Today, FireNunnelee.com went live. A hattip goes to Majority in MS for picking up the tip. It is a classic mid-campaign negative website. It has no fingerprints left on it whatsoever.
This is the second time in a week that those opposed to the Alan Nunnelee (R) candidacy to unseat Travis Childers (D) has taken a public swipe at him. Suprisingly, Childers himself came out last week swinging against Nunnelee and his opposition to the $700+ billion dollar stimulus bill.
The FireNunnelee website has no indication about who started it, but it looks “professionally unprofessional”. It is quite obviously not the work of someone that wants to run for Alan Nunnelee’s state Senate seat. There are, in fact, only a few entities that would have any vested interest whatsoever in doing a negative piece like this so early in a congressional race.
1. Travis Childers camp
I view this possibility as very unlikely. I can’t for the life of me imagine that they’d be quite that stupid. However, there is one interesting line in the site. He hasn’t fought for our needs in Lee and Pontotoc Counties.. That’s exactly where the battleground in a Childers vs. Nunnelee race will be. If Childers wants him “hit” anywhere, it’s right there.
2. The DCCC, or someone on their behalf
This might very well be a source for who did it. They have the motivation and the resources.
3. Some unnamed PAC.
Possibly, but I can’t imagine which PAC would take such a general swipe at an opposite primary candidate 15 months from an election when the field isn’t even fully formed.
4. The MS Democrat Party
Sam Hall has already come out on his the MS Democrat Party Blog and disclaimed any involvement by the party. He was forwarded the link. It’d be interesting to know “by who?”. Maybe they know.
5. Some unhinged, tofu-smoking wingnut
Highly unlikely. This was a professional deal.
The whole premise of “firing Alan Nunnelee” is sort of stupid. He’s basically already said that he’s going to run for Congress. Anyway, whoever did this continues to do Nunnelee a giant favor. They are certifying his legitmacy as not only A candidate that will provide opposition to Childers, but as THE candidate that will oppose Childers. It gives Nunnelee fuel to coalesce his base and raise money. It makes him look like the heir apparent and will likely continue to provide a clear field on the R side of the ledger, which is bad news for Childers.
Until the real source of the site becomes public, we are only left to conjecture.
Magnolia Tribune
