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STOCKTON, CA - Josh Harder has spent more than $4 Million on demonstratively false and misleading ads - but voters aren't buying it.
Independent and internal polling shows the race has tightened into a tie during the final days. Real Clear Politics initially ranked the CA-09 race as “lean Democrat.” A few days ago it changed that to “toss up.”
After moving into the district earlier this year, Harder began his campaign with a 14-point lead, and almost immediately launched a negative campaign. The worn-out strategy of mudslinging and false accusations might have worked in the past, but today voters are looking for real answers to address real issues of skyrocketing inflation, gas prices, crime, homelessness, and drug overdoses.
“Voters are tired of politicians throwing mud at each other,” County Supervisor and Congressional Candidate Tom Patti said. “They want to know what they plan to do to lessen their pain. But Harder cannot run on the issues because his and Nancy Pelosi’s policies are the cause of these problems,” Patti said.
Harder’s smear campaign has been called out by multiple media fact-checkers as false. Consider the below:
❌ LIE: “Supervisor Tom Patti Voted to Raise the Gas Tax by 40%.”
✅ TRUTH: The Sacramento Bee fact checked the claim and reported it to be false: “Tom Patti did not vote to raise the gas tax despite Josh Harder ad.” The Bee reported that in fact the gas tax was passed by the California legislature, controlled by Harder’s Democrat party. The Stockton Record also called out the lie.**
❌ LIE: Patti voted to make health care more expensive.
✅ TRUTH: The Sacramento Bee also fact checked Harder and pointed out that Supervisor Patti has only approved standard cost of living increases requested by the County’s hospital.* The Stockton Record also called out the lie.**
❌ LIE: Patti is under investigation for bribery.
✅ TRUTH: The investigation is over and found NO MERIT to the bribery allegation as reflected by the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors voted to take no action against Patti (not even a censure).***
❌ LIE: Patti supports a nationwide ban on abortion without exceptions, even in the case of the life of the mother.
✅ TRUTH: The Stockton Record fact checked this and called it out as false.** Patti does strongly oppose, however, Harder’s extreme position that abortion should be legal without restrictions right up until the time of birth.
Patti, on the other hand, has run a positive campaign on the issues:
- INFLATION: He supports reducing the government spending that has caused the problem.
- GAS PRICES: He supports an “all of the above” energy plan to restore America’s energy independence.
- HOMELESS: He supports enforcing no camping laws and providing immediate, temporary shelter and treatment for the homeless.
- DRUG OVERDOSES: He supports a crackdown at the border to stop human and drug trafficking into our country.
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