Bonamici Campaign Manager Punts

It's pretty clear from this story, that the Bonamici campaign doesn't know all the players.


Did Big Unions pay for the hatchet job? The question was asked, but the campaign manager for Bonamici didn't answer anything. Ask her a question. You get a question.


Is this the transparency you were hoping for? I'm not impressed with either the non-answers, or the denials.

"The polling firm, Luce Research, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is making calls in the first Congressional District, in what are purported to be part of a voter preference poll.

"What starts out as a seemingly fair series of questions which is divided into three parts, each section asks questions about the acceptability, or un-acceptability, of positions held by the two congressional candidates, Susan Bonamici and Rob Cornilles. It isn’t until the third part of the survey occurs, that the real intent of the survey is revealed, the denigration of one of the candidates in that race, Rob Cornilles.

"What had been the suggestion of impartiality of polling questions is replaced with what is best known as “push-polling” questions, that tend to represent, or, in the case of Rob Cornilles’ candidacy, mis-represent, the views of the candidate, Mr. Cornilles, to show him in the worst possible light.

"The final section of the poll is spent mis-representing the Republican candidate, Rob Cornilles, as being anti-feminist, anti-employment, a pro-crony capitalist, and, as a Tea Party radical.

"None of which positions, from what we can ascertain, are true. 

"Contact was made with Bonamici campaign Manager Carol Butler, but the questions of whether or not the campaign had hired Luce Research, or whether or not the campaign had conducted push research was answered with questions about whether or not such activities had occurred. She never clearly issued a denial.

"It is possible that outside firms may be responsible for these phone survey calls. But the Bonamici campaign refused to point out whether or not these calls were performed by such outside groups, or what outside committees.

“'Whoever is behind this, this is dirty, divisive politics at its worst and offensive to Oregon voters…' said Mary Anne Ostrom, Cornilles campaign manager."

The polling firm, Luce Research has not returned our calls.

When asked, Senator Betsy Johnson stated, “Are you surprised that they are using push-polling?”