San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
House race heating up between Levin and Maryott
Rep. Mike Levin and his challenger, Brian Maryott, released ads on the same day last week that play to their perceived strengths — and mirror the national focus for Democrats and Republicans.
Levin, the two-term Democratic incumbent, emphasizes his support for a “woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion” and says his Republican opponent “will vote to undermine abortion rights in all 50 states.”
Maryott, the former mayor of San Juan Capistrano, says he knows what it’s like to “see your savings devoured by inflation” and is running for Congress to help “working families get rid of tax-raising, inflation-causing politicians like Mike Levin.”
Other issues — such as crime, gun control, environmental protection, immigration and the future of democracy — have worked their way into the campaign to represent the marginally Democratic 49th Congressional District, which straddles the San Diego Countyorange County line.
But their new 30-second video ads underscore that Maryott and Levin are engaging in parallel themes central to the fight for control over the House of Representatives in November.
Most Democratic candidates are talking about, and acting on, protecting abortion rights. The Supreme Court in June overturned the Roe v. Wade precedent, which for 50 years guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion.
Polls show a wide swath of Americans disagreed with the recent ruling and it energized Democratic voters and others who support abortion rights, which disrupted the Republican march to what appeared to be certain victory in the fall.
Democrats are spending an “unprecedented amount of money” on advertising related to abortion rights, according to the Associated Press. With the campaigns
just heating up, the Democratic Party already has spent an estimated $124 million on abortion-related ads.
The Democrats’ “investment in abortion messaging on TV this year through Sept. 18 is larger than the Republican Party’s combined national investment in ads relating to the economy, crime and immigration,” the AP said.
That still may not be enough to counter the historic advantage the out-ofpower party holds during midterm elections. Republicans need only five more House seats to gain the majority and one to flip the Senate.
The Supreme Court ruling essentially left regulating abortion up to the states. California has among the strongest abortion protections of any state, and after the June primary, Maryott maintained that was likely to never change.
He further dismissed the notion of a national abortion ban should Republicans take control in Washington. He wouldn’t say how he would vote on such legislation.
“I don’t anticipate there will be a national bill on abortion,” he said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., this month introduced a bill banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Other Republicans in Congress earlier had talked about pushing for a national ban.
According to Politico last week, Maryott said in a statement that he opposes such federal legislation, calling abortion a matter for states to decide and saying he supports exceptions for rape, incest and saving the woman’s life.
While public surveys show abortion rights is a top concern for people — for and against — inflation may be a bigger concern among a broader cross-section of voters.
Levin said he has helped to pass several bills “to address inflation and bring down the cost for everything from food to fuel,” according to a Q&A he did with The San Diego Union-tribune editorial board.
He added that Democrats in the House approved legislation to crack down on “price gouging by Big Oil, which has taken in recordbreaking profits while we pay for it at the gas pump.”
Nevertheless, that hasn’t translated into much relief for American consumers so far. Democrats haven’t seen the downward trajectory they were hoping for on the cost of living and, in particular, the price of gasoline.
While the thrust of both candidates’ ads are clear, they pack in several secondary messages. Levin links Maryott to Trump and broadly suggests “basic rights” are under attack. Maryott portrays himself a businessman who rose from working-class roots and now helps underprivileged people.
Levin’s ad opens with the candidate in front of a building with a Planned Parenthood sign on it.
“When it comes to choice, it makes a huge difference who you elect to Congress,” he says, wearing a sport coat and white shirt.
“I strongly support a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion. I co-sponsored the bill to make Roe versus Wade the law of the land.
“My opponent, Brian Maryott, is a strong Trump supporter. He celebrated when the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade.” (The words “Today was a historic day for the Supreme Court” flash on the screen, attributed to Maryott on June 24.)
“Brian Maryott will vote to undermine abortion rights in all 50 states,” Levin continues, as those words
appear superimposed on a map of the United States.
“I’m Mike Levin and I approve this message, because it’s time to stand up for our basic rights.”
In his ad, Maryott initially appears in shirtsleeves with trees in the background.
“I’m Brian Maryott. Before starting my business, I was a busboy, a cook, an overnight janitor,” he says.
“I know what it’s like to work and see your savings devoured by inflation and taxes. That’s why I teach financial literacy in underserved communities and that’s why I’m running for Congress.
“Helping working families means getting rid of tax-raising, inflation-causing politicians like Mike Levin.” (Here the screen shifts to a black-and-white video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, then to one of Levin, and then to a photo of them together.)
“Join me,” Maryott continues. “Let’s put people before politics.
“I’m Brian Maryott and I approve this message.”
Campaigns across the country are being shaped in part by particular dynamics of the district and often by local issues. But the themes of inflation and abortion are omnipresent.
Rep. Katie Porter, Dirvine, also recently cut an abortion-related ad, according to Politico, which noted that while Rep. Josh Harder, D-modesto, has emphasized district issues like water, he said his race “could determine the fate of reproductive rights in America.”
Meanwhile, four Democrats challenging California House Republicans have keyed on the incumbents’ opposition to abortion or support for abortion-ban legislation.
That covers most of the battleground races in the state.
Tweet of the Week
Goes to Rebekah Sager (@Rebekah_sager) of the Daily Kos.
“If Trump can do it, I can imagine cleaning my house and it should get done. Right?”