Roll Call published (subscription required) a nice little piece demonstrating that when Lynn Jenkins says she wants to keep the campaign between herself and Jim Ryun "friendly" she really means no-holds-barred and personal.
And Lord it's fun to watch!
State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins, running against former Rep. Jim Ryun for the 2nd district GOP nomination, has responded to an internal Ryun poll that showed a big lead for the ex-Congressman with a news release that labels him a carpetbagger and a product of Washington, D.C.Not news to any of our readers, of course- at least the parts saying that Ryun draws the great majority of his financial support from states like Texas and Virginia...and also that he considered himself a resident of Washington, DC for much of his final years in office (and right after he lost his seat, too), but the bit about Jim having a "branch office" in DC is new. But, hey, when Jenkins finds herself falling behind, she tends to lash out in whatever direction she's turned.
“As former Congressman Jim Ryun wraps up a tour of the Second District to introduce himself to those he previously represented for 10 years, he still has a home in Washington, D.C., his campaign has a branch in the D.C. suburbs, his entire paid staff hails from east of the Mississippi, and most of his supporters are not from Kansas,” the news release read.
More Republican bloodsport? Read on:
“Time after time, we’re reminded just how deeply Washington changed Jim Ryun,” Jenkins campaign spokesman Pat Leopold said in a statement. “Jim spent 10 years in Washington talking a good game, but spent money on nearly everything except border enforcement.”All true...and all why he lost in 2006. Ah, but the Ryun camp couldn't just let any of that go.
The Ryun campaign disputed several of the Jenkins campaign’s charges.
Really? Do tell!
The Ryun campaign emphasized that it doesn’t have a “branch” in Washington, D.C. — only that it uses a bookkeeping firm that has an office there — and noted that not all of its paid campaign staff “hails” from there, either.Oh, so you just pay people in Virginia to handle your books. I ask you: Are there no CPAs in Topeka? (Look real hard...no, down, she's short).
As to staffing...unless you count the Ryun children, it appears every single person on the payroll is indeed a non-Kansan. 'Course, Lynn doesn't have any staff, so it's an easy attack for her to make. Boyda? Nearly all of her campaign staffers are Kansans- either by birth or tenure in the state. Don't believe us? Call 'em and ask yourself. But, really, arguing about staffers is bad form- keep it to each other, kids.
“A day after finding themselves down 44 points, Lynn Jenkins confirms our polling numbers are correct by launching a desperate attack,” Ryun campaign spokesman Kyle Robertson said. “Hey Lynn, there are real issues in this campaign more important than where campaign staff grew up.”First- Kyle Robertson proves yet again he's an arrogant prick. Second...he's right. Jenkins is floundering, and obviously has flailed into a support response again on this one.
More in the next few days about this primary....we've got a doozy of a post about Lynn in the pipes. 'Til then!
