Both NRCC-backed candidates in MI-01 fail to advance into general election, making it a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats
The National Republican Congressional Committee had a tough night on Tuesday, when both of their preferred candidates – career politicians Tom Casperson and Jason Allen – lost badly to Louisanan-at-heart Jack Bergman in the open seat race for Michigan’s 1st District.
The NRCC had promoted Casperson and Allen to their “On the Radar” program, but Bergman remains conspicuously absent even after winning the GOP nomination. By leaving Bergman off of “Young Guns,” the NRCC is admitting failure and confirming that their chances of holding this open, swing seat are slim.
There is a reason why the NRCC wanted anybody but Jack Bergman to win the GOP nomination, going so far as to place both of his primary opponents in their “On The Radar” program and hoping that their Lansing friends and Washington lobbyists could bail them out by attacking Bergman in the primary. After all, despite portraying himself as an outsider, Bergman has actually admitted his plans to retire in Louisiana, complaining about all the snow places like Upper Michigan get in the winter. This was all before he was lobbying legislators on behalf of the second-largest for-profit school in the country – that was later found to be scamming students and veterans and had to pay a settlement of $95.5 million.
“By leaving Jack Bergman off their ‘Young Guns’ candidate assistance program, it’s clear that National Republicans are waving the white flag and giving up on a critical swing seat in Michigan’s 1st District,” said Sacha Haworth of the DCCC. “In the general election, voters have a clear choice between Lon Johnson’s energetic campaign fighting to create a U.P. and Northern Michigan where families can stay and succeed, and Jack Bergman’s record of scamming students and vets – and wanting to live anywhere but Michigan.”