Kathie Allen Is Running for Office Again
If you were watching the BYU vs. LSU game on Sat night, yous probably saw an ad from Democratic Congressional candidate Kathie Allen about 150 times.
Because you're an avid reader of UtahPolicy.com, you're savvy plenty to know Allen is a Democrat. Simply, the casual viewer may not know she's a Democrat. Why? Her ad never mentions her political party affiliation. It has a generic reference to "Democrats" equally part of an overall focus on health care, but she never reveals her party affiliation.
Same goes for her website. The entire online platform is bereft of whatsoever mention that she'due south the Autonomous candidate. There'due south still mention of old Rep. Jason Chaffetz on the home page, but nothing near the Democrats. Aforementioned thing with her Facebook page and her Twitter.
(Her website also highlights a dig at former Rep. Jason Chaffetz on the home page, which suggests she may be hoping that voters who aren't paying a lot of attention think Chaffetz is still in the race, but that'south a subject field for another column.)
It's obvious Allen is sprinting abroad from the Autonomous party as fast every bit her political legs can deport her.
It'south a savvy motility past Allen to hide from the Democratic party. She's running in the 16th-about Republican district in the nation where the GOP nominee has won the seat by 40+ points the last iii elections. This is a district that is nearly unwinnable by the Autonomous Political party.
Then, Allen has decided not to run as a Democrat.
At that place's a precedent for this kind of political maneuver in Utah. Jim Matheson did it brilliantly. He eschewed his party label and staked out a center-correct political identity which got him elected time later fourth dimension.
Non a bad political blueprint to follow.
But, in that location's ane big departure between Matheson and Allen. Allen is an unabashed progressive who is a proponent of single-payer wellness care. She's besides joined at the hip politically with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders who, information technology'due south non a stretch to say, is out of touch on politically with Utah's third Commune.
On the other hand, Matheson was routinely chided past the Democratic Party base as a DINO (Democrat in name but), and in one case was sent to a primary by a challenger from his political left.
Allen is inappreciably cutting from the aforementioned political mold equally Matheson. It's fascinating that she's trying to use his entrada game programme.
There are risks and rewards for Allen'south decision to hide her political affiliation, for sure. If she can successfully obfuscate her Autonomous affiliation from the voters in the third District, she will have a meliorate chance of chirapsia Provo Mayor John Curtis, the GOP nominee. Just, she is opening herself up to attacks from the right that could bring her honesty into question.
When I asked about Allen's political slight-of-hand, a campaign spokesperson responded maxim, "Our view is that this is a polarized climate, and the but important message is that Dr. Allen will work to bring truth and accountability dorsum to Washington."
When pushed about the lack of whatever sort of mention that Allen is a Democrat anywhere, the same campaign spokesperson replied, "We're certainly not trying to hide from that fact. We just feel it's the least important thing to talk about."
"Least important thing to talk about" is merely political speak for "Nosotros know Democrats get crushed in the 3rd District, and so we're not going to tell anyone Dr. Allen is a Democrat and hope nobody asks most information technology."
Of form, Allen'south campaign is trying to hide her status as a Democrat. If the Democratic brand weren't accented political poisonous substance in that part of Utah, she would at to the lowest degree take a passing mention of it somewhere.
Despite the hibernate and seek about Allen's political affiliation, Getting those ads on TV now is a solid political move. Allen'southward campaign is trying to prepare the narrative and introduce her to voters in the 3rd District, while conveniently avoiding the dreaded "D" word.
Information technology's obvious Allen wants to make this election about wellness care, which is her subject area. Information technology'southward not a bad idea, trying to push the fight battleground of her choosing since he's not as experienced in this expanse. If she tries to compete with Curtis on tax policy or his record running Provo, she loses. Healthcare is the only area where she has an advantage.
The Boob tube ads take another effective weapon abroad from Curtis. Many political campaigns are lost if your opponent can define yous before y'all go a chance to define yourself. Allen has raced to the front of the pack painting herself every bit a middle-of-the-route politico who is not appreciative to political party labels. Curtis's campaign wants to pigment her as an "out of touch liberal," but that'due south going to be more difficult at present that she's already started to make her case to voters.
Will that strategy work? Information technology's clearly different from what nosotros've seen in by campaigns. It's at least worth a shot.
Source: https://utahpolicy.com/archive/14229-why-won-t-kathie-allen-tell-anyone-she-s-a-democrat