DownWithTyranny!: Former Car Thief Darrell Issa Is Growing Increasingly Desperate As His Chances Of Reelection Diminish

Darrell Issa has the most sordid past of anyone in Congress today

In the last couple of weeks, you may have read about a poll of likey voters in Orange and San Diego counties that shows progressive Democrat and first time candidate, Doug Applegate, a former Marine colonel, closing in rapidly on Trump-backing extremist Darrell Issa. The new poll confirms another showing the race iall tied-up at 43-43%, in an increasingly swingy district where Obama beat McCain 50-49% and where Romnney beat Obama 52-46%.

This year, though, the district, which is almost entirely suburban and very well-educated, is swinging back in a Democratic direction, primarily because of the offensive presence of Trump at the top of the Republican ticket, a presence that Issa enthusiastically welcomed and supported. Hillary is leading Trump in CA-49 by 5 points-- 46-41% and Trump "is deeply unpopular, holding a 37-60% favorable-unfavorable rating."

The polling firm's memo makes it clear that "Issa is weighed down by the drag of Donald Trump’s presence at the top of the ticket and a rapidly shifting electorate that combine to make the 49th a level playing field. Most importantly, voters have had enough of the party politics at the center of the broken system in Congress, and they are looking for independent leaders like Marine Colonel Doug Applegate... Applegate holds a 14-point lead among self-ascribed Independents (45-31 percent), and an even bigger 51-33 percent advantage among No Party Preference (NPP) voters. This will be a difficult trend for Issa to reverse, as Independents favor a Democratic candidate over a Republican on the generic ballot, 39-30 percent."

Issa's response was to launch an ugly attack on Applegate over a divorce 2002, which backfired in Issa's face when Applegate's ex-wife went to the press and said she is voting for Applegate. "I’m disappointed that someone is making disrespectful and uninformed personal attacks against our family," his ex-wife said. "Doug and I are parents first, and we raised two amazing children together. I support his run for Congress and I will be voting for him in November." I have a feeling that none of the people whose businesses Issa burned down when he was making his living as an arsonist-for-hire, are willing to tell the press they are planning for vote for him in November.

As you may know Blue America endorsed Doug's campaign-- you can contribute here-- and a few days later, the DCCC added him to their Red-to-Blue page. Friday, Veterans For Bernie Founder and National Director, Tyson Manker, announced his group had endorsed Applegate as well.

Manker's statement was that "Colonel Applegate deployed to Ramadi, Iraq in 2006. He shouldered the burden with the 2.5 million Americans who laced up their boots and headed down range after September 11th. I know the Colonel will ask the right questions and ensure we are only sending our forces overseas when it is the last choice, not our first option... Veterans swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. Veterans For Bernie Sanders believes that the oath we took did not end the day we discharged, it continues into civilian service as well. First and foremost we must elect Representatives that are accountable to the people. We must elect Representatives with proven leadership. We must elect those that have the skills to reach across the aisle to end the paralysis that has brought our Congress to a stand still. Colonel Applegate’s opponent, Darrell Issa (U.S. Army veteran), voted to authorize the Iraq war, voted to cut an increase to military benefits, and dismissed 9/11 as 'just a plane crash.' That is why we endorse our brother, retired Marine Colonel Doug Applegate to be the next Representative of California’s 49th Congressional District... We have trusted commanders just like Colonel Applegate with our lives on the battlefield, which is why Veterans For Bernie knows he will do what is right for the people when elected to Congress on November 8th."