By Adam Pagnucco.
Back in October, Delegate Joe Vogel – who is running as a Democrat in Congressional District 6 – attacked fellow Democrat April McClain Delaney right after she entered the race. At that time, Vogel asked in a video, “Do you seriously think the answer to the chaos we’re seeing in Congress right now is to let another mega-millionaire buy an election?”
After a strong month and in the wake of Delaney’s replacement of her campaign manager, Vogel has renewed his attacks in a new video on X. Following is a transcript along with the embedded post.
*****
Let’s be honest. Every Democrat for Congress supports abortion rights, gun safety and the environment. I’m Joe Vogel and the difference is our approach. April McClain Delaney donates to extreme Republicans and is friends with Tucker Carlson and Paul Ryan. I come from the school shooting generation where we know that you can’t hope politicians do the right thing, you have to make them. I approve this message because with our future hanging in the balance, which approach do you choose?
I come from the school shooting generation, where we know you can’t hope politicians do the right thing.
You have to make them. pic.twitter.com/Di4Ui2LynA
— Joe Vogel (@JoeVogel_) April 9, 2024
*****
Open Secrets, which stores federal and some state data, lists 156 contributions totaling $453,376 by Delaney going back to the 1990s. Of those contributions, 97% of the money went to Democrats. Delaney made two contributions totaling $4,200 to U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman, who ran with his own party label after losing the Democratic primary in 2006. She contributed a total of $5,050 to Republicans including U.S. Senator James DeMint (who later led the Heritage Foundation), Maryland gubernatorial candidate Ellen Sauerbrey, California Governor Pete Wilson (who ran for president in 1995-96) and Virginia State Senate candidate Whitney Adams. The last time that Delaney contributed to a Republican was in 2005, when she gave $2,300 to DeMint.
A 2018 MoCo360 article characterizes Tucker Carlson as a “friend” of John Delaney, who is married to April and was then a Congressman in District 6.
Last week, I wrote, “Here is an ancient maxim of politics: candidates who believe they are ahead generally don’t go negative. Candidates who are behind go negative to catch up.”
Delaney is widely regarded as the frontrunning Democrat. We shall see if next week’s campaign finance reports confirm that narrative. Vogel is playing to win. Here is the big question:
If Vogel keeps attacking Delaney and she becomes the Democratic nominee anyway, will he damage her chances in the general election?