Replies

It is a huge error for the campaign. That scheme, as unsavory as it is, works with easily fooled, low information voters. So if you are trying to do a GOTV operation where your targets are the kind of people who are fooled by that kind of mailing, then it works. So it was a good scheme for Barack Obama to use, and it helped him.

But Sen. Cruz doesn't appeal to that kind of voter, and the scheme is directly contradictory to his main message. So the people who get the mail piece don't respond like they are expected to. Instead of being afraid they are mad. And instead of going to the polls out of fear, they turn around and publicize the mailer they got.

That kind of mailing has been done before, as have just about every other kind of unsavory mailing you can imagine. But this one clashes with Sen. Cruz's image. After all, it is probably a violation of the Bar rules in just about any state to send a letter misleadingly stating someone is "in violation" when they aren't. So for a candidate that is a well known lawyer, its a remarkably stupid thing to do.

I doubt Sen. Cruz was paying enough attention, or managing his campaign closely enough to catch the blunder before it happened. And that reflects badly on him.

That is the problem.