Today's Duluth Tribune News reveals that Cravaack’s re-election campaign begins; family moves to New Hampshire.
Thus, Bluestem's headline isn't exactly accurate: the term "carpetbagger" entered America's political lexicon during Reconstruction, where Southerners used the power of metonymy to describe Northerners who moved in on South during that era, reducing the newcomers to the luggage they carried into town.
In modern usage, the word describes those who run for office in a place where they don't live. But perhaps Cravaack is simply acting according to a revised definition drawn the Michele Bachmann History Channel. First, Cravaack stages an upset win by portraying 18-term Congressman Jim Oberstar as as out of touch with a district from which the incumbent was often absent. Next, a successful Cravaack moves from the district before the first year of his first term is up. He may have carpetbagging in reverse, but, hey, close enough for a teabagger.
The News Tribune reports that Cravaack is a bit whiny about having to defend his seat early:
“We’re putting our team together a little bit earlier than I thought we were going to have to, but it seems as though the campaign is just on us,” Cravaack said. “When you’re the No. 1 target of the (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) and you’ve had three major campaign ads already run against you, it’s unfortunate, but I had to put my team together earlier than I anticipated. We had to be able to respond to some of these, quite frankly, attack ads.” [links added by BSP]
If only Cravaack hadn't moved his family to New Hampshire--had he not, the freshman legislator culd have asked third-term representative Tim Walz how he did it in the 2007-2008 cycle after upsetting Gil Gutknecht and the attacks came in early.
But since Walz's 30+ victory in 2008 came after Tim and Gwen Walz's commitment to their home in Southern Minnesota was firmly established in voters' minds, Cravaack may have to find another mentor, as well as hope district DFLers pick a candidate as hapless as Brian Davis.
Cravaack revealed the deets of the move to the DNT:
The family’s decision to move to New Hampshire was made so that Cravaack and his wife, Traci, could spend more time with their two children. Cravaack said his wife often had to spend three days a week in the Boston area for her work with a medical supply company.
Cravaack said he’s selling his home in Lindstrom and moving to North Branch, where he’ll be closer to his office.
“We have decided to move the kids closer to me in the New Hampshire area,” he said. “She’ll probably be no more than 40 minutes away from the children.”
Cravaack said he’ll spend most Saturdays in the 8th District and his Sundays in New Hampshire.
“My wife and I said, ‘Just because I’m in Congress, I’m still a father.’ And being a father comes first,” he said. “I have to take care of my children the best way possible, and still be able to serve the country at the same time.”
It sounds like Cravaack will be a once-a-week visitor, while Congress is in session, to the district he represents. One does wonder, though, how often he'll see his children, who now live in New Hampshire, during the campaign season.
Perhaps as often as a good father should. Today's news might go some distance in explaining both Cravaack's lackluster fundraising and his absence on the NRCC's incumbent protection Patriot Program. Did the NRCC know the move was coming? On June 1, the Strib's Hot Dish blog reported in Cravaack not in first round of GOP incumbent-protection program:
The National Republican Congressional Committee has released the first members of its Patriot Program —an incumbent-protection program that offers fundraising and other help — and Minnesota’s most vulnerable House freshman is not on the list.
Rep. Chip Cravaack, who won his Eighth District seat in a close upset in 2010, was not among the 10 House Republicans included the NRCC’s program.
Cravaack is considered one of the most vulnerable freshmen Republicans in 2012, as he represents a district that went Democratic for more than 60 years. . .
. . .One potential issue for Cravaack is his own first-quarter numbers: He has raised less than eight of the 10 House members on the list.
Covering Period 04/01/2011 Through 06/30/2011
Column A
This PeriodColumn B
Election
Cycle-To-Date6. Net Contributions (other than loans) (a) Total Contributions (other than loans) 223703.91 406575.37 (b) Total Contribution Refunds 0.00 1800.00 (c) Net Contributions (6(a) - 6(b)) 223703.91 404775.37 7. Net Operating Expenditures (a) Total Operating Expenditures 69014.25 181196.63 (b) Total Offsets to Operating Expenditures 1213.30 2124.61 (c) Net Operating Expenditures 67800.95 179072.02 8. Cash on Hand at Close of Reporting Period 268942.68 9. Debts and Obligations Owed TO the Committee 0.00 Itemize all on SCHEDULE C or SCHEDULE D 10. Debts and Obligations Owed BY the Committee 32550.30 Itemize all on SCHEDULE C or SCHEDULE D
Image: A Bachmann History Channel carpetbag. However one reads this story, Cravaack is going to be doing a lot of packing. Just saying.
Geez. The Republicans running the Duluth News-Tribune must be crying in their beer. It wrecks their plan to paint Tarryl Clark as an evil outsider. Hell, she at least lives in the state!
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Jul 16, 2011 at 07:10 PM