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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 21 July 2018
Democrats find not-so-secret weapon in Trump controversies

By LISA LERER groups like EMILY's List. Sen.
Associated Press Tim Kaine, a Richmond na-
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — As tive who has a comfortable
Democratic congressional lead in his re-election race,
candidate Abigail Span- and McAuliffe are eagerly
berger mingled Wednes- helping Spanberger with
day night with supporters joint campaign appear-
at a Richmond brewery, ances, campaign dollars
one person hung like a and organization support.
shadow over the gleaming Spanberger has also court-
brew tanks and grilled food ed the new activism flow-
truck pizza. ing into the party. She's
As they watched their refused to take corporate
kids play with Legos in the PAC money and said she
corner of the bar, Kristen won't back House Speaker
Martin and William Caul- Nancy Pelosi, arguing the
der grumbled about Presi- party needs new energy.
dent Donald Trump's lat- Supporters in places like
est scandal, a controver- Goochland County are
sial news conference with thrilled to see the Span-
Russia's president. Liberal berger signs suddenly crop-
activists made their way ping up on their neighbors'
through the crowd, re- lawns.
cruiting people to attend Former CIA officer and Democratic candidate for the 7th district Congressional seat, Abigail "I'm a Republican in recov-
a Russia-themed protest Spanberger, center, speaks to supporters at a rally in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, July 18, 2018. ery," said Linda Caldwell, a
later that night outside the Associated Press retiree proudly wearing a
office of Republican Rep. "Brat is the Wurst" pin. "She is
Dave Brat, the district's cur- tions. with Trump's handling of his office. "But it also makes me talking about solving prob-
rent congressman. When Still, even with Spanberger summit with Putin, opinions want to do something." lems. David Brat just talks
Spanberger stood at the on the ticket, Democrats largely divided along party Trump's win has helped about things that make
front of the room to answer shouldn't have a seri- lines. Democrats recruit scores of people angry."
questions, Melissa Dart, a ous chance in this district, "The Russia stuff is going to first-time candidates, even Despite such enthusiasm,
Democratic voter, sought which stretches from the be a footnote at the end of in places the party typically Spanberger faces an uphill
a response to the "uniquely suburbs west of Richmond this," said Tom Davis, a for- loses. Some of those newly climb. Many Republican
sobering" events in Helsinki. to rural towns at the base mer Virginia congressman minted politicians are vet- voters in the area like the
"This week has been a real- of the Blue Ridge Moun- who once headed the erans and intelligence ex- president's agenda, even
ly difficult-to-watch week," tains. Trump won the area GOP's campaign commit- perts, which could help the if they don't always agree
Spanberger replied, saying by eight points in 2016 and tee. "There's so much hap- party speak to national se- with how he expresses it.
Americans must accept Brat, famous for ousting pening and this is the crisis curity issues that have often "It's his personality that has
that Russia interfered in the House Majority Leader Eric du jour." played to Republicans. just thrown everybody be-
U.S. elections. "From an in- Cantor four years ago, had Democrats see it slightly Like many of the new Dem- cause you expect your
telligence perspective and a 15-point re-election vic- differently: Former Virginia ocratic candidates, Span- president to be calm and
from a national security tory. Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a berger was at least partially agreeable, but he's any-
perspective, the concern But Democrats have a not- Democrat who's hosting a motivated to run by Trump's thing but," said Judy Tun-
that I have is: What are so-secret weapon: Trump. fundraiser for Virginia Dem- foreign policy, specifically stile, as she finished up her
they going to interfere with From suburban Virginia to ocratic House candidates his early push to pursue a shopping at the Costco in
next?" southern California, the at his home this weekend, ban on travel from pre- Chesterfield, Virginia. "But
Another difficult week for president has sparked a said the steady stream of dominantly Muslim coun- he's getting things done."
Trump is a good week for Democratic renaissance, controversy reminds Dem- tries. This week, Spanberger Brat faces some unique
Spanberger, one of doz- prompting candidates, ocrats why they need to assailed Trump for his meet- challenges. He's failed to
ens of Democrats running activists and voters to pour show up at the polls. ing with Putin. But typically, win back more establish-
strong in Republican terri- their outrage, money and "Every day is one more she says, she doesn't spend ment Republicans who
tory thanks, in part, to the time into local races across notch in the belt of people much time talking about supported Cantor. Some
president. While Republi- the country. After years of who think Trump is plain in- foreign policy or the presi- Republicans say he has
cans grappled with how bashing the GOP establish- sane," he said. "This is going dent. "What the president little real organization and
to respond to Trump's per- ment, Republican lawmak- to be a big turnout year be- has done is he has created struggles to keep staff. His
formance in Helsinki, Dem- ers and operatives say Brat cause of Trump." a level of uneasiness for office has one of the high-
ocrats' path was clear. is now begging for financial Gretchen Metzroth, a soft- many people," she says. est turnover rates in the
Across the country, Trump's support from the national spoken 62-year-old, never "But I want people to vote House, according to LegiS-
ability to constant court party. considered herself particu- for me. It's not enough to torm, a non-partisan web-
controversy is providing Brat declined multiple inter- larly political. That changed have people vote against site that tracks Capitol Hill's
weekly shots of adrenaline view requests. in November 2016. Since Donald Trump." workforce. And some be-
to already-energized Dem- Strategists from both parties then, she's joined a protest The party has flocked to lieve controversial Repub-
ocratic voters. agree that opposition to choir, and regularly writes her candidacy. She raised lican senate candidate
This week's developments Trump alone isn't enough to letters, emails and calls $1.35 million to Brat's $1.34 Corey Stewart will depress
were tailor-made for Span- win a congressional race. Congress. "I can't even million, though she spent turn-out statewide.
berger, a 38-year-old for- And Democrats and Re- watch the news when the the bulk of that to win the Unlike some Republican in-
mer CIA operative equally publicans doubt the elec- president is on because it competitive primary leav- cumbents, who've stressed
comfortable discussing tion will be decided by any just gets me so angry," she ing her with less in the bank their independence from
undercover anti-terrorism singular action taken by said, standing with protest- than Brat. She's backed the president, Brat has re-
operations and the work Trump. While polling shows ers on a patch a grass in by top national and state mained one of Trump's
of Parent Teacher Associa- most Americans disagreed front of Brat's congressional officials and Democratic strongest supporters. q