Guest Opinion by Larry Grant
Larry Grant: Critics of My Campaign Are Wrong
By Contributing Writer, 11-20-07
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On November 13, NewWest.Net/Boise ran an article repeating the criticisms of some anonymous Boise Democrats who say I did not do enough in the last election to beat Bill Sali. They say I ran a lackluster campaign and didn’t listen to my advisers. They’re wrong, of course.
Let’s look at the facts. I got more votes and raised more money than any Democratic candidate for Congress in the last decade. I put 40,000 miles on my car, not counting the number of times I flew north, traveling up and down the district going to events, picnics, potlucks, parades, fairs, coffees, debates and forums. I knocked on doors with local candidates and organizers. I received the endorsement of four out of five of the major newspapers in the district as well as a good deal of national press. I was put first on the Emerging Candidates list and, ultimately, the Red to Blue list by the DCCC. Vice President Dick Cheney had to come to Idaho twice while Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman each came as well in order to shore up Bill Sali’s campaign. Senator Larry Craig did attack radio ads and Senator Mike Crapo did television ads against me. It took the entire Republican machine, state and national, to beat me.
In the last election, of course, the Republicans were trying to save their majority in Congress. They told people that they needed to vote for Bill Sali, even if they didn’t like him, because they had to save the seat for the Republican Party. That was a powerful message to some moderate Republicans and independents who might have crossed over to give me the votes a Democrat needs to win. The Republicans, of course, lost control of Congress, so it’s not an issue this time.
As for the statement of Governor Andrus, reported in the Lewiston Tribune, that I don’t deserve a second chance because “Two years ago, Larry Grant had his opportunity and didn’t make it,” I have to admit, it made me smile. After all, Frank Church lost his first race for the state legislature in 1952. Richard Stallings lost his first race for Congress against George Hansen in 1982. That same year, Larry LaRocco lost his first bid for Congress to Larry Craig. And, of course, Governor Andrus lost his first bid for governor in 1966 to Don Samuelson.
Suddenly, anonymous critics aside, I feel like I’m in very good company.
Larry Grant, former Micron attorney and businessman, is running for the Democratic nomination for Representative from Idaho’s 1st Congressional District. His opponents are Walt Minnick and Rand Lewis.
I find it hard to believe none of the criticism is justified. I know I donated money to your campaign and volunteered at events for you and was never thanked, either by yourself or one of your staffers.
Comment By Bennett Larsson Barr, 11-20-07Larry...it's fantastic to see you engaged here on New West. You're following the ranks of LaRocco who has also been engaged online with even a "myspace" page to try and mobilize the youth of Idaho. Education, technology and new ideas are hopefully coming fast to the folks young and old here in Idaho. Keep up the good fight and best of all remember to say "thanks" to those who support you...and even to the ones who don't but share the same ideals.
Comment By Sisyphus, 11-20-07Excellent points Larry. I met you at the JFK Dinner and was impressed with your speech and your willingness to greet everyone. Even though I had reservations on a rematch from what I see so far this go round you are doing the most aggressive campaigning of the three. Keep up the good work.
Comment By Cathy B, 11-20-07I hail from the southern part of the state, so my vote was moot, but the fact of the matter is, when I read the headline, I said to myself "Who is Bill Grant?" And that pretty much defines the problem. As an unreconstructed homegrown liberal Idaho democrat, I find Church, Stallings, Echohawk and Jaquet names to conjure by. Bill Grant, not so much. The candidate is meeting people on an individual basis, and is apparently very active with the national committees, but the average Idahoan on the street is missing the campaign bus.
Comment By Sisyphus, 11-20-07Maybe the average Idahoan on the street could read the headlines more carefully to see that his name is Larry. Can't really fault the campaign or the media for that one, Cathy. Some of us got to go to the candidate instead of them trying to get to us through headlines composed of Paris Hilton and Brittney Spears.
Go here if you want to see Larry's speech last week at the JFK banquet: http://www.43rdstateblues.com/?q=ada_dems_jfk_banquet_larry_grant His and the other candidates' websites are linked to the side if you want to learn more.
Oh yeah there's a great video on the consequences of voter apathy there too but its graphic: http://www.43rdstateblues.com/?q=node/3705
Comment By Jim Hyder, 11-20-07I believe the economy is the biggest problem. For Mr. Grant is the vast majority of the Idaho electorate are rock bound Republicans. I am also sure that he can whip Sali on issues and if there is to be a debate broadcast all over the state Grant will come out on top by a landslide. I have watched Sali on C-Span at work and in speeches to the House of Representatives. Ouch!
Comment By Idagreen, 11-20-07Larry Grant definitely showed the most energy and had the best presentation of the three 1st District candidates at the JFK dinner. I contributed (modestly) to his campaign last time, although I live in the 2nd district, and have received thank you cards each time. I would say that his interaction with the people in the crowd seems to have warmed significantly, and that he could definitely best Sali in any real debate. I thought he did quite well in the last race, considering the circumstances.
Anonymous, I know it's nice to be recognized, and all volunteers and contributors should be thanked. But if that sometimes slips through the cracks, is it really a big deal? I'd rather that a campaign spend the time and money on, well, the campaign, and not worry about some of the feel good stuff. Kick ass and win the election, then take time for the warm and fuzzies.
Cathy, of all the names you "conjure by", only one is currently in office and the others are, with respect, not young. It's time for some new blood in the party and in elected office. Check out all the online info for the new legislators in Ada county, and for the 1st District races. We need to conjure a strong foundation from the past to support a vision for the 21st, not 20th century.
Larry,
As I pointed out to Dan in the prior thread, you don't deserve to be elected if you are busy patting yourself on the back for losing the previous election.
You made mistakes, you haven't fully acknowledged those, and you retain people that preach caution instead of creating an energetic campaign that puts your name on the lips of every able bodied voter. You are running a DCCC campaign and not a Kos campaign, and that isn't only your fault, it is the fault of Dan and every other advisor that you listened to. And what are you doing this time? The same dumbass things you did before. You've done absolutely nothing to get my vote, other than run against an idiot that preaches on the legislative floor like the single thought moron he is, and you will continue to lose to him.
I'd love to donate to a local Democrat instead of funding Christine in Washington, Democrat X in Oregon, or real Democrats running in other places, but I don't send money to losers that don't change their ways.
Your lame video of Risch and his plane? Newwest has done more to clarify to voters why the private jet issue is more important than some unwatched crap flash video, allowing you to just rest an your laurels convinced that at least you did "something".
How many times do we have to tell you that you aren't doing enough? When will you fire those consultants that are getting paid even when you lose?
Or will you just run away from the debate like Dan did? Which, by the way, is another great reason to fire his ass.
After re-reading your little rant above about "anonymous" critics and how special you are to be in the esteemed company of Andrus and Church because you've lost an election? I think I'll actively campaign for anyone opposing you in the primary. Instead of just "not deserving my vote" you've actively encouraged me to oppose your campaign. Of course, I'm sure you'll take this news as an indication of your success.
Comment By Anonymous ex volunteer for Grant, 11-21-07Sometimes slips through the cracks, IdaGreen? Try slipping through the cracks from April thru November. This is unacceptable, volunteers and money are two of the biggest assets to a campaign, so if Grant wants to act ungrateful for both, he deserved to lose and will deserve to lose next year.
Comment By Jay Kanta, 11-21-07I wonder if this is a day to mark in the calendar? The day that Larry Grant's campaign for 2008 began the inevitable slide into obscurity.
I'm not sure how you'll recover from this one, Larry. You may still have your die-hard supporters like IdaGreen, but this post will be used against you throughout your entire campaign.
I wonder if you'll fire the advisor that allowed this post to slide by?
Jay--
The 'lame video of Risch and his plane' is from the campaign of Larry LaRocco, not Larry Grant. LaRocco is running for the Senate, not the House in ID-01.
Wrong candidate, wrong race.
Perhaps, Jay, if you got your facts right and your comments stayed on issues instead of personal attacks other posters would be more willing to engage you in a debate.
And, by the way, it's 'Don' not 'Dan.'
Ah, another claim of person attacks.. Again, from a man that was too busy patting himself on the back for a losing campaign.
Thank you for the correction, I'll make a mental note and I won't make the same mistake twice, unlike Larry and hiring you for a second losing campaign.
I made specific points in the previous discussion and you ran with your tail between your legs. You and Larry seem to be locked in a hubris type of bubble, unable to accept criticism, too busy pointing fingers and high-fiving each other for your previous losing campaign.
Have I said "losing campaign" enough yet? Do you realize that you lost a winnable campaign in 2006? Has that sunk in yet? And now you think you can take on a semi-popular incumbent with no changes in strategy, or even worse, a lazier strategy than before?
And you seem to have forgotten that one of the most read political writers in Idaho was quoted in that last thread, Dan Popkey, stating that you ran a "lackluster campaign" and yet your silence on the matter was deafening.
But lets take some time to look at what you accused me of:
1) Comments not staying on issue? Where? Point them out. I did make the mistake of the video, but oh well, I accepted my failure to keep all the Larrys straight. Have you accepted your failure yet? Or is denial something you serve up at least 3 meals a day?
2) Personal attacks: where? Other than claiming Larry and yourself are in a state of denial, that you lost, that you ran a lackluster campaign, which are all opinions and supported heavily by the evidence and your own quotes, I'm not sure that qualifies as a personal attack. You can fall back on that "campaign tactic" that claiming that criticism is all based on personal attacks but intelligent people can see right through that bull.
I've suggested, and I will keep suggesting that you are a worthless campaign advisor, Don. Whether I use Dan or Don doesn't matter, you're still the one that refuses to acknowledge the truth and you're probably the one that allowed Larry to write up this horrible response that shows how out of touch Larry really can be.
Well, there is a lot to be said for getting off the ground and trying again. By a quirk of fate Cecil Andrus managed to lose both the Democratic gubernatorial primary and the general election in 1966 (the winner of the primary, Charles Herndon, died in a plane crash; Andrus was named the replacement nominee and lost to Don Samuelson in the general). He did OK after that, however.
But that said, it's obvious Andrus dropped Larry Grant like a bad habit in favor of Walt Minnick. The fact he's backing Minnick so early is a really bold statement (and somewhat unexpected) on his part. I'm sure there's a good reason why.
Yes, Grant raised money. Yes, Grant traveled the district. Yes, Grant made the Republicans sweat. But here in Twin Falls, anyway, that and $1.25 gets you on the bus. The fact remains Grant lost. Move on.
If Larry Grant is serious about this, he needs to quit complaining, put the organization and the fundraising together and get out there and do it again. So does Walt Minnick. So does Rand Lewis. The best organization should win, and in turn should be stronger than Grant '06 as a result. It'll have to be, or Bill Sali will cruise to re-election.
I think this is still anyone's race. Grant can (or at least should) get his organization back together relatively easy. Minnick has some obvious advantages, but he wasn't terribly impressive the last time he ran (a 17-point loss to Larry Craig) and the last time he ran was quite some time ago (1996). As for Lewis, he really needs to step it up soon; barring a major upswing in his campaign in the near future he might be wise to drop down to local race instead.
Even though I'm in the other CD, personally I'm undecided on this one right at the moment. One of these guys needs to channel Emeril and kick it up a notch.
Jeez guys, this is a little rough. One thing y'all are overlooking is that Larry is the only candidate that's run a race in the last two years. And that was in a gerrymandered district against formidible resources as a political newcomer. And he strikes me as an intelligent guy who can learn from mistakes. I agree his best opportunity was last go but, damn, the experience he got last time is much better than what the other two bring to the table. Who peed in your corn flakes Jay?
Comment By W. Lane Startin, 11-21-07Hey, as far as I'm concerned if Larry Grant can show he still has some "pop" in his campaign, I'm all for him. Complaining aside, someone needs to stand out in this race. I'm not seeing that, at least not yet.
Comment By Sisyphus, 11-21-07That's cause you're in Twin Falls.
Comment By Jay Kanta, 11-21-07Actually, Don peed in my cornflakes in the original thread about this and the response by Larry here isn't any better. If Larry's campaign will just admit that they could have done things better in 2006 and show that they can make the changes necessary to propel them to a win over Sali in 2008 then they will have my donations and my funds. At this point, though, Larry is even more unknown than he was in 2006, he's passing up opportunities to set himself apart and to create any sort of momentum during a time in which the opportunities are popping up like daisies.
And when someone points out to them that they need to do a better job than they did in 2006? Larry's lap dog throws a hissy fit, Larry claims we're all anonymous and they laugh it off like they know best.
Well, what it appears that they know best is how to lose elections but still pay off the consultants with Democrat donations that were made in good faith.
I'm in Twin Falls ... and unimpressed to date. Of course, the race in my own district is even less impressive right now, but that's not saying much of anything.
Comment By W. Lane Startin, 11-21-07Look, I'm not saying the Grant '06 campaign was horrible. It wasn't. I ran an horrible House race in '02 myself. If nothing else, I'm an expert on such things.
I'm saying '06 is over. Move on. I want to see what these guys bring to the table in '08.
Amen brother.
Comment By Craig Moore, 11-21-07Jay, are saying that LG is a rebel without a Kos?
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. There's only one way to eat the feast, one goggle at a time.
I have been reading these comments with great interest.
To anonymous who volunteered on my campaign and didn't get a thank you, I apologize. I tried to send a thank you to every donor and certainly tried to thank every volunteer I saw. So, I'm sorry I missed you.
To the folks in Twin Falls, and a lot of Boise, I'm sorry if you think I should have spent more time there. But that is the 2nd CD and Jim Hasen was running there last time, so I did not want to take anything away from his race.
One serious allegation that shows that Mr. Kanta does not have full knowledge of the facts. If you call the DNC they will tell you that Howard Dean is very happy with what I did. If you chase down the DCCC, you will find that they helped recruit Walt Minnick because I didn't do all the things they wanted me to. In fact, it is that I didn't follow some of the DCCC advice that people are complaining about.
Finally, I can only say this: when you run for public office you get lots of advice, some good, some bad. I did listen to my advisors but I had to make the final decisions. Some people think I got it right, some people think I got it wrong. That goes with the territory. Certainly when someone gives you advice and you don't take it, they can be upset. That doesn't necessarily mean their advice was the best.
Bottom line, I am proud of my campaign staff, my volunteers and all those who voted for me.
Hi Larry:
Obviously, from Twin Falls I'm watching and commenting on all this from afar.
There's also obviously a split among Democrats on this race. DNC vs. DCCC, Grant vs. Andrus, whatever. I don't know exactly why. I don't particularly care. I do know, however, that whoever comes out of this will have some fence mending to do. It's not in anyone's interest to let this get too acrimonious.
Personally, I'm not closing the door on you or on Walt (or on Rand Lewis, for that matter). I want to see which one of you three hits the ground running. It's going to take a smart and aggressive campaign to win, perhaps even bordering on obnoxious. Whoever does that first and does it best gets my support ... from afar.
That said, the fact you actually showed up and responded personally to this stuff says quite a bit. I admire that.
Yes, thank you Mr. Grant for the same form letter BS that you used after you lost.
The race was yours to lose, and you did exactly that. Good job, I guess. But maybe the congratulations goes to those that are going to get paid whether you win or lose?
You've lost funding and voters with this little spew of adult rage, Mr. Grant, I can assure you of that. As for DCCC vs. Kos and your reply? Just shows how out of touch you are. You ran your campaign similar to a DCCC campaign. I didn't say you accepted their money. You didn't, however, run your campaign as Markos has so generously laid out in Crashing the Gate. You ignored a wealth of free good advice and paid for bad advice, then you sit back on your laurels while opportunities to get name recognition slide on by. All the while people like Don continue to draw their check from monies donated to your campaign by hardworking Idahoans that would like to see you spend it on a winning campaign, this time.
For the record, Jay--
All of my work for Larry this year has been on a volunteer basis. I am not on Larry's payroll.
He has bought me lunch a couple times, however.
I've said it more than once, in north Idaho Larry Grant answered tough questions, knocked on doors, visited north Idaho events, and brought Democrats, Independents, and Republicans out of the woodwork to vote for him. His loss is a typical, Democratic Idaho loss in a state that has vigorously embraced Republican "values" for many years. It's time for change and Larry Grant is that change, probably more so than any other Idaho Democratic candidate running in the 2008 election.
Comment By Idagreen, 11-28-07With all this advice, you'd think there'd be a dozen candidates for every open seat. Who needs Republicans when we've got LG to beat up on? How about we cast aspersions on every Democrat that has lost election in the last 20 years, that would be really productive.
We should be building on whatever progress has been made and use constructive criticism (what?!?) to move forward! Just in case, everyone please stop eating cornflakes, they're probably genetically modified anyway.