Huffman Shooting Himself in the Foot

Coyote over at NW Republican has a good review of the problems Jim Huffman is creating for himself.

Huffman has not ginned up excitement about his candidacy. He has not found a key issue to hammer--not even Obamacare, unemployment (Oregon's unemployment is currently 7th worst among the states), or the unsuccessful stimulus plan.

Bureau of Labor Statistics graphic

So, instead of finding a winning strategy for a very attractive candidacy (even the Oregonian likes him), Huffman has opted to focus on what sort of candidate he is not.

Now why on earth would Republican Senatorial Candidate Jim Huffman pick this point in the campaign to stick it to the folks who helped him win his only campaign (the Republican primary election.)?

“My campaign people, when I started, wanted to turn me into a tub-thumping firebrand, and that’s not just in my personality. Nor do I like where that ultimately takes us.“

And it’s a good thing he’s not more like Beck, he continues: “If I were to get Glenn Beck to come out here and speak on my behalf, I don’t think that would be a good thing in the state of Oregon. Similarly with Sarah Palin.”

. . .
You don't like "where that ultimately takes us?" And just where is that Mr. Huffman?

Where is Sarah Palin "taking" us that you don't really like?
. . .
There is a reason why Republicans all across the nation (and even here on the left coast) are running strong and respectable campaigns and yet the race in Oregon is basically over. There is a major sea change going on in politics now. A changing of the tide and folks like Sarah Palin, Glen Beck and yes those "campaign people" who helped you win your primary are all part of it.

Coyote is 100% right. Why isn't Huffman focusing on attacking his opponent? Instead he thinks it wise to diss those who are bringing new enthusiasm to the party.

I don't follow Glen Beck, but Sarah Palin has a .700 batting record in endorsing winning candidates. If you are one of four (Oregon, Hawaii, Maryland, Vermont) of 37 Republican senatorial candidates who is almost definitely in the "lose" column, you could do worse than look at what has made her long-shot endorsements winners.

I donated to Huffman's campaign, but am now seeing it as almost lost money--except taking it off my Oregon income taxes. Unfortunately, I could have found better recipients than Huffman who seems to be politically clueless.

Having academic smarts is not the same as being able to get things done. It is especially telling that Huffman is unwilling to learn from others how to run a good campaign. (Even Christine O'Donnell, with all the media cuts against her, seems to have a better chance of winning in Delaware, a very blue state, than Huffman with almost no media criticism in Oregon.)

It may be that Huffman's gratuitous negative mentions of Palin and Beck are not so much trying to endear himself to "moderate" Republicans as trying to defang possible blow back in academia where he hopes to return. The left reigns supreme there and does not willingly suffer departure from the left party line.