Campaign Releases Hard Hitting Mail Piece
Press Release
Today, the Mark DeSaulnier campaign released a direct mail piece sent to voters that calls into question John Garamendi's willingness to stand up for the citizens of the 10th CD. The mailer points out that Garamendi declined to run in his own Congressional district against a right-wing Republican in order to run in a district he doesn't live in and doesn't know against fellow Democrats. The mailer pointedly asks, "If John Garamendi can't stand up to Republicans in his own backyard, how can we expect him to stand up for us in Congress?"
Garamendi has been evasive about his residency since he announced he was running in CD 10 four months ago. He repeatedly said that his "front yard was in the district," his "bedroom was not." In fact, none of Garamendi's property is in the 10th Congressional District. After months of misleading the voters about where Garamendi lives, his campaign, when pressed by the media yesterday, finally admitted that "his home is on the border of the district."
"The voters of this district deserve a member of Congress who is from this district, has a record of fighting for this district, and will stand up for them in Congress," said DeSaulnier. "I have lived in this district for 30 years, raised my sons here, owned and run a business here, and have stood up for the people of this district as mayor, county supervisor, Assemblyman, and State Senator. From casting the deciding vote to keep the county hospital open, to taking on the refineries to protect our environment, and standing up to the tobacco companies to protect public health, I have consistently fought for the people of this district. The voters of this district don't ever have to question whether I will stand up for them."
Garamendi is a cattle rancher from the Central Valley and lives in Congressional District 3, which is currently represented by Republican Congressman Dan Lungren. Garamendi had been approached several times to run against Lungren, including a Draft Garamendi for CD 3 effort on the web, but he declined. Unlike CD 10, which is a heavily Democratic District, CD 3 is a competitive swing district, which was held by a Democrat until 1999.
Source