Bookerista Politicos: "Mia Love Transcends Race"

Mia Love

I don't know about that, given that a white or especially Hispanic politician accused by critics of raising taxes in her hometown and being an "anchor baby" would not be well-positioned to unseat a longstanding U.S. Congressman. However, Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Artur Davis apparently disagree with me. From the New York Daily News: "Republicans, like Love herself, have focused more on her conservative values and agenda than her race. 'We need a party that is diverse based on our issues and not based on simply trying to find greater variety in the complexion,' said Rep. Tim Scott of South Carolina, one of the two black Republicans now in the House."

More: "It would be a disservice to Love for Republicans to tout her candidacy in racial terms, said Artur Davis, a black former Democratic congressman from Alabama who switched parties and also spoke to the GOP convention. 'As a congresswoman, she would have so much more to offer: successful former mayor, the product of a successful immigration story and a thoughtful, dynamic conservative,' Davis said."

In related news....Ms. Love continues her fire-hot fundraising, raising three times as much money as Rep. Jim Matheson (R-Utah) in the first half of this month (the last reporting deadline before the election). Thanks to a huge assist from the National Republican Congressional Committee and various conservative PACs, she has raised $1.85 million overall to Rep. Matheson's $2.2 million. Pretty damn good, for a political challenger.

UPDATE: Apparently, Republican Congressional leaders aren't viewing Ms. Love as the bookerista politicos view her. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (who has been fundraising on her behalf) told the Utah press that electing the first black Republican woman to Congress would be "historic" and that the GOP caucus would welcome her voice.