April 08, 2008 11:59 PM UTC

Young Misguided Volunteer Goes After Crank... A Final Word.

• 2 Comments
• by: GOPpundit

http://www.coloradopols.com/sh…

Let’s look at the whole picture here… Rayburn acts and talks like Lamborn and Crank are fighting amongst themselves (though they are not) and meanwhile he is sitting back and just being the gentleman.

In the meantime he:

Goes to his own Caucus and becomes a Delegate to the 5th CD Assembly he has said he is not going through.

He sends his supporters to do the same thing in their Caucuses and post caucus meetings.

When given the opportunity in the press, he generally criticizes not the incumbent Congressman, but the other challenger, Jeff Crank.

WHAT DOES THIS ADD UP TO?

It adds up to Bentley’s campaign targeting Crank more intensively than Lamborn. And instead of spending time on what they believe and why the average citizen should vote for their guy… they spend time attacking their opponent.

In my humble opinion Bentley’s campaign wisely discerns that Jeff is pulling away from Lamborn and Rayburn. These are the kinds of internal discussions campaigns have… who’s stronger, what are the numbers today, who has the tactical advantage because of this story or that…

The “young volunteer” was around and heard the discussions. Sensed the mood. Established in his mind that “the target” was Jeff Crank. And how to attack Crank? Interesting that he chose to use Bob Balink and Greg Garcia. Why? Perhaps this young fellow is less ignorant than Bentley’s campaign would lead you to believe.

Garcia and the folks at the party have been incredibly clear (even first-hand on this site) that they are not playing favorites and they seem to have established that with fact and action, not conjecture or mere words. But the continued attack on Garcia might also be a precursor to further aggression from the Rayburn campaign on this topic. Perhaps Rayburn or his campaign staff believe that trying to discredit Garcia (and Crank) is the path to victory?

Whatever the case, I think it is fascinating, to say the least, that a young volunteer had the “inside baseball” approach to go after Garcia and Balink as a method for supporting his candidate. I can guarantee one thing. If behind the closed doors of the Rayburn campaign there was talk about the positive and maturing growth of the party with Garcia at the helm, this would not have happened. Instead it seems that either Rayburn or his staff are pursuing a course of negativity while sowing the seeds of discord and divisive politics.

While I think Bentley is personally an honorable man, if this is true, he should take action to stop it immediately.