McSally, Daines, Ernst, Gardner & Tillis Fundraise with Controversial Former Congressman, Senate Candidate Jason Lewis

Vulnerable Senate Republicans Join Desperate Fundraising Effort As Worries Grow Over Strong Democratic Fundraising

A group of vulnerable Republican incumbents, including Senators Martha McSally, Steve Daines, Joni Ernst, Cory Gardner, and Thom Tillis, face a new liability – a joint fundraising committee with a Senate candidate who has  “a long and well-documented history of racist and misogynistic comments.”

A new report from the AZ Mirror details the committee was formed in April to raise money for both vulnerable Senate incumbents as well as Republican challengers as Republicans struggle to overcome a fundraising deficit against strong Democratic candidates. One of the members of the committee is former Congressman Jason Lewis who has a well documented history of “inflammatory comments.”

“Over the last year, Democratic challengers have outraised these vulnerable incumbent senators, who are now so desperate they’ve created a new liability for their struggling campaigns,” said DSCC spokesperson Helen Kalla. “It’s clear that Republican Senate incumbents are so nervous that they’ll resort to desperate and damaging measures.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

AZ Mirror: McSally raising cash with GOP candidate known for racism, misogyny

By Jeremy Duda 

May 4, 2020

Key Points:

• U.S. Sen. Martha McSally is part of a joint fundraising committee with a handful of other Republican senators and candidates, one of whom is a former conservative talk radio host with a long and well-documented history of racist and misogynistic comments.

• The committee, named Senate Firewall Committee III, was formed on April 22 to benefit McSally and fellow Republican U.S. Senate incumbents Joni Ernst of Iowa, Steve Daines of Montana, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. The committee will also raise money for Legacy Political Fund, a political committee based in Virginia, and Republican Senate challengers in Michigan, Minnesota and New Mexico.

• Among those non-incumbent candidates is former Congressman Jason Lewis, who represented Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2017-19. Lewis is hoping to oust Democratic Sen. Tina Smith. He’s one of five Republicans seeking running in the Aug. 11 primary election and is widely viewed as the presumptive nominee.

• Before he launched his congressional career, Lewis was a conservative radio host with his own nationally syndicated program, The Jason Lewis Show, and one-time substitute for Rush Limbaugh. He earned a reputation for inflammatory comments.

• During his time as a radio host, Lewis questioned why it had become inappropriate to refer to women as “sluts” and mocked women who said they felt traumatized by unwanted touching. He also alleged that Republicans have “dual loyalties” to the United States and Israel, called people who receive government assistance “parasites” and said African-Americans “substituted one plantation for another.” Lewis also said America’s white population was committing “cultural suicide” and “political suicide” through its low birth rates.

• A spokeswoman for McSally did not respond to repeated requests for comment from the Mirror.

Read the full report here.

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