Fellow Democrat looked to coordinate attack on 4th Congressional District candidate Lucy Flores
A fringe Democratic candidate in the 4th Congressional District race reached out to a competing campaign via text with the hopes of planning a coordinated attack on fellow Democrat Lucy Flores.
Dan Rolle is accusing Flores of using a fake social media account. The same day Rolle leveled that accusation, his campaign reached out to Dave Chase, Ruben Kihuen’s campaign manager, according to text messages obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
But Chase balked at the notion, telling Rolle’s camp that this isn’t “House of Cards.”
“Hi Dave, this is Dan Prada from the Rolle campaign,” Prada, Rolle’s communications director, texted Chase on Wednesday. Prada added they haven’t met but have “a common political interest.” That interest, Prada texted, is “exposing Lucy for the dishonest and corrupt person she is.”
.@danrolle campaign to @RubenKihuen camp: "Care to collaborate" in exposing @LucyFlores? Response: "zero interest." pic.twitter.com/11okHm8Sqz
— Ben Botkin (@BenBotkin1) June 2, 2016
Chase responded back: “No, we have zero interest in your backroom deal to attack a fellow Democrat.”
.@RubenKihuen campaign manager @dchase adds: No interest in "backroom deal to attack a fellow Democrat." pic.twitter.com/MZUngjslfY
— Ben Botkin (@BenBotkin1) June 2, 2016
Flores’ campaign on Thursday denied the allegations, saying it does not use any fake social media accounts.
Chase also asked if Rolle’s camp had reached out to the campaign of Susie Lee, another Democratic candidate. Lee’s campaign says Rolle hadn’t contacted them.
“No reason to be snarky, Dave,” Prada texted back. “You and I both know there are lapses in her character as a Democratic candidate that would undermine the party’s chance for the seat if she wins the primary. I thought we could collaborate for the greater good of the party.”
Chase’s response: “If you and Dan think these kind of shady attack deals are good for the party, you’re sorely mistaken. This isn’t House of Cards.”
Prada told the Review-Journal the goal was to ensure that if Rolle lost the primary, the Democratic nominee wouldn’t have the ethical concerns that Prada said surround Flores.
Flores responded to the move Thursday.
“One candidate in this race is upset at me for speaking out against the verbal threats and misogynistic statements made during and after our state convention,” Flores said in an emailed statement.
“He’s made it clear he’s on a crusade, and I have no intention of playing into his game,” Flores added. “We both happen to be supporters of (Democratic presidential candidate) Bernie Sanders, but the similarities end there.”
Eight Democratic candidates are running in the June 14 primary for the party’s nomination in the district, which includes North Las Vegas and six rural counties. The incumbent is U.S. Rep. Cresent Hardy, R-Nev., who is running for a second two-year term.
Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1
