Harmer

McNerney

It must be after Labor Day. The congressional campaign press release machine is fired up.

Congressional District 11 GOP nominee David Harmer’s camp slammed Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney for remaining mum on the Republican’s request for joint appearances at town halls “to explain (McNerney’s) voting record and contrast his ideas with that of (Harmer.)”

This is a silly and oft-repeated allegation every campaign season. No candidate is going to show up at an event organized by the opposition and the logistics associated with finding a neutral host acceptable to both sides are notoriously difficult. (Update: I forgot to mention that Harmer and McNerney have met face-to-face already. They participated in the Election Previews 2010 sponsored by this newspaper, among others. Watch the video at http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid602027069001?bclid=601345262001&bctid=602031263001)

On the other hand, Harmer’s side accurately notes that yet another national political handicapper, the Cook Political Report, has moved District 11 into the toss-up category from leans Democrat. The National Journal and RealClearPolitics also made the shift although Rasmussen and Sabato’s Crystal Ball have not.

The trend reflects a Republican midterm wave that Cook and his counterparts predict will result in massive losses for Democrats and possibly control of Congress.

Here is what Cook wrote today:

“…Harmer, who runs as a “constitutional conservative” and can actually call himself a Reagan Republican (he spent some of his childhood in Reagan’s office while his dad was serving as lieutenant governor), is running a more energetic campaign than the last two GOP nominees did. This is really two districts in one: rural San Joaquin County is a big problem for Democrats this year, and Harmer also has some demonstrated appeal in the East Bay (he took an impressive 43 percent of the vote last November in the uber-Democratic 10th CD special election). Meanwhile, McNerney is emphasizing his work opening a new veterans’ hospital, but a continued high unemployment and foreclosure rate here means voters want answers on jobs. Most polling shows McNerney ahead by single digits, but under 50 percent and clearly in more trouble than others in the California delegation. This race is virtually guaranteed to tighten as Harmer introduces himself, and it joins the Toss Up column.” (Cook Political Report, “Ratings Changes in 10 Districts,” 09/09/10)

On the other side of the aisle, McNerney’s team blasted Harmer for what it called misleading and inaccurate information in the Republican’s first television ad:

In the ad, David Harmer claims that he is a “constitutional attorney” who spent his career “protecting taxpayers.” In fact, David Harmer has over a decade of experience as a corporate lawyer for some of the country’s most notorious credit card, debt collection, and predatory lending corporations, including Providian Financial, Washington Mutual, JP Morgan Chase, and a Utah based debt collection agency, Riddle and Associates.

“David Harmer has spent his entire career as a corporate lawyer for corporations with a history of ripping off taxpayers,” said Doug Greven, campaign manager, McNerney for Congress. “It’s clear from his days as a senior official with some of the most notorious credit card, debt collection, and predatory lending institutions that the only interests David Harmer has protected are those of big corporations.”

The use of the word “notorious” is clearly subjective, but McNerney’s camp is correct in that Harmer has spent far more of his career working as counsel for credit card and other finance companies than as a constitutional attorney.  (Click here to read my blog on Harmer’s non-banking legal posts.)