Wink Hartman ad a bust, disservice

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On Tuesday the Wink Hartman campaign began running a television advertisement that contains claims about Mike Pompeo that, so far, are unsubstantiated. See Hartman ad malicious and false, says Pompeo and Pompeo Disputes Claims In Hartman Ads, Demands Hartman Show Evidence.

Hartman’s campaign manager said he would supply proof of the claims made in the ad by Daniel Lind, a Wichita businessman, by late Wednesday. As of Friday, little in the way of evidence has been provided. The Hartman staff says it is gathering documents and waiting for a bank to provide documents.

So what can we make of this advertisement, and more importantly, the candidate pacing the ad?

One thing we know for sure is that the Hartman campaign prepared and aired the ad without having evidence of the claims. If it had evidence, it should have been able to provide it immediately upon request.

Whether the claims turn out to be true or not, this unpreparedness we can be certain of. This is evidence of recklessness of Hartman, his campaign, and the people — including political consultant Axiom Strategies — involved in his election effort.

Axiom is a controversial political consulting firm. On its website, it boasts of news coverage of the campaigns it and its head, Jeff Roe, have run: “Controversial campaign tactics are the stuff of political legend,” “Known for his bare-knuckle campaign tactics,” “Political consultant plays hardball and scores big: The pugnacious campaign tactics…”

Further, these attack ads that are sprung on the voting public at the last moment are a public disservice. With little time to investigate the claims — and with the Hartman campaign dragging out the process — voters are understandably frustrated.

Additionally, the claim made in this advertisement has nothing to do with public policy. Even if it was true.

Recent ads placed by candidates for the Republican Party nomination for United States Congress from the fourth district of Kansas have been positive ads, with candidates talking about themselves and their plans if elected to Congress.

That’s true of all campaigns except the Hartman campaign. He continues to sling mud at the candidate he considers his chief rival. Voters ought to consider this when deciding whom to vote for.

Remember that political ads are now accompanied the statements of candidates that they approve the ads: “I’m Wink Hartman and I approve this ad.”

The candidates for this nomination and their campaign websites are Wichita businessman Jim Anderson, Wichita businessman Wink Hartman, Wichita businessman Mike Pompeo, Latham engineer Paij Rutschman, and Kansas Senator Jean Schodorf.

Comments

17 responses to “Wink Hartman ad a bust, disservice”

  1. Val in Valhala

    Hartman is terribly sleazy! If his opponents wanted to, they could tell the people what he’s really like. He’d have NO CHANCE in this election if people knew the truth about his immorality, DUIs, cruelty to his first wife.

    He’s trying to buy this election. Too bad few Republicans will look into his record.

  2. Mike

    Hi

    I’m guessing that the next 4th District Congressman from Kansas will be Raj. The two Conservative candidates are busily cutting each other’s throats, Rutschman and Anderson don’t have much money, and finally few conservatives will vote for Schodorf. Raj actually talked a good conservative line on the radio this morning, he sounded like he believed it too. It really doesn’t matter if he does because after he gets to DC he’ll have to suck up to Nancy. I’d just as soon vote for Raj as Shodorf, at least he’s SUPPOSED to be a socialist after he gets elected.

    Later

    Mike
    Wichita KS

  3. Eisenhower Republican

    Thank You for calling this spade a spade.

    I am sick of the political slime talking about the other guy instead of the issues.

    I will not vote for Hartman or Pompeo; I will not vote for Tiahart or Moran due to their living in the pig pen.

    They all need to come home, and shut their mouth.

  4. Jane – Wichita

    Great article/blog. The “political consultants” (a/k/a the munchkin behind the green curtain) generate these ridiculous ads with no regard for the fallout. They’re not responsible; the candidate approved it. And what happened to investigative reporting in the mainstream media? When did it become okay to use unsubstantiated information as the basis of a story?

    Mike Pompeo is an honest, genuine, concerned person. Most of us would not wade into the waters of this political chaos, but Mike believes that he has a responsibility to help right this ship and bring back a country of limited government without bailouts and handouts.

  5. sue c.

    Hartman is indeed showing his true colors by his reckless use of this false ad and others in his continuing “smear Pompeo” strategy. And he has used over $1 Million of his own money to do it! (Wanna bet he writes this off his taxes?)

    Goebbels, in WWII Germany, invented this despicable propaganda tactic. He said “Tell a lie enough times and it will become the truth.” In that case, it was employed to demonize the Jews. We all know what happened in that scenario.

    Today, it seems, controversial political firms like Axiom, and their willing clients, like Hartman, are using them.

    Pure Alinsky.

    Hartman is definitely NOT what we need in DC, another lying, smearing, step-all-over-your-opponent, amoral millionaire politician.

  6. Mom

    Like the work of the Kansas Policy Institute? They put together the booklet that many of us took to Topeka & gave to our legislators on AFP day.

    Mike Pompeo was a Trustee for the Kansas Policy Institute back when it was called The Flint Hills Center for Public Policy.

    You can’t ask for a better candidate!

  7. Wushock

    That’s it. I’m done with both of these slimy idiots. I’m voting for Raj.

  8. CarlosMayans

    I am very disappointed by the negative discourse between the campaigns, but the reaction of the comments above are just as destructive to the candidates and our community. I would like to share with you two other quotes. “In politics stupidity is not a handicap” by Napoleon, and “Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber”, Plato.

  9. todd

    in case you were not paying attention , and obviosly most of you are not, pompeo started the smear adds. check the dates.hartman’s came after pompeo threw the first punch.befor that all i saw was commercials discussing issues.pompous pompeo brought hartman into a fight and now wants to run a commercial saying we deserve to hear the issues. where were the issues 2 week ago? google sunflower wind industries. you will see that pompeo was a director and that taxes were not paid. my cousin’s payroll check bounced when he worked there.he told me of three wind towers that fell over.seems that mr pompeo has held several positions and then mysteriosly moved on.think real hard when at the polls. I can agree with the statement ” don’t belive a word mike pompeo says” because I can believe my cousin.

  10. Anonymous

    I wonder how Wink Hartman feels about the obviously illiterate “Todd” posting in his favor.

    Wait … maybe that is Wink Hartman posting as Todd. That would make perfect sense.

  11. sue c.

    With all due respect, Mr. Mayans, I really do not understand why you would be disappointed in any comments in this thread. This is free speech, and people “engaging in politics.” Or at least discussing the politics of this race.

    The fact that Mr. Hartman is engaging in a negative propaganda campaign against Mr. Pompeo needs to be brought to light for what it is: Alinsky politics.

    I encourage you to re-read the comments for a more complete understanding of the words. Hastily reading the comments could be what led you to your erroneous conclusions.

  12. Mike

    Hi again. Personally, I’m disgusted that the (for whatever reasons) top two conservative candidates are busy burying each other. By the time they get done with each other, the chances are say 90% that anyone else can win the election. From my LIMITED understanding of their thoughts on the ISSUES, 4 of the 5 Republican Candidates agree on most of the issues and would vote conservatively. That’s Hartman, Pompeo, Rutschman, and Anderson. Schodorf is a product of USD 259 and really should be running against Raj and Tilman. You don’t see much of Goyle vs Tilman adds. Goyle actually spouts Conservative ideals on his adds.

    Kind of sucks that based on their commercials, I don’t know much about the Republican’s stances on ANY issues don’t it??

    Later
    Mike
    Wichita KS

  13. Digitizer

    I am disgusted with this congressional campaign. Wink’s DUI and Florida residence problem is insurmountable. Spending $1 million to buy a congressional seat is unlikely to work.

    It has created huge negatives for Wink and Pompeo. The likely beneficiary is Raj Goyle, the most liberal candidate running. Even the eagle had to note that their former employee had worked for the far left ACLU organization that really does want to give terrorists rights.

    Wink needs to withdraw. He won’t, but he should. No one that I know is voting for him. I know several people who were, but have come back to their senses.

  14. Anonymous

    I still can’t get over illiterates like “Todd” posting. Can anyone understand what he means?

  15. Ann H.

    Wushock, Raj also might be one of those “slimy idiots.”
    I know he lied to my face about one particular issue–opposition to abortion. He came around to our house campaigning (in 2008), and he asked my husband and me what issues were important to us. When we mentioned being pro-life, he said his mother was an obstetrician and that he was in favor of anything that reduced abortions. Lo and behold, this year he voted against the law that would have put some enforcement teeth into Kansas’s late-term abortion law. He supports “anything that reduces abortions,” huh?

    Whatever a person feels about legal abortion, it’s clear he lied to our faces so that we’d hear what we wanted to.

  16. paul

    Goyle is a hard core lib.He will now act like a gop guy.Lies.
    Typical.ACLU.Sorros family money.Greeen Party helper in grad school.What more do you need?

  17. Wushock

    Well, personal social issues don’t speak to me that much. If they mattered, it would matter to me that Pompeo has some fidelity issues in his marriage, or that Wink has DUIs. I just don’t care.

    I want someone who will work on good sound fiscal policy. This running hard conservative on social stuff makes me sick. I’m just keeping an open mind. That is interesting, though, Ann.

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