Running for Congress is hard. Everyone wants a piece of you. Ask Kerry Bentivolio. His fellow Republicans expect he'll talk with them, reporters are always asking about why he wanted to make children cry, and those do-gooders at the League of Women Voters want him to show up at their candidate forum.
Well, Bentivolio isn't into any of that nonsense. He has no time for these LWV gals and their elitist “forum.” He had a prior commitment. No doubt that other thing was very important.
Detroit Free Press: Bentivolio told the League of Women Voters of Northwest Wayne County that he had a prior commitment.
The candidates who did show up at the Plymouth library to share their views with about 150 people on subjects ranging from taxes to the possibility of Iran developing a nuclear weapon were Democrats Syed Taj of Canton and David Curson of Belleville; Sosnowski of Dearborn Heights; Libertarian John Tatar of Livonia, and Green Party candidate Steven Duke of Jonesville.
Twenty years ago, Eddie Murphy made an underrated movie, The Distinguished Gentleman, about a conman who runs a shadow campaign for Congress and wins because he has the same name as district’s long-time, now dead Representative.
Bentivolio is basically running a similar strategy. Rather than relying on false name identification, he’s hoping that, as the accidental Republican nominee (thanks Thad McCotter!) he’ll win by default in this heavily Republican district. You know, without actually having to campaign.
Bentivolio's game isn't as funny or charming as Murphy's, but it's no less effective. Considering the reward is a $174,000 taxpayer-funded salary for the next two years, you can't hardly blame him.
Gerrymandering, it’s fantastic! – JTW
