President Obama could find the 2012 presidential trail lonely if some House Democrats do as expected and skip town when he’s in their district campaigning.
One day after the top House GOP elections leader predicted that all Republican members would jump at the chance to campaign with Mitt Romney, the Democratic counterpart artfully said that it’s every lawmaker for themselves.
“Every candidate in my view runs their own campaign, makes their own decisions, and will reach their own judgements,” said Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Asked about Democrats campaigning with Obama, he instead turned the question on the GOP. “The question is whether Mitt Romney wants to appear with House Republicans,” whom he called extremists.
Israel made a similar point when discussing the president’s decision this week to back gay marriage, an issue that could hurt Democrats in conservative states like North Carolina. Instead of embracing the president on the issue, Israel said Democrats could run from it if they needed to.
“I just don’t think it is going to be a huge dynamic in specific congressional races, because our candidates reflect the priorities and the values of the districts in which they are running,” Israel said at a newsmaker event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. “I don’t think it is that relevant. I am a big believer that each candidate should run their own race. We told our candidates, ‘If you agree with the president, state your agreement. If you disagree with the president, state your disagreement.’ And it is just that simple.”
