Rooney has repeatedly billed himself as an outsider [Hotline, 11/12/09], saying “I am untainted by Washington.” [Hillsdale Daily News, 5/25/10]
Michigan voters deserve to know why a candidate who claims to be “untainted by Washington,” and says he’s willing to “infuse $1 million of his own money into the campaign” [Reporting Michigan, 11/19/09], would attend a political fundraiser in Washington D.C.
I’ve been debating some of my Democratic friends from the district as to whether Walberg or Rooney would be the easiest opponent for Congressman Schauer to beat. Brian Rooney’s immense wealth and willingness to basically “purchase” a seat in Congress with his own money (or his family’s money) is daunting and serves to create an unlevel playing field in many respects. On the other hand, Tim Walberg has the ability to seem moderate when, in fact, he is a far-right politician to the core. Clearly both are quite extreme and a level-headed, smart and savvy candidate like Mark Schauer should be well-received by many MI-07 voters.
The question remains as to whether or not Brian Rooney can overcome the quite-justifiable perception of him being a carpetbagger attempting to purchase a seat in Congress. Certainly the Walberg and Schauer campaigns will be helping to further that perception. But, hey, at least RedState.com’s Erick Erickson likes him.
The Act Blue fundraising link for Mark Schauer is HERE.
I’m just sayin’…
