There’s a story at the Janesville Gazette‘s website entitled, Democrats Split Over How to Defeat Ryan about the search for a candidate to run against 1st Congressional district Representative Paul Ryan.
Democratic officials have found no wealthy, self-sufficient candidates to run, and have less than a week before the filing deadline.
One possible challenger, Paulette Garin, “faults party officials for making grand statements about the need to defeat Ryan and yet doing little to reach that goal. She said party leaders seemed intent on finding a candidate with money who could challenge the Republican incumbent’s formidable bankroll, and that meant they were not interested in her low-budget campaign style.”
Although it must be frustrating to a grass-roots (that is, poorly financed) opponent, both major parties will spend their own money only for candidates but ideologically suitable and reasonably electable. Ryan’s a prohibitive favorite, and Democratic party files on prospective party candidates might as well bear the labels “You Must be Kidding,” “Slim to None,” and “We’re Not Wasting Our Money.” The reverse is true in Democratic strongholds.
If either party funded candidates across the board, adjusted only for the costs of advertising withing a district, that funding equality would be short-lived. After a season or two, once donors realized that their contributions were going to candidates with little chance of winning, each party’s coffers would begin to shrink. They’d go from an equal distribution to not enough money for a distribution. It’s practicality, and possible gain, not principle alone, that drives donations. There’s no surprise in this.
This is a good year, however, for Ryan for another reason: his criticism of profligate spending is reaping praise. It’s for that reason that even wealthy opponents are reluctant to run against him — they’d make the effort, if they thought there was a reasonable prospect of success in return for their money. There isn’t, for their private wealth, or for the party’s war chest.
This year, more than ever, Ryan’s in the catbird seat.