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The leaked document surfaced in one of the news outlets operated by Timpone – and formerly owned by Proft – a network that has repeatedly drawn scrutiny. A link to the article, which included the leaked document, also appeared briefly on Wirepoints, the publication Dabrowski previously led as president before stepping down to launch his gubernatorial campaign.
Republican donors and grassroots activists alike have expressed frustration that Dabrowski’s campaign has failed to gain traction statewide and that internal controversies like this one are distracting from any coherent message.
Political observers note that Ives’ reputation has already suffered in recent years. Once celebrated as a conservative reformer, she has alienated allies through divisive tactics and questionable alliances.
For many within the party, this latest episode represents the final straw. The leak has prompted some Republicans to draw comparisons between the Dabrowski campaign’s tactics and those once associated with Barack Obama’s hard-edged rise to power.
In 2004, Obama’s U.S. Senate campaign was widely believed to be connected to the leaking of sealed court documents belonging to Democratic primary rival Blair Hull. The release of Hull’s divorce records destroyed his frontrunner status, clearing the path for Obama’s nomination.
Later that same year, sealed divorce records belonging to Republican U.S. Senate nominee Jack Ryan, where Proft served as a campaign advisor, were leaked to the press, forcing him to withdraw from the race – effectively clearing the path for Barack Obama’s easy general election victory. Just four years later, Obama would be elected the 44th President of the United States.
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