Expect Blanche Lincoln to make much hay of "outside extremists" (us, labor unions, groups like the League of Conservation Voters) that are "meddling" in the race. For example, in her statement greeting Halter into the race, she said:
I know that I am the target of both political extremes but that’s what makes this campaign so important to all of us. This Senate seat belongs to Arkansas, not to outside groups that are angry I don’t answer to them.
Except, of course, "outside groups" only refer to groups friendly to Halter.
WASHINGTON – Sen. Blanche Lincoln has been getting large amounts of campaign dollars from Texas for her re-election fight this year and now a newspaper report explains why [...]
Through the end of 2009, Lincoln had received $345,558 in money from Texas, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research organization.
Hmm, Texas is outside Arkansas. In fact, 61 percent of her money come from outside of the state, with Washington DC and (gasp!) evil New York City making up the 2nd and 3rd biggest metro areas for her contributions.
If someone wants to pass a constitutional amendment banning out-of-state (or district) contributions for candidates to elected office, I'll be game. Until then, I'd like the people as outraged by outside grassroots money to be just as outraged by outside corporate money.
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