By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Monday, the Dr. Chad Mathis for Congress campaign released a statement defending their embattled campaign consultants, Jamestown Associates.
Dr. Mathis said in a prepared statement, “The Washington establishment has launched an assault on Jamestown Associates, a valued member of our media team. My campaign is proud to stand with Jamestown even if the old DC party bosses disagree. In doctor speak, DC is a blocked artery that is in dire need of bypass surgery. With Jamestown Associates’ help, we will take a scalpel to those old party bosses and insert new conservative blood into Congress.”
Jamestown Associates is a campaign consulting firm headed by Larry Weitzner and specializing in advertising that has worked as a political, strategic and public policy consultant to campaigns, businesses, political and civic organizations.
Jamestown Associates most prominent client is New Jersey Chris Christie (R). They have come under intense political fire recently for their work with the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF). The SCF was founded by then Senator Jim Demint (R) from South Carolina to elect conservatives to the U.S. Senate, even if that means supporting challengers to Republican incumbents.
The SCF has targeted Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell form Kentucky, drawing the wrath of the Senate Republicans.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has informed Jamestown Associates that because of its work for SCF that it would not receive any contracts with the NRSC campaign committee.
According to original reporting by Jonathan Martin with the New York Times, a senior official at the committee has called individual Republican Senate campaigns and other party organizations this week and urged them not to hire Jamestown Associates to punish them for working for the SCF.
NRSC Spokesman Brad Dayspring said, “We’re not going to do business with people who profit off of attacking Republicans. Purity for profit is a disease that threatens the Republican Party.”
Martin is reporting that the NSRC has reportedly asked 2014 Senate candidates, the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee (the senatorial committee’s House counterpart), the Republican Governors Association and other Republican campaigns to join in blacklisting Jamestown Associates.
The Executive Director of the SCF, Matt Hoskins said, “This is happening because Mitch McConnell is having a complete meltdown. He can’t defend his record so he’s threatening and attacking everyone who disagrees with him. He’s so rattled, he has decided to declare war on the entire conservative movement, which represents the very people he needs to win re-election. This isn’t the behavior of a confident person. It’s the irrational reaction of a power-hungry bully who isn’t getting his way.”
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford (R) said, “When some in Washington stepped away from our campaign, Jamestown stood with us and fought. I think their team is a good one and what a few in D.C. decide isn’t going to change that.”
Senator McConnell’s Chief of Staff, Josh Holmes said on Friday, “S.C.F. has been wandering around the country destroying the Republican Party like a drunk who tears up every bar they walk into. The difference this cycle is that they strolled into Mitch McConnell’s bar and he doesn’t throw you out, he locks the door.”
SCF has endorsed Matt Bevin (R) from Louisville in the Kentucky Republican Primary to unseat the Senate Minority leader. SCF said on their website,
“Matt Bevin is a constitutional conservative who will fight to stop the massive spending, bailouts, and debt that are destroying our country. He isn’t afraid to stand up to the Washington establishment and he will do what it takes to stop Obamacare, cut spending, and get the government off our backs. And Matt Bevin isn’t just the most principled candidate in this race; he’s also the most electable. Mitch McConnell is unpopular with independent voters and is already polling behind the Democratic candidate. If McConnell is the Republican nominee, he could cost the party the seat and even the majority.”
Dr. Mathis is an Indian Springs orthopedist who helped start the Alabama Bone and Joint Clinic, He also was the founding chairman of the Alabama Coalition for Charter Schools.
He faces stiff Republican competition including: the co-founder and long time CEO of the Birmingham based Alabama Policy Institute (API), Gary Palmer and State Representative Paul DeMarco (R) from Homewood.
Mathis, Palmer, and DeMarco are running for the Sixth District Congressional District currently held by Rep. Spencer Bachus (R) from Vestavia. After serving in the seat for 21 years, Rep. Bachus announced that he would not seek re-election when his current term expires.
The Republican Primary will be in June 2014.