Mindset to Defeat Greg Walden

A Democrat can win in the red zone.

This is not a job interview.  This is a contest.   A Democrat can win it.

The first lesson is to understand the game.  It isn't a a tennis match--apples to apples, two well matched players.  

 It is Rocks-Paper-Sicssors.   The game is asymmetric.  That is why the Democrat can win.

Walden's record makes him vulnerable on health care and taxes.  It is more than taking away health care from so many of his constituents and damaging the rural hospitals in his District.  The House tax bill penalizes states with no sales tax but a high income tax to compensate.  That is Oregon.  Walden is sitting back quietly while Oregon gets penalized. GOP congressmen in other states with high income tax (California, NY, NJ) are protesting.  Walden's loyalty is to the GOP caucus.

I have met and watched good Democratic candidates.  All would do a better job of representing Oregon's 2nd Congressional District than would Walden.

Democrats are not applying for a job.  They are not explaining to a Board of Directors why they should be hired as the CEO.  The experience they should instead draw on is being in an athletic contest in a rough contact sport.  The winner is not judged on subtle criteria by thoughtful people.  The winner is the one who uses ones own strengths to negate the opponent's strengths and win a contest.

Job 1:  Show you are viable and can win.  That means both recognizing and explaining that you understand that this cannot be a head-to-head fight, so you don't expect to fight head to head.   Don't expect the DNC to give you $5 million dollars to balance Greg Walden's $5 million from the Koch Brothers.  Head to head Walden has every advantage: longevity, more money, and Republican tilt to the district.  You show viability by saying that you understand that his "strengths" are what make him weak.  The candidate is not a Democratic version of Walden, a want-to-be. 

Job 2:  Fully embrace Walden's strengths.  Acknowledge them, and reverse the polarity of them.  Walden had built over 16 years a reputation for nice-guy-moderation.  The past 2 years this changed.  Now he is a big shot.  He stands beside Paul Ryan and Donald Trump.  His leadership and power are why he had to betray Oregon.

He has--right now--$2.7 in his campaign fund.  That is a frightening edifice if ones goal is to match him head to head.  Don't try to duplicate it.  Make it evidence of his betrayal, his selling out to big DC lobbyist money.  (Think a moment.  Did the $400,000 Hillary Clinton got from speaking at Goldman Sachs make her stronger.  No.  It made her weaker.  Walden's money is an albatross.)

Job 3:  Simplify.  Voters will only know about a half dozen things about you.  Choose what they will be.  (If you are complicated and nuanced then Walden will decide what people know about you.) 

   1. Your demographic, e.g. male retiree or female physician or female engineer, or male stone mason.   That's about it.

   2. You are tough in demeanor and able to call out problems.

   3. You stand for more and better health care. The details don't matter.  They didn't to Walden, they didn't to Trump.  You just want back what Walden took away, so children don't suffer and we don't have to close essential hospitals. 

3.9% has hike for Oregon. Click for the article.

   4 .You want to be able to deduct Oregon income taxes.  Walden sat on his hands to tax Oregonians for money they don't actually get.  Walden raised our taxes.  Totally unfair to Oregon. 

   5 .You stand for federal attention and benefits for rural areas.  (The details don't matter.  Pick some program.  Rural broadband.  Subsidy for oriented strand factories.  Just one or two is enough ) 

   6. You welcome the coming avalanche of negative ads.  It proves you are un-bought.  Every nasty ad against you only shows how bought and paid for Walden has become.

That is it.  That is all--or more--than they will know about you.

Democratic candidates are in an arena of performance.  It is a fight.  Walden's strengths, if left as strengths, are overwhelming.  The only person who can beat Walden is Walden.  

You cannot beat him.  But you can trip him.






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