Congressional candidate Rebecca Mueller did fine at the event on Saturday.
She did it her way.
I have done about a hundred campaign events at our house over the past 30 years, so I have points of comparison. She accomplished the most important thing in a campaign, which is to give voters an honest look at who she is.
She is appealing. She is nuanced and moderate. She doesn't want to be a "regular," hyper-partisan politician.
About 40 people attended, a good turnout for a new candidate meet-and-greet. I set up chairs to hold it indoors, in the room behind her, where it would have been crowded, but -- incredibly for an event on March 21 -- the day turned bright and warm. I moved the event to the patio around the still-winterized pool, where most of the audience chose to sit in the shade. She stepped off the elevation of the doorstep and its bright light, where politicians normally stand to speak, and into shade at the level of the audience. I realize I am overthinking this, but I consider this a tell, and an honest one. She was talking with us, not to us.
She began by telling the audience with a smile that she was going to ignore my campaign advice, and she did. My advice was to give audiences about three or four very clear "mentally sticky" themes. These would be ones that attendees could later repeat to a spouse or friend: "Mueller wants to _____." Candidates are tempted to say mealy-mouthed platitudes no one remembers. I advised her to organize a speech saying that the Republican incumbent, Cliff Bentz, is part of the GOP congressional enablers of Donald Trump, who consent to whatever Trump demands. I suggested she list those areas where Bentz fails us: He hurts Medicaid users, hurts us with tariffs, hurts us by deporting the people who do the agricultural work of the district, and hurts us by going to war with Iran. Then say what you would do instead. Be short and punchy, with clear declarative sentences.
Mueller did something else. For over 15 minutes she drew from her 15 years as a physician to describe the nuances of pregnancy, miscarriage, stillborns, and the sometimes-heartbreaking choices and situations families experience. She then said that the abortion issue, like many others, requires political leaders who understand problems from many sides. She said this introduction gives us an understanding of her approach to politics.
She did it her way. My concern, sitting in the audience, was that she was proving to the audience that she was a good physician, a good and fair-minded person, but not a good politician able to articulate a political agenda. We have a runaway president and a comatose Congress, and voters are looking for a candidate who will give a firm NO to the current spiral. But I try to have some humility. Maybe Rebecca Mueller is exactly what voters want.
Over the course of the hour that she spoke and answered questions, the audience saw that she is a political moderate with nuanced ideas. Her speech was congruent with statements on her website. Her website condemns "false dichotomies" and "hyperpolarization." There was a single moment that got spontaneous applause from the audience: "I'm against this war with Iran." I consider that another tell; voters want clarity and certitude from politicians.
As in any event like this, after the candidate finishes someone does "the ask," the appeal for campaign donations. Ashland's mayor, Tonya Graham, did that. Graham is a high-status endorser and a good catch for Mueller. Graham's persuasive polish was a contrast to Mueller. Mueller is a candidate with high potential, but she is new and under development.
Six candidates filed to be the Democratic nominee. None of them come as the marquee contender, someone already holding high office, celebrity name-recognition, or a fortune. Any of them could win. Bentz likely thinks this will be another 60-40 general election cakewalk in a bright red district. His political risk would come if he ever deviated in the slightest from the demands of President Trump. That is his potential vulnerability. Trump's positions, if well exposed by a Democratic challenger, are not well-suited to the 2nd District. A Democrat with moderate policies on timber harvests and immigrant agricultural workers would better suit the district than does Bentz.
If Mueller wins the primary she will have time to sharpen her positions, get comfortable standing on a raised platform to talk to voters, raise serious money, tell her story, and give Bentz a scare and voters a choice.
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