Near the end of yesterday’s WAMC debate, the candidates for New York’s 19th Congressional District were asked which presidential candidate they voted for in 2016. Incumbent Republican John Faso gave the shortest answer. “I voted for Gary Johnson,” he said, referring to the libertarian candidate. “I think that suffices.”
Perhaps our famously sensitive president missed that answer, because this morning President Donald Trump announced his enthusiastic support for Faso via Twitter.
Congressman John Faso of New York has worked hard and smart. Strong on Crime, Borders and our 2nd Amendment, John is respected by all. Vote for John. He has my complete and total Endorsement!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 23, 2018
The Faso campaign had no immediate comment on the president’s endorsement.
The president’s endorsement for Faso comes just as the freshman congressman’s chief opponent, Democrat Antonio Delgado, is preparing to welcome former vice president Joe Biden to the district for a rally in Kingston this Friday. Delgado previously picked up the endorsement of former President Barack Obama in August.
Donald Trump won the 19th district by 6.8 points in 2016.
The congressional race is a dead heat. According to a Siena Poll of likely voters released yesterday, Faso has 44 percent to Delgado’s 43 percent, followed by independent candidate Diane Neal, 5 percent, and Green Party candidate Steve Greenfield, 1 percent, with 7 percent undecided.
Just remember folks — Trump and his peers have been feeding a dark and
dangerous brand of hatred in this nation since the campaign. This week are
seeing that play out in what are now at least 9 Bombs sent to ‘the opposition’.
Charlottesville saw Nazis and White Supremecists murder someone in the street
in broad daylight; while violently beating multiple protesters. (Fortunately the
majority of those Trump supporters have been successfully prosecuted and jailed.)
Montana’s Congressman beating a member of the news media, and Trump
applauding that violence.
Swastika’s eagerly painted throughout Kingston by someone who’s believing it is OK to do this now, in great part due to the tone of the current administration.
That is the issue here — Trump’s bully pulpit is moving individuals to commit acts of violence, some who are within the government itself.
This should be a major red flag to all of us. Trump and team are systematically serving propoganda to his and their base, and those folks are begining to act accordingly by committing violence at increasing levels.
Faso believes in Trump’s methods. Faso didn’t show up to face-to-face meetings with constiuents for more than a year, instead he was hiding.
Faso lied on camera to a woman who asked him about healthcare, just like Trump, the lie is on the record – that is not fake news. That is fact news.
Faso must be a part of the broader check and balance on Trump’s rhetoric, Trump’s thug methods, Trump’s abuse of power. Trump and his team are actively and strategically cultivating a culture of violence that is the “Mob” they are talking about and it is extremely dangerous.
The only way to stop this in its tracks and force compromise and a check on the system at large is to VOTE.
Faso = No Vote of Confidence