Katie Porter is a champion for working families. As a consumer advocate, Katie has spent years fighting for the middle-class and understands the importance of holding big corporations and banks accountable.” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján. “Orange County Democrats have shown that they are tired of the status quo, and are fired up and ready to win this formerly deep red district. With Katie Porter, we will.”
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To: Interested Parties
From: Drew Godinich, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 6, 2018
RE: The Case Against Mimi Walters
The race between Congresswoman Mimi Walters and Katie Porter is a contest between the tried and tired politics of Washington Republican leadership and a local champion who will be a true advocate for working families.
Since her election in 2014, Mimi Walters has shown that she is more interested in going along with her Republican party bosses than being an independent voice for Orange County. From the heartless Republican health care repeal plan to the Tax Scam – which she has tirelessly championed – Southern Californians have seen again and again that Mimi Walters’ priorities lie not with them, but with her corporate donors and Washington Republicans. In fact, despite promising to fight for her constituents, she’s chosen to vote with Donald Trump 99% of the time.
Back home, Katie has been working tirelessly to build a campaign and message that is focused on delivering results for the people of the 45th District. As a consumer protection attorney, Katie has proven results standing up for families against big corporations and powerful special interests. Katie is committed to fighting for quality public education, affordable healthcare, and better jobs and wages. Katie uniquely positioned to prosecute the case against Mimi Walters’ failings as a stooge for Washington interests.
Underlining this – Republicans in the 2018 primary only consolidated 53% of votes – a decline from 68% in 2014. In this suburban, college-educated district that voted against Donald Trump by 5 points, Katie is ready to compete and win against an entrenched incumbent inextricably tied to the failing Washington brand.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“A majority of voters, 54%, said they would be less likely to reelect their representative if that member of Congress voted to repeal the healthcare law. … Nearly half of voters, 47%, said they opposed the federal tax overhaul signed by Trump in December. It had support of 27% of voters surveyed, and 26% weren’t sure or had no opinion. A slim majority of voters, 52%, said they would be less likely to vote to reelect their member of Congress if he or she supported the bill. [Los Angeles Times, 5/23/2018]
“Mimi Walters, a second-term congresswoman from Irvine, was another in that bind. Her district, extending roughly from Anaheim Hills south to Mission Viejo, is one of the most affluent in California, and taxpayers there are some of the biggest beneficiaries of the state and local tax deductions, as well as the write-off for mortgage interest. … But in two days of conversation around the district, many more viewed the tax bill as an unwarranted giveaway to the rich, paid for by those already struggling to stay afloat.” [Los Angeles Times,11/17/18]
“She is, instead, a perfectly ordinary, mostly overlooked Republican incumbent, with views that mirror the party consensus. … Walters hasn’t given voters inclined to vote against Trump any particular reason to vote for her. Their agendas are identical.” [Yahoo News, 3/28/18]
“Walters said she ‘fully supports’ Trump. ‘It is very important that Republicans back the president,’ she said. ‘He’s the president of our party. He stands for what we stand for.’” [Sacramento Bee, 10/25/17]
HEADLINE: “Here’s why Trump’s tax plan will hit Californians especially hard” [LA Times, 9/27/2017]
HEADLINE: “Rep. Mimi Walters was the only House member who reported using Cambridge Analytica data in 2016 election” [Los Angeles Times, 3/21/18]
MIMI WALTERS: PUTTING WASHINGTON BEFORE ORANGE COUNTY
Walters Voted to Increase Her Constituents’ Taxes, Make Home Ownership More Expensive
Walters voted for the GOP Tax Scam — despite her constituents being some of the “biggest beneficiaries” of the SALT and mortgage interest tax deductions — that is slated to eliminate savings on $13,915 worth of taxes for each of her district’s beneficiaries, and will cause nearly one million Californians to pay $12 billion more in higher taxes. She campaigns against government debt, but the Tax Scam is slated to increase the deficit by$1.5 trillion, and it’ll give 83% of its benefits to the wealthiest 1% of Americans and increases incentives for companies to move jobs overseas — all while millions of middle class families pay more over time. Experts warn that Californians could now face “double taxation” due to the GOP Tax Scam.
Constituents in Walters’ district are subject to high housing costs, but Walters’ vote for the Tax Scam made it worse. It will be a “hit to home shoppers” and puts “home ownership even further out of reach for families”.
Caused Health Care Premiums to Skyrocket in California, Jeopardized Constituents’ Health Care
Mimi Walters repeatedly voted to increase health care premiums – which are expected to increase by nearly 18% in California – in addition to jeopardizing health insurance for 33,700 people in her district, imposing an age tax on seniors, and did nothing to lower the price of prescription drugs. Walters had even “vowed to protect patients with pre-existing conditions” but “cast a vote for a plan allows insurance companies in some cases to charge higher premiums to people with cancer, diabetes and other common preexisting conditions — even pregnancy.”
Now, Mimi Walters and Washington politicians have their sights set on slashing Social Security and Medicare.
History of Ethics Scandals
Allegations of ethics violations have dogged Mimi Walters since her time in the California Legislature. While there, she was investigated in an ethics probe, and California’s ethics commission said her office’s activity created the “appearance of a conflict of interest”. Moreover, Walters was called out for voting on “numerous bills that could affect her husband’s business interests.”
Moreover, after just two terms in Congress, her personal wealth increased between $1,765,000 and $5,685,999, and had even “quietly” took a pay increase after having been vocally against it. While voting repeatedly to raise costs on her own constituents, she appears to have no issue with using her office for personal enrichment.
99% with Trump, Not with Orange County
Despite trying to cultivate an image as an independent voice for Orange County, Mimi Walters has sided with Donald Trump and the Republican Party 99% of the time, even as her district voted for Hillary Clinton by 5 points.
THE PATH TO VICTORY
California’s 45th Congressional District is a newly-purple district that supported Hillary Clinton by 5 points. This suburban, college-educated district anchored by the University of California-Irvine has never been seriously contested by Democrats at the congressional level, but Mimi Walters’ record in Washington is out of step with the values of the voters in this district — putting her party before her constituents time and again.
Katie Porter is well-positioned to take on Congresswoman Mimi Walters. She has shown time and time again that she will fight for working California families. Porter has consolidated substantial local and national support, earning endorsements from Senator Kamala Harris, EMILY’s List, End Citizens United, and many others. She has kept pace as Walters’ fundraising has lagged her Democratic challengers for several consecutive quarters.
As a representative of a district trending away from her extreme positions, Mimi Walters has tried to cultivate a moderate image with voters and the press, but her voting record in Washington belies that facade. She has sided with Donald Trump 99% of the time and the Republican Party 99% of the time, even as polling shows that less than 30% of Californians view the President favorably.
After Republicans received 62% of votes in the primary in 2016, Mimi Walters was only able to consolidate 53% of votes in the 2018 primary. This bodes well for the general election – where Katie Porters’ record of fighting on behalf of consumers will present a potent contrast to Mimi’s record of consistent advocacy for the biggest corporations and her lobbyist friends. In fact, a May poll conducted by End Citizens United showed Porter leading incumbent Walters by 3 points.
As suburban voters across the country have drifted away from the Republican Party, this largely suburban district is also bound to be affected. In a district where over half of residents hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, the Republican Party’s losing ground among college-educated voters is bound to have a devastating impact.
The combination of a strong, outsider candidate in Katie Porter with Mimi Walters’ record puts this race in play, and Democrats are well-positioned to win this seat this November.