INDIANAPOLIS – Congressman Rokita’s campaign sent out a email attacking Congressman Messer yesterday with some of its nastiest language yet, returning the fight between the men in the ‘nastiest race in politics’ to full boil.
In an email to supporters entitled “Messer supports Democrat Joe Donnelly?,” Congressman Rokita’s campaign assailed Congressman Messer for being insufficiently aligned with the Republican Party and the Trump Administration.
Congressman Rokita’s campaign wrote:
“Last night, we were given another reminder of who the establishment Republican is in the race for U.S. Senate: Luke Messer. Asked if he’d support the eventual Republican nominee against Democrat Joe Donnelly, he couldn’t commit to doing so.
…This is nothing new for Luke Messer. He was one of those elite Republicans who spent much of the presidential campaign against crooked Hillary criticizing Donald Trump.
…Who knew that when Joe Donnelly touts support from Republicans, he was referring to Luke Messer.”
Congressman Rokita’s email is in reference to an interview Congressman Messer conducted that aired Monday night on WPTA in Fort Wayne where he refused to pledge his support for the GOP’s Senate nominee should he lose in the primary. Ironically, though, after Congressman Messer quickly flip-flopped and told a Washington Examiner reporter that he has “every anticipation of supporting the winner in the primary,” it’s Congressman Rokita who is the only major GOP Senate candidate who has refused to say he’d support the GOP nominee after being asked. Rep. Mike Braun has yet to field the question.
“With under a year to go until the election, and six months until the GOP primary, the brutal fight between Congressman Messer and Congressman Rokita is going to get worse before it gets better. It may never get better if Congressman Rokita were to follow through on his threats not to endorse,” said Will Baskin-Gerwitz, Senior Media Strategist for the Indiana Democratic Party. “With three top-tier candidates and zero love lost, this primary will only get more expensive and disqualifying for anyone involved.”
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