You have a couple of lobbyists who want a particular guy to walk into a temp situation...where Thad retires in eighteen months and the governor has to appoint someone...a basically unknown someone. So, the insiders all rigged up this win for Thad, and their future unknown guy.
Given a choice of a blue-dog democrat or a guy who will be retired in eighteen months who pretends to be a Republican...I’d say it’s safe to vote for the blue-dog democrat. At least twenty-five percent of the time...he’ll side on the Republican strategy.
So, yeah....help defeat Thad in November and send the blue-dog onto the Senate.
Lobbyist are the main driving force behind corruption. The FF's never intended for the government to become a nation of the rich who can pay off and entertain them to be the sole ones with access to representation yet that is what has happened. I doubt any congresscritter themselves would contact Joe Citizen personally who is trying to petition them. Only a real high profile circumstance would get such attention. Joe Citizen will get an aide and likely an Intern at that. A written letter will get you a generic form letter reply sent by same or even a machine. However if a lobbyist calls they likely get a congresscritters personal returned call or appointment within an hour no more than 24 hours unless out of country.
Lobbying by professionals no matter the cause or organization needs to be stopped and our government representation restored to We The People. I have no qualms about anyone being allowed privately or publically themselves to petition congress in person or by phone etc. I don't care how much money they donate either. Let them do it directly. No limits needed on donations just open records of all donations over $1000.
The hired professional tyrants called lobbyist access needs to be ended though. They have turned our representative government into their own private political brothel retirement center.