WI-01: Fame and Campaign Fortune Hasn't Saved 'Iron Stache' From a Heated Primary
When Randy Bryce came on to the political scene, he became a Democratic fundraising juggernaut. But the Wisconsin Democrat, who is known by his Twitter moniker “Iron Stache,” hasn’t locked down his primary race in the 1st District, despite a national profile and buckets of money being poured into his campaign.
Bryce faces a potentially competitive contest against Janesville school board member Cathy Myers in Tuesday’s primary.
Myers jumped in the race shortly after Bryce launched the video that rocketed him to fame as the ironworker taking on Speaker Paul D. Ryan in the 1st District. Ryan’s decision to retire from Congress upended the race, placing new attention on Myers, according to her campaign.
Ryan’s exit, along with reports of Bryce’s legal troubles that have surfaced and Myers’ own fundraising, has seen the Democratic primary develop into a heated race that at times has gotten nasty.
Some Democrats still expect Bryce to win, given his name recognition and his dominance on the airwaves. But Myers’ campaign is looking to capitalize on enthusiasm among female voters, who have propelled scores of Democratic women to primary victories across the country.
Public polling in the race is hard to come by, but a July poll from Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Ryan, found Myers with a 1-point lead. A third of those surveyed were undecided.
A source with Myers’ campaign said the CLF poll was consistent with the campaign’s own numbers at the time. A source familiar with Bryce’s internal polling said his numbers showed him with the lead but declined to provide details.
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/fame-campaign-fortune-hasnt-saved-iron-stache-heated-primary
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