The Democratic Party in recent months have made Town Hall trolling a tactic. For the Republicans who dare hold Town Halls, Democrats and liberal special interest groups flood the events with unruly and disruptive activists. For those who don’t hold Town Halls, attacking them for not doing so is the tactic.
Congressman Bruce Poliquin recently was subject to a staged protest by fringe leftwing groups like the Maine People’s Alliance, who formed an obstructive crowd in front of his office and came armed with pink slips.
The idea here is that by showing up with colorful signs and pink slips while shouting radical leftwing propaganda, Congressman Poliquin is going to lose favor. This, of course, is all in response to his recent vote concerning the Republican alternative to Obamacare.
Again, because of Congressman Poliquin’s vote, Democrats believe he’s toast. But is that so?
Since he first entered office, the Congressman hasn’t changed his position. In fact, early on he angered conservatives for refusing to immediately repeal Obamacare and instead wanting an adequate replacement before moving forward. Right out of the gate, Congressman Poliquin was on the record as supporting repeal and replacement.
How would Maine’s second congressional district respond? Not only would he defeat Emily Cain for the second time, he would do so with a higher percentage of votes.
So why exactly is Congressman Poliquin’s vote on the House healthcare plan going to hurt him?
The problem here is that the progressive special interest groups that often try to drown Maine politics in out-of-state cash don’t understand voters in the second district. The assumption here is that with a lot of money from California and elsewhere, alongside recycled radical talking points, a Democrat will win the Congressional seat.
This is a terrible gamble.
Despite the best attempts of Democrats to label Donald Trump as a sexist and racist pig, he still won the second district. Even after his controversies and issues, the President still polls strong in Maine’s second district.
In other words, Maine’s second congressional district is going to favor a Republican.
Congressman Poliquin only lost one election to this point and that was in 2010, when a more conservative candidate in Paul LePage beat him in the Republican gubernatorial primary.
In 2014, he edged out Kevin Raye, as he was the more conservative of the two candidates. Re-election was a given in 2016, as Emily Cain stood as much of a chance as she did two years prior.
Voters in Maine’s second district don’t seem to warm up to the arrogance of radical special interest groups, who believe that their obnoxious stunts and out-of-state piggy bank will reign supreme.
The Democrats have lost the second district to Congressman Poliquin twice now the same way they lost it to Donald Trump last year. They arrogantly believe in their moral superiority and that everyone simply believes it. Instead of appealing to voters, they only appeal to their base and let the money do the talking.
But it’s failed, time and time again. There is no reason to believe that this instance of progressive special interest intervention will be effective this time around. Congressman Poliquin won’t be taken down because the Maine People’s Alliance shows up with pink slips at his office door.