Ward Should Consider Playing It Like Scott Brown

Vaughn Ward is having a 17-city announcement tour for his campaign for Congress. While this may seem odd, I understand why Ward is doing it. If you’re a normal human being (as opposed to a political junkie), you don’t pay attention to who is running for Congress the year before. So, while Ward may not be new to me, but he’s new to many voters.

However, there’s a problem with the tour that Spencer addresses in the comments, and that is the presence of Former Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R-ID) for Ward at these events. Spencer writes:

Why on earth would he want Dirk to be seen supporting him? Did he want this kiss of neo-con death hung around his neck or was it forced on him? This is worse than showing up to Republican party events with Kirk Sullivan or Otter. Vaughn, you have assured me you are a conservative, so why are you not surounding yourself only with actual conservatives, instead of career politicos?

There are many reasons why Kempthorne’s support would be desirable, as Kempthorne brings with him fundraising contacts that come from a varied career serving as a U.S. Senator, Governor, and Mayor. On the other hand, as I’ve discussed earlier Ward has a problem with drawing the party establishment like flies in an era when they’ve ticked off the party base.

I have a lot of sympathy with Ward. Ward began working in politics in 1992 by volunteering for Kempthorne’s Senate campaign and then he went off to Washington to work as a legislative aide for Kempthorne. Back in Montana, I knew a great man who while he was fairly high up in state government always found time for talks with me. We didn’t always agree, even back then, but I greatly admire him as a statesman.  I know there are some folks that didn’t think he was conservative enough (I thought he was), but if I were running for office, would I want to accept his help? It’d be an honor.

And for Ward,  the offer of his first boss to come out and campaign for him may be an offer that he can’t refuse that are more important than winning a political campaign.  I know that those rare relationships are valuable, and I knew someone who worked for Kempthorn and thought very highly of him, and I imagine Ward thinks very highly of the Governor.

That said, Ward should take some notes from Scott Brown. If you want to know why Brown won, look at the closing lines of his victory speech:

I’ve got a lot to learn in the Senate, but I know who I am and I know who I serve. I’m Scott Brown, I’m from Wrentham, I drive a truck, and I am nobody’s senator but yours. Thank you very much.

I’ve met Vaughn Ward, and I then he can be an appealing guy, but his messaging is awful.  If he feels a sense of loyalty or obligation that means campaigning with Kempthorne, I understand. But, what we need to hear by the end of the campaign in Ward’s own words is Vaughn Ward communicating that he knows who he is and that he’ll be nobody’s Congressman but the people of the first district.

The message that Ward’s campaign is sending through its messaging and associations is that he’s going to be part of the political establishment, and it leads people to question if he knows who he is and what he believes. He may get lucky and win this way if this is a horrible year for Democrats, as it very well may be, but I think the campaign is doing some things that are ill-advised and tone deaf.