Folding the Tents
I’ve watched this stuff for a long time, and I can’t recall another time when not one, not two, but three congressional candidates all dropped out in the same day. But it happened this past Monday.
Monday, State Rep. Shannon Lundgren dropped out of the race for Second District Congress and opted instead to seek re-election to the U.S. House. The following day, President Trump gave an endorsement to one of her rivals, Joe Mitchell. Word had come down that the much sought after Trump endorsement would go to Mitchell…so Lundgren stepped aside in advance of the word going public.
In addition, two Democrats cleared the way to avoid contested primaries in their respective districts. State Rep. Jennifer Konfrst bowed out, leaving a clear path for State Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott in the third congressional district against incumbent Zach Nunn. And Taylor Wettach bowed out of the first district run, pivoting to instead by the lone Democrat seeking the state Auditor job; that leaves Christina Bohannon to hope “third time’s the charm” as she tries to unseat incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
I don’t know Mr. Wettach, but the move seems quite political. Not sure how you go from telling everyone how you want to make a difference in Washington to saying you want to hold statewide office instead…especially since no one else had stepped forward to run and ballot deadlines are drawing close. But that’s a superficial observation and voters can decide for themselves.
Primaries do cost money, and take time and effort away from taking on the opposing party. But these moves—especially the ones by the Democrats, which seemingly happened out of the blue—feel like strings are being pulled behind the scenes. Given all that is at stake in this election, it may not be the last tug or pull on strings before the June primary.
I’m looking at you, GOP race for governor.
