KINSEY STAYS IN THE RACE DESPITE OFFER FROM ‘DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA’
***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
July 25, 2004
BOB KINSEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
Contact information: Hollie Kopp, (970) 224-5683
KINSEY STAYS IN THE RACE DESPITE OFFER FROM ‘DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA’
FORT COLLINS, CO – Worried by a relatively unknown Green candidate
already polling 34% after three months of early campaigning, Democracy
for America, a Democratic Party PAC, pressured Green Bob Kinsey to pull
out of his 4th district race after centrist Democrat Stan Matsunaka
announced at the end of May. “They flew out a DC consultant to ask me
what it would take for me to pull out of the race,” said Kinsey “That
tells me my campaign has a lot of potential. The consultant even
admitted that I was really strong on the issues.”
Kinsey took the time to listen to the Democracy for America
representative but remains committed to staying in the race. “The only
time I would pull out of the race is if the Green Party and my campaign
committee tell me to,” continued Kinsey, “So I made a suggestion that I
knew Democracy for America would turn down.”
Kinsey suggested to Democracy for America that he would need to hear
Matsunaka come out strongly against the Iraq war, against the Patriot
Act, for same-sex marriage rights nationwide, for single-payer universal
healthcare, for U.S. nuclear disarmament; and they would need to hire
Kinsey as Matsunaka’s congressional aide, reimburse his campaign
committee, and donate $200,000 to progressive candidate Mike Miles. “It
was a purposely unreasonable offer,” commented Kinsey, “I would never
engage in such a backroom deal, and I wouldn’t trust them to follow
through. Mr. Matsunaka is too centrist to take a stand on issues like that.”
Based in Washington, D.C., Democracy for America, nicknamed the
Deaniacs, has contributed $2000 to Matsunaka’s campaign. So far
Matsunaka has received almost $16,000 from political action committees
(or PACs) according to Federal Election Commission records. The Green
Party only accepts money from individuals and does not accept PAC money.
Kinsey proponent Steve Gifford said, “I was disappointed by the Denver
Post’s spin on this story, but that’s what I’ve come to expect from
their ‘Spin Cycle’ column. It’s nice to see a sincere person like Bob
Kinsey amidst all the cynical politicians and media.”
“The issues we’re trying to raise are too important to give up now,”
Kinsey added, “I’m asking progressives to at least cast another kind of
vote by registering Green even if they think they cannot vote their
conscience in the general election. Progressives need to let the major
parties know that they’re tired of these ‘lesser evil’ candidates, and
registering Green is one way to send that message.”
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For further information, contact Hollie Kopp at (970) 224-5683, Kinsey
for Congress, PO Box 1097, Fort Collins, CO 80522,
www.kinseyforcongress.org, media@kinseyforcongress.org
