'We couldn't stand it anymore': why disaffection with Devin Nunes is growing among his constituents

[UpInArms]

In a district that, until recently, was considered one of the few remaining safe Republican seats in California, Arballo is polling about five points behind Nunes but is rapidly closing in, according to a recent internal Democratic party poll. The Democrat has also managed to pull in a sizeable fundraising haul, largely from small donations including hundreds of thousands of dollars raised in response to Nunes’s constant lawsuits. (Nunes still enjoys a huge fundraising advantage, though).

Arballo’s coalition is built on two pillars: the changing demographics of the area, which is now almost 50% Latino, and disaffection with Nunes. As Nunes has focused his energies largely on Washington’s toxic political culture and made himself less visible in his district, that disaffection has only grown.

“He’s forgotten about his constituents. That’s the bottom line,” Arballo said in an interview with the Guardian. “Instead of holding himself accountable and reassuring people they’re going to be protected, instead of pushing for stimulus money and PPE in response to the coronavirus, he’s on Fox News talking about Hillary Clinton. He’s in a different world. He has no plans for the future. He believes he’s entitled to this seat and takes every voter for granted.

Nunes’ office did not respond to repeated requests for comment, but his critics say he has done little to counter this critique. According to local media reports, he has not held an open constituency meeting for about ten years. He almost never gives media interviews, other than to Fox News and a friendly district radio station. His rhetorical style is hot and uncompromising, whether he’s talking to his favorite TV hosts or on the podcast that he started last year. Over and over, he has dismissed any suggestion of undue Russian influence on Donald Trump as a hoax, demonized Democrats as closet socialists, and characterized Joe Biden as a would-be revolutionary akin to Mao Tse Tung and Pol Pot.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/28/devin-nunes-california-congress-election

The entire article is worth reading

[gratuitous]

1. This would be delicious

Not a likely pick-up, but wouldn't it be nice?

[Midnightwalk]

2. Dare we hope?

We need to milk the wave for every seat we can get.

[dalton99a]

3. Get rid of the asshole.

[crickets]

4. Excellent article - agree the entire thing is well worth reading.

Nunes, like Lindsey Graham, is no longer representing his constituents. He seems to care little for anything but his beltway political clout and personal enrichment. As in SC, his constituents have noticed, realized that this will not change, and it's gotten to a point where it may cost him his seat. Good.

[Kid Berwyn]

5. Putin needs Nunes.

Devin Nunes is a poodle’s poodle.

[DBoon]

6. Inspired me to donate to Arballo

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/adopt-phil-arballo

[diva77]

7. +1,000,000 THIS!!!!!!!!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

8. Thanks for the link!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. K&R