Politics always finds a way to bring out the worst in its practitioners, and the 4th District Congressional race is no exception. It is hard to imagine how a congressional candidate can proudly proclaim his campaign as positive and issues-based, and then in a few short weeks dive into the sewer for a late primary swim. Unfortunately, this seems to be the case for Wink Hartman’s campaign.
Hartman spent months trying to sell his campaign to Kansans as a better, cleaner campaign. He promoted a “clean campaign pledge” in a local television ad, which he signed, and publicly challenged (or chided) his opponents to do the same. Then things changed, and a good campaign got dirty. As questions arose about Hartman’s Florida residency and increasing support began to build for Mike Pompeo, the Hartman campaign went negative.
What has since transpired can only be described as a malicious display of gutter politics. Hartman ran repeated ads calling Pompeo a “Washington insider,” and demonizing him as an outsourcer of Kansas jobs.
The first claim appears laughable, since Pompeo has lived in Kansas for the past 12 years while leading two successful companies and creating 400 Kansas jobs.
The second claim is misleading and a half-truth at best since no jobs were ever outsourced, only created as part of a business deal. The fact is these are personal attack ads, plain and simple, coming from the self-proclaimed “clean” campaign. It is unfortunate that winning a campaign can become so consuming that fine men are willing to compromise their character and reputation and do whatever it takes to win.
That kind of politics is not right for Kansas, and it’s not good for our country.
Grant Moody
Eureka
