Local campaigns ignore detainee debates

Despite widespread coverage by the national media on the pending detainee bills in the House and Senate, Americans seem to have other things on their minds. In most House races, the issue has had little impact on candidates’ messages and few constituents have raised it.

Of the 36 candidates in House races the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates as “toss-ups,” only one, Democratic candidate Joe Courtney, claimed the issue is playing a significant role in their campaigns. Other candidates in competitive races also said voters haven’t been paying much attention to the issue.

Courtney, who is seeking Rep. Rob Simmons’s (R-Conn.) seat, has criticized Simmons for opposing Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) detainee bill.

During last week’s struggle over detainee regulations between the White House and three Republican senators — McCain, Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and John Warner (R-Va.) — most House candidates did not declare an opinion in favor of either side’s plan.

The House and Senate are set to vote on a compromise bill this week, but as news of the split between the White House and McCain dominated headlines over the past couple of weeks, few congressional candidates spoke out in favor of either side.

Bob Doyle, a Democratic consultant working with the Joe Donnelly campaign in Indiana, said, “That issue is decidedly secondary. [Our opponent’s] record & bread and butter issues in the district are going to be what determines this election.” Donnelly is running against Rep. Chris Chocola (R-Ind.).

Even candidates who have taken stances on the issue have not made it their campaign’s focus. Republican Randy Graf, running in Arizona’s eighth district, said, “It hasn’t come up much around here, but I would support the president’s position.”

Republican David McSweeney, running against Rep. Melissa Bean (D-Ill.) said, “I support the president – we need to clarify Article III [of the Geneva Convention]” but said constituents have not brought up the issue.

Both Democrats and Republicans are ignoring the detainee issue, largely because the voters they focus on are doing the same. “I don’t hear a whole lot from constituents on this issue,” said Brad Smoot, Ron Klein’s campaign manager. “Not many people seem to have this foremost on their minds.” Klein is running against Rep. Clay Shaw (R-Fla.) this fall.

Brent Littlefield, a consultant to Republican Craig Romero’s campaign against Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.), said, “We haven’t taken a position on that, since the voters haven’t raised it.”

Many campaigns choose to focus on matters the voters care more strongly about. “Constituents aren’t too concerned about it. Iraq is our biggest issue,” said Michael Sohn, Rep. Christopher Shays’ (R-Conn.) campaign manager. “Chris and his opponent have made Iraq the biggest issues, followed by concern over the administration, followed by energy and the environment.”

John Pitney, a government professor at Claremont McKenna College, says voters aren’t attuned to the Beltway debate. “The issues are complicated, and people just aren’t paying that much attention to details,” Pitney said. “I think if you were to ask the average citizen about waterboarding, they might think it’s a sport at the beach.”