Jay Seegmiller, the Utah Democratic candidate in Utah's second congressional district, turned a Republican Party crisis into an opportunity for a campaign edge against GOP opponent Chris Stewart.
Republican candidates united to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on June 14 against Stewart, accusing him of conspiracy and fraud. The 'Anybody But Chris' campaign was alleged victorious after gaining sympathy votes from negative campaign ads created by Stewart.
Stewart was accused of tampering with election results and tainting the image of the Republican Party. Upon winning the party nomination at the convention, Stewart's campaign manager, Brian Steed, quit.
'I quit … We didn’t have to win this way,' Steed said in a news release.
Despite questionable action from the Republican party, Seegmiller pledges to respect and honor his opponents, treating them as equals.
'These dirty campaign tactics are exactly what need to be excised from our political culture. If true, these grave allegations only highlight how much work we have to do,' Seegmiller said.
According to his news release, Republican delegates are welcomed by Seegmiller to join his campaign in ensuring harmony and civility.
Seegmiller chose to make this crisis a learning opportunity for all Utah residents. 'If we want to solve the problems that actually matter to Utah voters, we must put the divisiveness and mean-spiritedness behind us,' Seegmiller said.
Seegmiller's campaign focuses on doing just that. His campaign stresses the importance of bringing civility and dignity to the nation through better bipartisan problem-solving. His other focus is job creation.
'With a broad and stable base of well-paying jobs, we can solve the major challenges facing our nation, including the national debt, deficit spending and out-of-control healthcare costs,' Seegmiller said.
The 'Jay for Jobs' campaign is directed towards Republicans and Democrats of all ages, and Seegmiller anticipates renewing the nation's union and patriotism.