In May when the race in House District 19 was picking up steam, Steve Golden promised that he would run a clean campaign. This week Steve Golden broke his promise.
Steve Golden sent a mailer to District 19 voters that is deceitful, underhanded, and is in blatant disregard for the promise he had made. Isn’t it ironic that to question Daniel Stout’s integrity, Steve Golden had to compromise his own?
Does a man’s word mean anything anymore? It does to Daniel Stout.
Daniel has insisted that those helping with his campaign refrain from negative attacks on his opponents. It was out of respect for Daniel’s wishes that I said nothing about his challengers when I posted about the District 19 race in my “Who’s on Your Ballot?� series.
Daniel Stout has kept his word and has run a clean, positive campaign. Steve Golden has shown the entire district that he cannot be trusted.
Earlier today I asked Daniel about the votes Golden called into question.  On the accusation of missing 45 votes in the session, Daniel explained this when Paulette Braddock brought up the issue at the Chamber of Commerce debate. Daniel’s response, which you can watch for yourself here, was:
“I’d like to rebut Ms. Braddock’s claims that I missed a great number of days at the capitol. I missed a day – with the Speaker’s permission and approval ahead of time – because the FDIC was coming in to audit the bank. For the first day they were there, I needed to be there to introduce them to the credit files, and so I did miss a day. I don’t know exactly how many votes there were that day – maybe 40 or 45 – but it wasn’t an irresponsible missage of votes. I just wanted to clarify that.�
On Daniel’s vote against the regional transportation plan, Daniel told me that he liked the bill and would have voted for it, but during his campaign he made a promise that he would not vote for it. Steve Golden is berating Daniel Stout for honoring a promise to his constituents.
On the missed vote for a constitutional amendment blocking the Obama health care legislation on the day Daniel was excused, Daniel told me they would have brought up the issue later in the session, but they didn’t have enough votes to pass it.
Steve Golden is smearing the good name of a great representative by twisting his facts and telling half-truths.
Let’s talk about issues. Let’s talk about our candidates. Let’s talk about what’s good for the state and the county. But let’s not stoop to the level of Steve Golden by lying to voters and by breaking the promises we make.
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Show me where he promised a clean race!!!
Everything stated was fact and should be brought to the attention of the voters! Way to break your vow to staying negative-free.
Golden promised Stout’s campaign manager in person that he would run a clean race. Golden twisted half-truths to intentionally deceive voters and should be ashamed of himself and his campaign.
Show me…. Is it negative to tell the truth?
The mailer claims he was absent from the session to put work ahead of his duties as representative. The truth that he missed one day (explained in detail above) is twisted to make it look like he couldn’t be bothered to show up at the capitol the majority of the time.
The mailer states that he opposed the transportation bill to deny the district the opportunity to vote on the issue. The truth is he was honoring his word to constituents, even though it was a bill he would have otherwise supported.
The mailer states he was excused from session the day they voted on the constitutional amendment to block Obama Care. The truth is that they couldn’t pass that amendment even with Stout’s help, but the mailer conveniently overlooks that point.
He was absent one day and that has been discussed openly at previous forums. Not once did it perceive that Stout missed the majority of the time.
It is fact that he did oppose the transportation bill. That is 100% true, and you have already stated that. It doesn’t matter if Stout promised anything, the fact is, he opposed it. Where is the lie in what Golden said there?
The Obama Care legislation piece was passed by just a small number of votes, and Stout should have been present for that important vote. Maybe it would not have passed with his vote, but I know that I want my representative to give 110% for the people in which he represents. Who knows that he could have persuaded another member to vote against Obama Care. Daniel is a smooth talker, and that is what Stout is known for.
So apparently we’re going to run around in circles disagreeing here.
1. The wording on missing votes was done in a way that would cause people to think he was absent regularly. It was intentionally misleading.
2. The wording on the transportation bill piece took the truth that he opposed it and twisted it to make it seem like he opposes citizens voting on things like that.
3. They didn’t bring up the Obama Care block later in the session because they still didn’t have the votes to pass it, even with Stout. The mailing implies that it didn’t pass, and that it was his fault.
This dirty campaigning to intentionally deceive voters is nothing short of despicable. You should be ashamed for your candidate.
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