Congressional candidate Ray Lutz plans hunger strike

[Liberty Belle]

Source: East County Magazine

Challenger accuses Rep. Hunter of dodging early debates; Hunter wants to wait until Congress is in recess--after absentee ballots have been mailed



August 12, 2010 (El Cajon) – In California's 52nd Congressional District, Democratic candidate Ray Lutz is dishing up a new campaign tactic: a hunger strike. He hopes to convince Rep. Duncan D. Hunter to participate in a series of debates before absentee voting by mail begins. “Until Hunter steps up to the plate, I’ll be stepping away from the dinner plate,” Lutz said in a press release. He added, “Starting this Thursday, August 12, I will refuse to eat until he agrees to debate. I hope my sacrifice will make him realize the community expects him to take their issues seriously.”

Supporters will join Lutz at a “Hungry for Accountability in Congress” effort that starts Friday at the grand reopening of Promenade Park next to Lutz campaign headquarters. Libertarian candidate Michael Benoit announced tonight that he will be on hand to join in the hunger strike and urge Hunter to engage in early debates.

The Lutz campaign said it hand-delivered two letters to the Hunter office requesting a series of eight debates in communities throughout the district. Attempts to videotape the delivery were met with “malice, verbal abuse and expulsion,” the press release announcing the hunger strike stated.

Asked for reaction to the Lutz announcement, Hunter campaign spokesman Dave Gilliard quipped, “We hope someone sneaks him a Twinkie.”

Read more: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/3962

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Lutz plans to blog, twitter and post YouTube updates on his hunger strike, during which he will be stationed in an “isolation booth” during daytime hours. He encourages supporters to “sign up to take a few pounds off , engage in at least one day of hunger strike” to show support. Supporters nationwide are encouraged to take money that they save on food by fasting for a day and donate it to the Lutz campaign at www.voteraylutz.com.


What do Duers think about this tactic? Is Lutz nuts--or will his strategy get him much-needed media attention, money, and perhaps even bag an early debate with Republican Duncan D. Hunter?

[pinboy3niner]

1. He may not be nuts, but a hunger strike is a serious thing

I don't think it's appropriate for such a trivial issue. It may get him attention, but not the debate he wants. It's a campaign stunt. I don't think it'll work, but I could well be wrong...

[Liberty Belle]

2. In this area, conservative-owned papers have long ignored Democrats

unless there's a debate.Incumbents get lots of free press plus use their franking privilege to reach voters.

So I'm not sure it's trivial to want your opponent to debate before the voters cast their ballots, or to want media to provide coverage of serious issues.

Whether the plan will backfire or succeed, however, remains to be seen.

[pinboy3niner]

5. To clarify

Having a candidate debate IS important, but a hunger strike has very serious health effects and can lead to (and has led to) death.

I once interviewed some who had done a hunger strike, and their recounting of the health effects was a real horror story. They had done it to oppose war.

I'm sorry, but I still can't help seeing this as a campaign stunt that is disproportionate to issue at hand. It may succeed in gaining attention. But a different stunt might have accomplished the same thing.

[Liberty Belle]

7. True, how long were the peace actvists on hunger strike when you interviwed them?

[pinboy3niner]

9. It was after the fact when I talked to them

They were members of Veterans for Peace opposing U.S. military involvement in Central America in the '80's. They pulled no punches in discussing the serious and even deadly consequences. They seemed to be particularly concerned that no one engage in such a protest casually or lightly, that they make that choice only with truly 'informed consent'.

[quakerboy]

3. This is the first i've heard of it

I suppose if one feels powerless, this is one way of dealing with that feeling. As far as it goes, its a far better tactic, to my way of thinking, than negative advertising. I like that its self contained, that it is not an act to hurt the other, but rather to draw them into reconsidering their stance based on your level of devotion to your stance.

Maybe I am jaded, but a campaign is a stunt in and of itself, so calling something a campaign stunt has little emotional impact for me. That said, at least its not a stunt at anyone elses expense or destruction.

Thats my first instinct. A candidate who feels that strongly about what they are doing, even if I don't always agree with them, is a person to respect. I wish more of our politicians had principle and self discipline. As a Democrat he would already start with a good chance to get my vote, but this would likely cement that for me.

[94nissan]

16. Hunter is a coward, Lutz wants to engage him & get message out

   Logically, Hunter has everything to lose and nothing to
gain by debating Lutz, Hunter knows that. Hunter is scared as
he knows now that Lutz is a threat. Hunter has no platform
& no brain, he votes along party line always. Hunter
doesn't give a DAMM about the CA 52nd district. He says he
wants jobs, yet (as usual)he voted against the jobs bill for
teachers, police, & firefighters that just passed.
   What really pisses me off is that Hunter does not act like
a Marine and take care of his district as he should. I am a
Retired Marine, Hunter is a Marine Reserve Captain still in
the reserves. He served 3 combat tours in Iraq/Afghanistan
which I have alot of respect for, but that's it. You would
think Hunter would understand about being accountable. Marines
are trained to be & do many things, but in particular
should: be decisive, have courage,
be a doer & make things happen, not accept status quo if
it is NOT good, be a good citizen, set an example, and look
out for the less fortunate and the greater good. A Marine is
never someone's "boy" or a "yes man'. Yet this
is exactly what Hunter is, he's a bumm. He goes out of his way
not to mention President Obama by name, is he a bigot ? I feel
he isn't racially inclusive, but rather divisive. Hunter is
just collecting a paycheck, he's a Coward, Lazy, shows bad
judgement daily, and DOES NOT care about the middle &
lower class.  He's a LIAR, a COWARD, & a FAKE. I must be
careful when I meet him, because after I tell him the above, I
want to punch him in the nose, as Hunter is DISGUSTING !
   Lutz is EVERYTHING Hunter is NOT. Lutz is trying to pull
Hunter into daylight to debate on the issues. Hunter is such a
coward that Lutz has to try and COMPEL Hunter to debate as
Congress is on summer break now.
   Ray Lutz, he works for us ! Go blue !  Steve Jesionka   

[Viva_La_Revolution]

18. Welcome to DU 94nissan!

[jobycom]

4. I hope we don't need him. That's dumb.

His action is going to look like a cross between David Blane and whining. It's a gimmick that most undecideds are going to think is too undignified and sensationalist, and they are going to wonder why he can't find a more mature method than "I'm going to starve myself until I get my way." Most of the time candidates work these things out without a lot of dramatics, other than the ubiquitous "They are afraid to debate me" comments.

I'm assuming Nutz... I'm sorry, Lutz... is trailing or he wouldn't be wanting the debates. This won't get him any support, and it won't get him a debate. I laughed despite myself when I read his opponent's Twinkie comment.

[Liberty Belle]

6. Years ago an opponent of Hunter's father threatened to debate an empty chair.

Hunter Sr. had repeatedly dodged debates, I'm told, but showed up for that one when his opponent rented out a theater and invited all the media to watch the staged chair debate. I believe that was Brian Kelliher.

Last year, a write-in candidate got himself arrested for trying to crash the debates. So there seems to be a tradition in this district for offbeat campaigns.

I'm not sure how long Lutz will be able to last or what exactly would trigger the strike to end. If it were me, I'd offer to go to Washington and debate Hunter there, with a videographer in tow, since his reason for not debating earlier is that he's too busy to leave Washington.

But that's speaking as an old campaign veteran. If the mountain won't come to Muhammed....as they say. Meanwhile I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the Hunter camp...they're probably torn between hoping his opponent will waste away vs. strategizing to tempt him with Twinkies to break his pledge!

[jobycom]

10. You should advise him, that's not bad.

:)

The empty chair works sometimes, especially if voters do think the opponent is dodging the event.

[EFerrari]

8. Hunger strike doesn't bring up the right associations.

Weakness, bodily functions, passivity.

Now, if he'd screen Duncan Hunter's Top Ten Stupid Bloopers all over the district, THAT might work. lol

[jobycom]

11. Good analysis, that is the image it created for me.

Someone weakening themselves. People want leaders to show strength.

[Quantess]

12. It's ultimately a bad idea if he wants to make a good impression in a debate.

A starvation diet is not the greatest way to keep your energy levels up and stay on your toes. He's going to be physically weak and groggy when he finally gets his wish for a debate.

[harmonicon]

13. I think he's obviously nuts

If that were my district, I'd probably just not vote. I wouldn't want either one of those crazy people representing me.

[cc5191]

14. I think it's necessary.....

Absentee ballots are starting October 1st I believe....Hunter's tactic of waiting until October is ridiculous....Up to a third of votes (or more, this is a rural area) will already be cast. Hunter is home RIGHT NOW on the summer break from Congress.

Just because Hunter fell into a "legacy" seat based on having the same name as his father doesn't mean he shouldn't be working to prove to the people of east county that he should be the one to maintain that seat.

W was a man who inherited everything from his father and look how THAT turned out.

Hunter's ethnocentrism is scary, as well as the fact that he's sponsored ONLY ceremonial bills in the House for the last YEAR.

[cc5191]

17. Absentee ballots

I verified because I was interested to know myself the rate of absentee ballots.....in the 2006 mid terms in San Diego county, absentee ballots were 41.5% of all ballots cast. In 2008, absentees comprised 60+% of the vote. That is a large percentage of people that can vote before they see any debate happen. The House has been adjourned, Hunter is off work until September 13th, let's go!

[Liberty Belle]

19. 60% voted absentee here last time. It's huge, and growing.

[Freddie Stubbs]

15. Yes, Mr. Lutz is nuts

Mr. Lutz is running an underfunded campaign in a district which is fairly Republican in a year where wind is blowing against Democrats.