Dear Democrats and Friends of Democrats,
In 2006 Phil Angelides and Steve Westly ran against each other in the Democratic Gubernatorial primary. That same year Famed Actor and Civic Activist Warren Beatty gave a speech warning Phil and Steve against “going negative”, against each other. Mr. Beatty explained that if Phil and Steve went negative, then whoever the Democratic candidate ended up being, would be cut by Democratic-inflicted knives.
Since the Democratic candidate would be Mr. Beatty’s candidate; Mr. Beatty’s candidate would necessarily be wounded, not by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, but by – us, by Democrats. Self-inflicted wounds are the worst kind. Republicans can and will take advantage of and deepen the slashing that we started. Phil and Steve went negative. Arnold Schwarzenegger was re-elected.
I just read that there are now nineteen Democratic candidates running for the four Republican-held O.C. House seats. (The other three are held by Democrats.) We have an embarrassment of riches; and, we have to be careful. The fate of the Republic may rely on the outcome of the 2018 election. The Democrats must re-take the House; and, commentators have said that O.C. can lead the way!
The 2017 Democrats must not make the same mistake as did the 2006 Democrats. Please listen to Warren Beatty, one of the greatest communicators of this and the last century.
Don’t go negative against your fellow Democrats.
Although our primary system is different than it was in 2006, at end of the primary each of the four Congressional Districts will probably have the Republican incumbent and a Democrat. The surviving Democrat will be our candidate. Please, leave her or him unscarred – unscarred by us. We must re-take the House – for the sake of the Republic,
Don’t go negative against your fellow Democrats.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Dan Jacobson,
Chair