The Sweep: Red Meat and Baseball

Plus: A look at VA GOP gubernatorial hopeful Pete Snyder.

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Campaign Quick Hits

A Paid Press Release: On Monday, the Democratic National Committee announced that it has leased billboards for one month in 20 states “to thank Biden and Democratic senators for approving $1,400 stimulus checks” and “remind motorists that their GOP senators opposed the payments to 127 million Americans.” 

Billboards don’t cost a lot of money and I’ll bet they sent that press release to every local newspaper, television, and radio station in each of those states. Technically, earned media is what you get for free—your candidate says something crazy to get attention. A paid press release is when you spend a little bit of money—a clever ad that only runs on television one time, for example—and try to make news out of it. 

This, my friends, is a great example of a paid press release. 

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Comments (26)
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  1. Avatar photo
    Tiffany W

    Re: Senator Lee. He has absolutely been trying to up his credentials with the dug in Trump Republicans. Doing so could very well ensure a win in a base turn out election. It could also go a long way in helping the amnesia about the term limits thing. I wonder if the LDS church just dealt him a bit of a blow during this past weekend's general conference. It most likely won't matter with those voters he's been courting comparing Trump to Captain Moroni and getting indignant during the impeachment trial etc. Still, it might sting a bit.

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  2. Mathew A

    "But the political addicts in the rest of the country were feeling left out of the shabby show in Atlanta. They too wanted the tingle of sweet outrage on their lips."

    love it

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  3. Avatar photo
    Sad Trombone

    I think support of Trump is going to be the equivalent of waiving the bloody shirt for the next 20 years. I really liked what I was reading about that guy until he bragged about supporting that demagogue two times - never, never, never.

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      Sad Trombone

      Could you PLEASE give us a 5 minute editing window like every other civilized comment section does?????

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        Angie

        It's substack...complain to them

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  4. Avatar photo
    David M

    Chris writes well. I enjoy reading him second only to the G-file!

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  5. Mike Darnell

    I will read again but it was my initial impression

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  6. Avatar photo
    Matmos

    I think there is an argument to be made that with Trump out of office and not dominating news coverage it has probably gotten easier for a Republican to get some traction in northern VA. But not much traction if they continue to load themselves down with Trump baggage.

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  7. Mike Darnell

    Chris...I’m a bit disappointed in your view that MLB was probably right (or would not be punished by public outcry) to move the All Star game from Atlanta. I’m a Never Trumper and while not pleased in total with the new Voter bill I do not believe that it suppresses the vote of anyone. Quite frankly, I would like to see ALL mail in voting eliminated. Expand early voting making it easier for Souls to Polls and any group that wants to vote in person. Poll workers can provide water to voters. Don’t think for a second that when water/food is provided to voters waiting in line that a friendly canvas is not employed. Heck...more than anything provide lawn chairs to these voters but NOT from candidate or party operatives.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Matmos

      I didn’t get the sense Stirewalt was for the move, rather that he was explaining what it looked like from their perspective.

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  8. Drew Crawley

    Jim Cooper represents Nashville. I didn't realize that was considered a purple district.

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  9. Avatar photo
    Adam

    Did you ask Snyder about 1/6, in light of his continued support for Trump? If so, what did he say?

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    1. Avatar photo
      Adam

      Related, does he acknowledge the legitimacy of the 2020 election?

      Any pro-Trump GOP candidate needs to be asked both of these, every interview.

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      1. William Lowery

        These questions were asked of him last night at an event in Fairfax that I attended. He condemned the violence on 1/6. He said that the results are what they are and that we need to ensure election security going forward. Probably the best answers he can give in light of the fact that he is seeking to bridge two distinct wings of the GOP in VA.

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  10. John

    Really love Chris Stirewalt on the sweep, he has exactly the right amount of cheekiness.

    Also really confused about Snyder talking about N. Virginia/Alexandria. Isn't that like the most liberal part? Is he just blowing hot air? I know Virginia is not a complete lock for dems, but I don't think threat for them is Alexandria.

    Also the idea that Democrats are not focused on the economy but instead balloons(?) is hilarious. Like I get that he has to sell his own campaign, but what is he even referring to? Some environmental regulation that no one actually cares about?

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    1. Kevin Brady

      Yes, I'm here in Alexandria, and you're right - I'd be shocked if any Republican could win City Council or even a decent minority chunk of the vote for state seats. Very tunnel-vision - it'd be like a Dem winning in Northern Alabama.

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      1. William Lowery

        I don't think the GOP could win, but there is a ton of anger at the current mayor of Alexandria (Justin Wilson) and progressive policies (e.g., "car diets" for transportation, getting rid of single-family residence zoning limitations, etc.) That might be what he's referring to.

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About Sarah Isgur

A staff writer for The Dispatch. With experience on three presidential campaigns and all three branches, she knows how decisions in Washington get made.
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About Chris Stirewalt

Chris Stirewalt is a contributing editor of The Dispatch and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Read his weekly column here on Mondays and his politics newsletter, Stirewaltisms, on Fridays.
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About Audrey Fahlberg

Audrey is a reporter for The Dispatch covering Congress and campaigns. She was previously a Bartley Fellow at the Wall Street Journal and studied politics at the University of Virginia. Follow her on Twitter: @AudreyFahlberg.
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