The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has changed the campaign manager for its floundering Michigan candidate Rep Gary Peters. Peters is the Democrat who sicced lawyers on a television station to keep a cancer patient’s anti-Obamacare testimony off the air. The blow back from trying to shut down the ad did more damage to the Democrats than the original ad could have done.
Replacing Julie Petrick (who is a woman) will be Paul Tencher, director of campaigns for the DSCC (who is a man). In a panic over losing in purple Michigan, they’re sending in the closer in the third inning. The Dems may hope Tencher will be able to enforce message discipline.
When reading MSM stories, always remember that they bury the lede, if they can’t avoid it altogether. In the case of the Detroit News‘ writeup of Rep. Peters having his campaign manager changed by the DSCC, after a misleading title and several paragraphs of irrelevant fluff about the outgoing campaign manager’s résumé, the last three paragraphs are the only ones that matter (emphasis added):
Land’s campaign jumped on the move as a sign of Peters’ seeking to fix a struggling campaign.
“Only a Washington, D.C., insider like Congressman Peters would think that the way to connect with Michigan families is to bring in another D.C. political insider,” Land spokeswoman Heather Swift said.
Peters said Tencher “will work closely with all of our Michigan supporters and allies to build an unprecedented grassroots campaign that is focused on turning out voters and on the issues that matter most to middle class families in Michigan.”
In other words, Petrick had failed to engage the grassroots or attract volunteers, and Peters’ attempt to shut down complaints about Obamacare turned into a national embarrassment for the DSCC.
** This post has been updated as Peters did not actual file suit in the case but did have his attorneys contact the television station that aired the ad.