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Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Iraq veteran abandons campaign for Senate
By Chris Cillizza
The Washington Post
Paul Hackett alleged Democratic party leaders sabotaged his efforts.
WASHINGTON — Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett withdrew from Ohio's U.S. Senate race Tuesday, blaming the national Democratic Party for his inability to gain financial traction in his primary contest against Rep. Sherrod Brown.
"I made this decision reluctantly, only after repeated requests by party leaders, as well as behind-the-scenes machinations that were intended to hurt my campaign," Hackett said in his formal withdrawal statement.
Hackett alleged that several party leaders — including Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. — had made calls to donors discouraging them from contributing to his campaign, allegations DSCC spokesman Phil Singer denied.
Hackett's departure from the race ensures that Brown, a seven-term House member, will be the Democrats' standard-bearer in the fall against Republican Sen. Mike DeWine. Liberal blogs, which are largely credited with building Hackett into a national force, were divided on his decision and its ramifications. Former Sen. Gary Hart, D-Colo., condemned the situation as "old politics at its worst" on the Huffington Post blog. Markos Moulitsas, who runs the popular Democratic blog Daily Kos, defended the move, however, arguing that Hackett "didn't stand a chance" against Brown in the primary.
Republicans sought to paint Hackett's withdrawal as a blow to Democrats' chances in November. "Hackett was controversial and said some nutty stuff, but he had the potential to play in the middle," said National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Dan Ronayne.
Hackett's decision not to run for the Senate ends a political odyssey that began in August 2005 with his largely unheralded candidacy in the Cincinnati area's 2nd District. The seat was vacated when Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, was named U.S. trade representative.
Iraq veteran abandons campaign for Senate
By Chris Cillizza
The Washington Post
Paul Hackett alleged Democratic party leaders sabotaged his efforts.
WASHINGTON — Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett withdrew from Ohio's U.S. Senate race Tuesday, blaming the national Democratic Party for his inability to gain financial traction in his primary contest against Rep. Sherrod Brown.
"I made this decision reluctantly, only after repeated requests by party leaders, as well as behind-the-scenes machinations that were intended to hurt my campaign," Hackett said in his formal withdrawal statement.
Hackett alleged that several party leaders — including Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. — had made calls to donors discouraging them from contributing to his campaign, allegations DSCC spokesman Phil Singer denied.
Hackett's departure from the race ensures that Brown, a seven-term House member, will be the Democrats' standard-bearer in the fall against Republican Sen. Mike DeWine. Liberal blogs, which are largely credited with building Hackett into a national force, were divided on his decision and its ramifications. Former Sen. Gary Hart, D-Colo., condemned the situation as "old politics at its worst" on the Huffington Post blog. Markos Moulitsas, who runs the popular Democratic blog Daily Kos, defended the move, however, arguing that Hackett "didn't stand a chance" against Brown in the primary.
Republicans sought to paint Hackett's withdrawal as a blow to Democrats' chances in November. "Hackett was controversial and said some nutty stuff, but he had the potential to play in the middle," said National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Dan Ronayne.
Hackett's decision not to run for the Senate ends a political odyssey that began in August 2005 with his largely unheralded candidacy in the Cincinnati area's 2nd District. The seat was vacated when Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, was named U.S. trade representative.
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